What I like is that for the first time in a long time we have promoted from within and they have slotted straight in and maintained that level of performance over a few games. Aarons, Mbabu, Abeid have all come in and had a wow of a game then fallen away from the first team. He's tracking the opponent's players, good on the ball with a good range of passing and never looks rushed.
I think a Hayden alongside Longstaff is working well and they appear to work well together. Having the confidence of 3 CB behind them that are all comfortable with the ball too, must help them too.
Often because we haven't trusted them enough. Aarons is slightly different because whereas he can't be blamed for being injured, nor can the club. I'd also question whether his injuries are attributable to his commitment. Kieran Dyer was injured all the time. This largely started when he became one of Newcastle's premier playboys. I think there is a link between the two such is the physical demand of modern football.
Mbabu is probably the one where you look and think "why has he been dropped?". Its a difficult one because we had Daryl Janmaat at the time and you play the dutch international if you are Rafa or McClaren. You don't pick the unpopular swiss lad who has come through your system. That is the mentality that needs to change for me. When we went down and Janmaat wanted out, we should have promoted Mbabu at the very least. We didn't, we went and signed Yedlin and Gamez. I'm not sure either is better than Mbabu to be honest. By all accounts though Rafa had concerns about his professionalism.
Being honest though we've got lucky with Longstaff. Lets be honest Rafa had him as 5th choice and was probably farming him out on loan again. Then Shelvey and Diame got big injuries, Ki pissed off to the Asian Cup, and the 4th and 5th choice midfielder get in. I think that is where we need some change. Look at him and realise what you've got. Give him game time and don't be swayed by the international caps someone has, or the reputation. Pick them on talent and also on potential. Too often we go and sign players who on the face of it are either not better or only slightly better than the young players we have. Its obvious why though, the lack of investment means you're always fighting relegation, managers protect their own neck going for the safer option. We've got to get into the habit of taking a bit of pain to get the reward.
Then the likes of Lewis Gibson want to stay here instead of going somewhere they think has a better reputation of giving young players a chance. I can't blame Gibson really, Everton do look a more likely place to get game time if I'm a youngster. Whether that changes now with Silva there I don't know. Historically though they have been very good in that regard. Gibson will have looked at who they had coming through in Kenny, Lookman, Calvert-Lewin, Holgate, Davies, Dowell - they've got England youth players lining up for fun. I'd like to see a situation where we can be that club young players gravitate towards.
The manager can only do so much though. If the owner won't invest to make the facilities and coaching for young players state of the art, then they still won't come. If the investment in the first team is so poor that young players don't have a good nucleus of first team pros to help their integration then they won't develop so again players won't come. Sadly it comes back to Mr Ashley and we know he is unlikely to do the necessary. So you can't really get on Rafa's case too much as it has to be a holistic approach otherwise he will be pissing in the wind. I don't think Rafa would change though and start blooding youngsters, he has a poor record as a manager. However until we do the other bits, then I'm not sure it matters anyway.
