A Unique Position

So while you admit that our youth players aren't good enough we should just go ahead and play them anyway? Why?

They might look half decent playing in an U21 or an U18s game but putting them on the Anfield pitch with 45,000 spectators and playing against a proper experienced PL side then its a completely different game. How is it a ridiculous statement? Usually you can tell pretty much immediately if a player is special. Owen, Fowler, Gerrard all had that magic about them. Rooney did at the blueshite. Even defenders like Ashley Cole & John Terry were special when they broke into their senior teams. Everton signed a 19 year old Stones who looked special straight away. Its more rare actually that a player goes through his career without getting noticed and then suddenly turns into a world beater over night - like Jamie Vardy.

The first time I saw Jay Spearing play for Liverpool I knew he wouldn't make it. I can say the same about several of our current youth players and would be happy to place a bet with you right now and see where they are in 5 years time. Seems pointless though as you've confessed yourself they aren't good enough yet you insist on playing them?

Same here with Jay and others since him I question the cost and the benefit to the club of the Academy. Whats that old adage if your good enough your old enough . When you think about how the club uses its valuable resources i.e the Academy and the Scouting dept its quite depressing can you imagine the design dept. of jaguar or Ferrari not coming up with a new model for 15 years or so.

So while you admit that our youth players aren't good enough we should just go ahead and play them anyway? Why?

They might look half decent playing in an U21 or an U18s game but putting them on the Anfield pitch with 45,000 spectators and playing against a proper experienced PL side then its a completely different game. How is it a ridiculous statement? Usually you can tell pretty much immediately if a player is special. Owen, Fowler, Gerrard all had that magic about them. Rooney did at the blueshite. Even defenders like Ashley Cole & John Terry were special when they broke into their senior teams. Everton signed a 19 year old Stones who looked special straight away. Its more rare actually that a player goes through his career without getting noticed and then suddenly turns into a world beater over night - like Jamie Vardy.

The first time I saw Jay Spearing play for Liverpool I knew he wouldn't make it. I can say the same about several of our current youth players and would be happy to place a bet with you right now and see where they are in 5 years time. Seems pointless though as you've confessed yourself they aren't good enough yet you insist on playing them?

You mean like they did against WH, you know that PL team that are currently 4 points and 4 places above us in the league or doesn't that count because on the day WH were crap.

Not one of them let us down.  Not one of them made a mistake that lead to us losing the game.  Not one of them continual mistakes throughout the game that meant we didn't win it.

What exactly do you expect from them?  They achieved something our so called strongest/best 11 have failed to do twice already this season.

As already stated many times in this thread, it's about introducing one or two players who may well be good enough in the future so that we can rotate and rest those senior players that need a rest, this isn't about playing an u21s/u18s starting 11.

Same here with Jay and others since him I question the cost and the benefit to the club of the Academy. Whats that old adage if your good enough your old enough . When you think about how the club uses its valuable resources i.e the Academy and the Scouting dept its quite depressing can you imagine the design dept. of jaguar or Ferrari not coming up with a new model for 15 years or so.

FOR FUCKS SAKE - THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS NOT F***ing MACHINES THAT CAN BE DESIGNED IN A F***ing FACTORY OR GROWN IN A F***ing TEST TUBE.

How many of you all seeing, all knowing fans thought Carra was good enough at 18.  He admits himself he wasn't but through sheer hard work and determination he F***ing was good enough and good enough for a very long career.

GIVE THE KIDS A F***ing CHANCE AND THANKS FOR PUTTING ME IN THE BIGGEST F**k OFF MOOD IVE BEEN IN FOR YEARS 

I'm done with all this sh*t, fine none of you think we have anybody coming through, let's go spunk another £20m quid on an up and comer who never plays in his preferred position and gets sent to Turkey to get him out of the managers way.

THAT'S A FANTASTIC WAY TO BUILD A F***ing SQUAD 

Has reddebs gone yet? 

Has reddebs gone yet? 

your such a whimp .
Many years ago I had an Auntie who new all the first teams birthdays and she would send them cards and one thing you never did is bad mouth one of her boys.

FOR FUCKS SAKE - THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS NOT F***ing MACHINES THAT CAN BE DESIGNED IN A F***ing FACTORY OR GROWN IN A F***ing TEST TUBE.

How many of you all seeing, all knowing fans thought Carra was good enough at 18.  He admits himself he wasn't but through sheer hard work and determination he f**king was good enough and good enough for a very long career.

GIVE THE KIDS A F***ing CHANCE AND THANKS FOR PUTTING ME IN THE BIGGEST F**k OFF MOOD IVE BEEN IN FOR YEARS 

I'm done with all this sh*t, fine none of you think we have anybody coming through, let's go spunk another £20m quid on an up and comer who never plays in his preferred position and gets sent to Turkey to get him out of the managers way.

THAT'S A FANTASTIC WAY TO BUILD A F***ing SQUAD 

how many have we had since Stevie? and what resources has that taken. In other posts I advocate not buying players for the usual £7mil or so until we have exhausted the potential in the Academy. But we don't use the Academy do we the best that happens is we loan them out so when the Academy lads look at the first team what goes through there mind because it will not be looking up to the former Academy lads doing well. Someone else said it don't shoot the messenger but we cant have it both ways they are either good enough for the club or they are not how they themselves show this is open for debate. Until John Flanno came back how many scousers in the first team squad playing regularly?.

I've no idea what Jamie Vardy has got to do with this thread.

Well, you keep mentioning that some of our Youth Players arent good enough. Vardy is 29 years old - top scorer in the League this season and 3 years ago was playing at Fleetwood. Fleetwood at 25 years old... Many would have said he was a 'League 1 Player at best' but look at him today. I dont understand how you can write off these players who have hardly touched a ball in the prem at 19 or younger...

Its not about F***ing it off and playing kids - its about using a bad situation to develop the players we have before we go and spend a shitload on players.

On the money side of things - this is not really the point... We are 9th in the league and watch a bunch of players on £60,000+ play badly each week. I would rather spend my money watching a player work his socks off given the opportunity to in oppose to watching what I have seen this season.

In 2 years when we have had no players of note come through people will be asking why - the reality is some fans want it all too soon and wont let anything be built. Look at Chelsea, when did they last produce a player - why bother when you ca just through money around. What good does that do for football and how long is it sustainable?

how many have we had since Stevie? and what resources has that taken. In other posts I advocate not buying players for the usual £7mil or so until we have exhausted the potential in the Academy. But we don't use the Academy do we the best that happens is we loan them out so when the Academy lads look at the first team what goes through there mind because it will not be looking up to the former Academy lads doing well. Someone else said it don't shoot the messenger but we cant have it both ways they are either good enough for the club or they are not how they themselves show this is open for debate. Until John Flanno came back how many scousers in the first team squad playing regularly?.

How many were given the chance? I think we (and many other clubs) have put kids on the scrapheap because the team they play for can go out and spank £30 Million on a finished player.

Another point I made is that if these lads get game time and dont make it would this add value to their transfers? If so, then you again benefit...

Anyway, it was only me 2 pence...

What a DM who can actually run, nah the faithful will hate it!

Or a DM that can really tackle  . Must be another Mascher out there  H .

Or a DM that can really tackle  . Must be another Mascher out there  H .

Funny you say that Euro because Masch has said he does not want to end his career at Barca. Would he come back?

Funny you say that Euro because Masch has said he does not want to end his career at Barca. Would he come back?

They don't make them like Mascherano anymore. The man literally tore his asshole playing for Argentina in the World Cup.

They don't make them like Mascherano anymore. The man literally tore his asshole playing for Argentina in the World Cup.

 

I have been mulling this over for a while, and I believe that we are in a very unique position as a club -  and it could if we are clever really play into our hands for next season...

Lets be honest, our season has gone a little differently than we would have liked with a manager sacked and a significant injury list. With 13 games left we sit in 9th place with a 12 point gap to the covered 4th spot and Champs League. We, by virtue of the League Cup, have a spot in the Europa (unless City drop 6 points to Utd and fall out of CL places) so no real need to push for 5th place.

So – why don’t we start blooding some of these young players in and giving the first team players a chance to get back to full fitness and be ready for the new season.

Im not saying throw the towel in, far from it... I also appreciate that some of the first team will want / need games to keep in form and upto the level they are used too – the FA cup and Europa will become their competitions in essence.

The benefits for me outweigh the risks;

We could unearth a few gems in the youth setup (Tex, Yesil, Brannagan, Illori)
      If we don’t, we put a lot of players who may never make it in the shop window to bolster transfer funds

   Out First team players will be a lot fitter and used to the pressure of the new style for next season (Sturridge, Origi, Hendo)
      They can adapt their training for this system to be ready for this from now to September
   
   The cups will get the best players with a chance we may even be able to field very strong teams without injury worries
      No issues on 3 games a week for some players as the rotation would be massive

I know this wont happen but even on a smaller scale would this not be worth us trying to do..?

i like the understatement of things have gone a bit differently than hoped, but i don't agree, love to see young lads involved but i think if they are good they will get a go anyway.

How many were given the chance? I think we (and many other clubs) have put kids on the scrapheap because the team they play for can go out and spank £30 Million on a finished player.

Another point I made is that if these lads get game time and dont make it would this add value to their transfers? If so, then you again benefit...

Anyway, it was only me 2 pence...

but if they were good but just needed a chance how many left Liverpool and became a success?. by the way its not just our club is it.

but if they were good but just needed a chance how many left Liverpool and became a success?. by the way its not just our club is it.

Totally agree its not just Liverpool...

I wonder how many players have been passed up because of a few moments playing at the top level at the very beginning of their career and indeed lives!

My main thoughts are about trying to take something from a pretty dross season. The only time I see the youth players getting a chance is in preseason and the last 2 games each season. I wonder how many could do something if given a run of 3 or 4 games.

These lads got to where they are because they have talent - they are playing against kids in there age group and performing well. Surely, there must be some talent waiting to break through given the chance?

Brannagan I would like to see get some more game time. The rest I can take or leave to be honest.

Totally agree its not just Liverpool...

I wonder how many players have been passed up because of a few moments playing at the top level at the very beginning of their career and indeed lives!

My main thoughts are about trying to take something from a pretty dross season. The only time I see the youth players getting a chance is in preseason and the last 2 games each season. I wonder how many could do something if given a run of 3 or 4 games.

These lads got to where they are because they have talent - they are playing against kids in there age group and performing well. Surely, there must be some talent waiting to break through given the chance?

One problem I consider is fundamental is the gap between playing in the U21 and the premier league is just too big a jump the old reserve teams had a mixture of older players and younger players and I am sure that maybe a league with a mixture of youth and older players may help them

Brannagan I would like to see get some more game time. The rest I can take or leave to be honest.

I like young Smith he has a very good left foot and here is the thing he can f***in defend

I like young Smith he has a very good left foot and here is the thing he can f***in defend

Aye he looks decent, he'd be one where I wouldn't be annoyed if I seen him in the line-up but with Brannagan I would be actively happy to see his selection (if that makes sense)

Funny you say that Euro because Masch has said he does not want to end his career at Barca. Would he come back?

Probably not   .... but you can dream.

A DM is one of a spine of three that we need.

I have been mulling this over for a while, and I believe that we are in a very unique position as a club -  and it could if we are clever really play into our hands for next season...

Lets be honest, our season has gone a little differently than we would have liked with a manager sacked and a significant injury list. With 13 games left we sit in 9th place with a 12 point gap to the covered 4th spot and Champs League. We, by virtue of the League Cup, have a spot in the Europa (unless City drop 6 points to Utd and fall out of CL places) so no real need to push for 5th place.

So – why don’t we start blooding some of these young players in and giving the first team players a chance to get back to full fitness and be ready for the new season.

Im not saying throw the towel in, far from it... I also appreciate that some of the first team will want / need games to keep in form and upto the level they are used too – the FA cup and Europa will become their competitions in essence.

The benefits for me outweigh the risks;

We could unearth a few gems in the youth setup (Tex, Yesil, Brannagan, Illori)
      If we don’t, we put a lot of players who may never make it in the shop window to bolster transfer funds

   Out First team players will be a lot fitter and used to the pressure of the new style for next season (Sturridge, Origi, Hendo)
      They can adapt their training for this system to be ready for this from now to September
   
   The cups will get the best players with a chance we may even be able to field very strong teams without injury worries
      No issues on 3 games a week for some players as the rotation would be massive

I know this wont happen but even on a smaller scale would this not be worth us trying to do..?

I've thought the same too mate , whether we finish 9th or 12th it doesn't really matter at this stage . The main thing is that we make the best of what we have and at the moment our situation isn't great so if we get a chance to blood those young lads then i'm all for it .

we should play the best,fittest players we have , resting players occasionally to freshen things up for the next game. Young , old , it makes no difference , we must try to win every game we can ,with what we have and what we face, otherwise what is the point .

Interesting point, OP, and interesting timing too.
Not sure how FSG/Ayre will see it at a time when they're looking to justify ticket price rises, if JK drops some of the millionaires and replaces them with teenagers!  It's one of those gambles that big clubs are so fearful of these days.  The brand mentality means that the tourists expect to see big name stars when they show up for their once in a lifetime visit!

I like the idea.  It's vital to me that we bring in young talent from the Academy, as it adds impetus and desire, as well as letting the underperforming shoe-ins know that they don't have a divine right to a starting place.  Some clubs are good at it - Southampton spring to mind - didn't do them any harm.

I think we'd be lucky to see more than one (two occasionally) come in.  For me it's be Ojo and Smith, but Branagan deserves a crack at it too.