Same old pardew- insults his youngsters. I wrote on the Sunderland page when we signed cook that I thought Newcastle would struggle badly this season. He always gets found out.
There's a candid and sober assessment of the performance by The Good Doctor on the OS. I still maintain that simply bringing in fringe players wasn't the solution to winning this game, what it needed was hungry players, young players keen to impress and bring forward the playing relationships built up elsewhere in the club into the first team. There'd always be the potential for a hammering with a side composed like that, but could it have been any worse than stumbling out of the competition in the dismal manner of yesterday's performance?
Agreed, Tewkes. It makes you wonder what is the point of our development squad. Azeez has had his 12 minutes and now I don't expect we'll see any of them again this season.
There's got to be a negative spin-off as well for those contributing or thinking of contributing to Valley Gold. I stopped about ten years ago when I simply couldn't see the point any more - there just weren't enough youngsters making it through, and those that did get through we never saw the best of before they were sold. I'm not saying we're different to any other club in the amount of home grown or developed players that make first team regulars but in the introduction of promising youngsters into the first team, we're beyond tentative. The prime example at the moment IMO, is Callum Harriot who in the three games I saw him play for the first team was outstanding, both in terms of work rate and as an attacking force - surely he can't be any worse than some of the midfield trundlers we've seen this season.
Another factor is the size of the squad. For years we've had too big a squad with our youngsters last in the queue, often behind loanees and journeymen- look how long it took Solly to get his cghance.
To be fair, Solly seemed to be injured a lot in those first two L1 seasons. And he was blamed for the 4-0 at Millwall. I know where you stood at the time, and I agreed with you (I remember saying mid season that Solly looked better at left back than Richardson did at right back), but that was the minority opinion at the time. Remember... Plenty on various forums said that he was no good at the start of last season. Similar with Shelvey. I still don't really understand why everyone was looking to drop him for an out of sorts Bailey at the end of the playoff season, but that is what people seemed to want, both on forums and at the Valley. There were also many who didn't rate Jenkinson. I know it's lame to blame the fans for everything, but it's not just the managers who struggle to bring through youth players. Harriott seems to be a strange one. Powell gave him his start two seasons ago, but hasn't used him again since then. He hasn't gone out on loan either. So is he being developed to unleash next season, or what? Huddersfield commentators seemed impressed by Azeez. Best of luck to him, whatever happens. Ironically, I think I might join Valley Gold. Thanks for the suggestion Tweakes.
The only chance I can see for Azeez and Harriott (plus others) to get in the side is if we are safe with a few games to go. That was when Harriott got his opportunity two years ago in L1. It's a real shame, particularly for Harriott, as we have a real problem on the left that he may well be the solution to. Powell would have learnt more if he had started with Azeez and Harriott yesterday, though I know he would have been accused of not taking the competition seriously. I understand why he gave Cook another chance, even if he didn't take it, as he will be hoping to get in the side and will have wanted to impress.
They got Leicester at home... Another chance to progress in the cup, or another match that lacks excitement
