I like Aarons too but he is another that Rafa simply doesn't fancy. He is in the same boat as Mitro, Mbemba for me. They are all young players 22-23. However they are all past that age where you wait around, you need to be playing football. Personally I think 2 of them have done the right thing, get some game time with a view to leaving in the summer. I think all three will go on to have good careers elsewhere and are talented.
Yep this is one I'll concede is big error on Rafa's part. At first I though it was a hesitance to put a youngster in with little experience, then I see Kenedy put straight in the team at a year younger. Hopefully next season we won't base our games around defence because, if you're picking a winger to be a winger, Aarons has done nothing wrong in a Toon shirt. Mbemba will realise his true potential after a season under an Allardyce-esque manager one day. Again his only issue is some of his choices when playing out the back. But then we got Clark doing the same and he's older I can excuse Mitro when it's just the one, but when Rafa's had enough of a player, he's had enough and that's disappointing. Just not sure why he's so unforgiving with two players who haven't put the team at any obvious risk and have considerable talent. He's kept Mbemba but, realistically, he won't play much. He's done the right thing by moving but good form will probably dictate price rather than a chance in our first team. If him or Mitro show form on loan it should earn redemption but nothing of Rafa's time here suggests that will be the case.
Also when you look at the last 2 subs Chelsea brought on on Saturday you can see that there is something seriously wrong at a deeper level within our club. That Ampadu kid was picked up from Exeter a year ago by Chelsea (17 year old) and he looks like he is going to be a decent player. Calum Hudson-Odoi has been at Chelsea since he was 10 and brought through the ranks. Granted to you don't see many players nowadays coming through the ranks and making it to the first team on a regular basis due to foreign imports/pressure to stay in the top division etc, but we just don't seem to be able to do anything on that front. Carroll being the last one of any significance as far as I remember (i.e. brought through and sold for a decent profit).
Rafa isn't alone in this stubborn nature as far as managers go. Plenty just don't fancy a player and that is that. Benitez is famous for this. Remember Robbie Keane? He spent 20m on him and then decided he didn't fancy him. He ended up below Ngog and El Zahr in the pecking order. With all due respect to them, I think Keane was right to feel a bit miffed. And that is someone he spunked an entire summer budget on! Crouch would hit rich form and be promptly dropped despite a clamour from fans and pundit alike. If your face doesn't fit with Rafa, you can forget it.
