As the title suggests, who to break into the first-team this season?
We've got some youngsters who have been punching above their weight playing in the Reserves League. As we've seen so often last season, Rafa is overly cautious in throwing them on in the EPL, only doing so should an injury crisis develops. He'll rather play players like Babel, Degen etc instead of giving the younger ones a chance.
These players are raw gems and perhaps, diamonds in the making. We've not produced Carraghers, Gerrards, Fowlers for a long time coming. Our Academy, I believe, is in fantastic shape but the Reserves are not getting enough of a chance week in, week out playing top-level football. If they are deprieved of a chance to play on a consistent basis, deprieved of exposure in the first-team, then despite how solid their foundation is, they aren't going to make that step up to play regularly for Liverpool.
From Liverpoolfc.tv (Last season in the EPL)
Martin Kelly - 24 minutes
Daniel Pacheco - 58 minutes
Nathan Eccleston - 15 minutes
Daniel Ayala - 252 minutes
Jack Robinson - 6 minutes
Jay Spearing - 80 minutes
Stephen Darby - 5 minutes
For players who've got potential, that's just not enough game time they're getting. Not one with the exception of Ayala has played more than 90 minutes. These are players who've got the potential to make a huge impact given their hunger and desire to take their chances whenever given. We've seen how Kelly emerged Man of the Match after 74 minutes in the 2-1 to Lyon in the Champions League.
I'll be looking forward to seeing more of them getting more game time under a new manager this season. We have been investing so much money into the Academy but we've yet to see it reap its rewards because they are not playing at the highest level of football. They can't be exposed. They can't learn.
I think each of the players whom I've listed on top needs to get at least a minimum of 7 games (Or 630 minutes of game time). Our strength in depth is weak, so why not throw them on in crucial moments, they've got that bit of passion some of our foreigners are lacking and might just do us the trick. For instance, I'll rather throw on Pacheco than Babel to try and win the game.
And given the new home-grown quota, we've got to be playing them more often instead of filling in the quota.
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