Shaw, Ward-Prowse, Stephens and Chambers seem the most likely to make an impact from the academy. And with Adkins/Cortese looking to have 50% of the team home grown, how will they get a look in? Do Harding and Dickson both go so Stephens is third choice LB? Should we sign a new RB, does either Richardson/Butterfield go so Shaw becomes third choice there? Ward-Prowse, who in my eyes is our next big thing, will only have a shot if players like Hammond and/or Chaplow make way - provided we don't bring in another CM after Davis. So my point is, with survival so important next season, how will Adkins look to bring those players in? The only way they will improve is tasting first team action. I would like to see them involved this season but fear that emphasis will be to consolidate our place, and loaning them out for the year will be the easiest way for them to play regularly?
I think it's got to be through loans. Very few players make their top flight debut without having experience lower down the pyramid. Only other way is perhaps in the League or FA cup or if there is a major injury crisis.
Too risky playing them in the prem yet, will probably sit on the bench and come on if we're winning by a good margin, and play the cup games. ps. you got Stephens and Shaw the wrong way round
1) Target the League cup. Most teams don't take it that seriously, and if we lose, we won't threaten our survival propsects. Play a mixture of youth and experience, so that the nippers can develop their game. 2) There's a club down the road that's desperate for players right now, let's use it as a training ground for our youth squad. Send some of the nippers down there for a month or two to show the blue half of Hampshire what they're missing out on. We can confuse the Pompey faithful by turning it into Southampton B.
I think with the larger bench they will get chances as subs, and the cup matches will continue to be important in giving them game time. I can see one or two of them going out on loan though once they have shown what they can do.
Loans to start with, then depending how well they do they could feature a year or so later. Works well for Arsenal.
I would use them in the League Cup, see what the situation is in January, for instance how Saints are fairing in the league, injuries, cup competitions and so on. Then if the situation is right then send them on loan for the remainder of the season to get so more games in.
Id love to get shaw and JW prowse out on loan to a team like posh or huddersfield, well they wil get game time in the champs
Agreed cups and on the bench coming on for experience when fingers crossed we are comfortably in front
If there's a Bale or a Chamberlain in that 4, they'll stick out like a sore thumb against the decent opposition lined up in pre-season. When young players are confident and not intimidated by big stages, you can throw them on when we need them.
I am so tempted to write... give the old guys holsters, after reading the thread's newspaper headline title, but I won't. Basically, loans at the right level, and know that they'll get played. There's no point in a repeat of a Falque from Spurs, situation. And not for a full season either. Just a few months here, a month or two there. I'd want them happy elsewhere, but happy to come back to the Club. No chance of head turning, thank you.
Do loans have to be sorted by end of August like the permanent transfers? If so I'd wait and see how the first couple of games go and then send them for short loans to a Championship team where they will play. Agree we need to make sure they play not like Falque did with us.
