Hiding behind stats there the all trusted eye ball test shows something else There really are youngsters we can give much more game time too but Ange like those before him don’t seem to have the bravery.
The key difference is Norbert flouncing out the door at the end of the season means there's no reason for him to not dabble with their academy - especially in low priority games Ange on the other hand is still installing his preferred system, so the priority is getting the first team reading from the same songsheet It also has to be said that our academy has a few gaps in the players coming through: case in point with Porro and Udogie out for Wolves that would be a chance for an academy FB...but our U21s don't have a LB right now with Charlie Sayers presumably injured. Similarly, with Alfie Dorrington injured and Ashley Phillips out on loan (and Brooklyn Lyons-Foster sold the other day) the U21s are playing George Abbott, a DM, as a CB Obviously there's times we should have dipped in as needs must, as the period without Romero and Mickey Van should have given Dorrington or Phillips an opportunity (though I can understand the logic of not throwing a raw talent into a makeshift backline) and there's certainly been games where we didn't take the opportunity to give Donley a few more minutes or debut Santiago, but it's nowhere near comparable to Poch letting a generation of youngsters stagnate on the vine
We had an injury crisis of our own and still weren’t brave though. Our youth policy has been diabolical for years, I thought it may have changed under Ange but doesn’t seem to be the case. It feels slightly worse this season too considering how good the 21s are performing; currently top of the league with two player of the month winners. If they aren’t going to get chances when first teamers are out then they definitely won’t when first teamers are back, case in point with Donley having not made the bench the last two weeks.
Klopp always picks experience over youth unless he has no choice at all. Joe Gomez playing out of position last night is a case in point.
Pogba’s got a four year ban from football. More or less career over I’d say, will be 34/ 35 by the time he can return. Not had a bad career by any means, albeit I think he could’ve gone down as a great with the potential and ability he had, seemed to slack off a bit too much though.
Wayne Rooney has said he is targeting the manager's job at United or Everton 'within the next ten years'. I suppose it depends on which of them gets relegated to League 1 first.
Average club player who wasted his potential, but did well for France, notably in the WC Final of 2018 when he ran his socks off for once. He was everywhere - defending, winning the ball, creating and scoring; he looked strong and athletic, yet skilful. But how many times did he show that?
Sean Dyche has claimed Everton's successful appeal is 'in the best interests of everyone concerned'. ***Brentford, Forest and Luton entered the chat***
The following teams can no longer finish above us: Burnley Sheff Utd Been a while since we could play this game this early in the season.
Twattenburg weighs in on Tierney being ****, again: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68459920 He works for Forest, so his opinion's worth even less here than it normally is. It's just a factually incorrect decision, though. I'm sure we had something identical earlier in the season too, though against us. No idea how a Premier League ref can **** up something so simple.
Funny as **** watching Brendan Rogers at Celtic. Currently losing to Hearts to a VAR penalty and down to 10 men since 16th minute ... after a VAR intervention and had a goal disallowed for offside ... oh and they missed a penalty. The footballing God's hate the ****er
Hearts striker falls over in the box and ball rolls to his team mate...who then scores... the football gods are enjoying giving Brenda a good kicking to his unnatural teeth please log in to view this image
