TBH, I didn't think 'Arry would play as many kids against PAOK as he did, so it's much more likely than I would have thought a week ago. Pav was pretty useless, Adebayor and Defoe shouldn't be risked, so why not give Kane and Coulibally a go? Then Pav can concentrate on where he is going in January.
He doesn't look 16, though, and he looks taller than 5'7". Birth certificates from Africa aren't quite as reliable as ours. He looks a more physical player than Defoe, that's for sure. And he's quick - Shawcross would have to catch him before he can batter him.
Shawcross might not play, also it was a question not a statement, so I think you should have another think about your silly answer.
Well said , the ignorance level of some of the posters on here is pretty high, they clearly haven't seen the size of this lad, and seemingly don't understand that Stoke like us will be playing their third game in just over five days, including a long away trip to Russia, so it's highly unlikely they'll be playing their 'first team'.
Well spotted! you might just be right. First time on this thread anyway. I'll put my ignorance up against your intelligence will I?
More to the point, if he isn't going to play in the domestic cups, then why de he bother coming here? So we could loan him out to Yeovil? He didn't make our Europa squad, so I imagine he'd feel a little bit snubbed if he doesn't get some time out in the cups.
Ingnorance eh?...I see, yet you ignore the pace and ferocity of the PL and the teams in it, thinking its ok to lob a youngster in at the deep end. You should know how Harry works by now, loan to Championship sides first. The silliness is all yours!
I thought one of the reasons he signed for us was because he thought he would get some 1st team football.Not sure if this would be the right game though,but i'm sure he will play some games for us soon.
The kid's still too young. He'll get a lot of time in academy games, like the U19s CL thingy, but it's too soon to start him in a first team game. Perhaps a place on the bench, considering our injuries.
If you're good enough, you're old enough, PNP. Pav was rubbish on Thursday, too slow, rubbish first touch. We don't need to risk Ade and Defoe in the cups, so why not give Kane and Coulibally a go?
CN - You cite Kane who has scored for fun in his own age group, two games in the EL even though against SPL and Greek 2nd rate, and despite doing reasonably well, has found that a different world altogether. They need to have the standard of football they play in raised gradually and work up. You don't start at the top find they're not ready and keep dropping them down, it would kill their developement. Rare exceptions like Messi and Rooney have been thrown in at tender ages I agree, I doubt we have one them on our hands.
notso - so he has only had two games at EL level, one in a truly intimidating stadium, and has done reasonably well? So let's give him another few games and see how he develops. And let's do the same for Coulibally. How do we find out how good he is without playing him? The NextGen comp is way below Europa or CC standard. More to the point, we know how shockingly bad Pav can be, and he doesn't have the excuse of youth and inexperience. Unless you are suggesting we use Defoe and/or Ade against Stoke, I would think that Kane and Coulibally are a decent shout.
We're stuck with Pav till Jan and thats that, its not a reason to 'potentially' ruin a young lad. Firstly the two lads you mention are going to have to do it in training against our own CB's, if they get no joy against them, I fail to see your logic of just lobbing them in to 'see how they do'.
We're stuck with Bentley and Jenas, as well, but we don't play them. I don't see the logic in picking a striker we know to be horribly slow with no first touch. Does Pav get "any joy" against our CBs in training, do you think? If he does, then that proves that it's no test at all for a player's suitability for first team football. And if he doesn't...
