DeadPresidents: I don't think Pep was ever realistically going to choose being United's manager over City.
Abu Dhabi City had been preparing for Pep's arrival since the takeover by the emirate. They actually poached some of the guys Pep had worked with at Barcelona (like Joan Soríano & Txixi Begiristain) to create the boardroom staff.
There was no way Pep would leave that level of influence and control to come and start getting told what the feck to do by a football noob like Ed.
Spot on. It is a fantasy to think Pep was ever going to choose us.
Leyqute: Afrodoc have you changed your mind about D. James yet?
I like his speed, work rate and he is not a bad finisher. But still mediocre on the ball as a dribbler. Possibly a decent squad player for a top team, not a regular starter IMO.
pharod: Lingard is running around the pitch in the name of pressing... The next option available is Juan Mata. Since OGS doesn't want to move Pogba a bit forward, what is the next option? We still don't have very good leaders in the team. So the youngsters can come in, play a couple of games and let's see what they have to offer... We can't continue to integrate them gradually by allowing them to play with U23s and taking them to preseason tours.
Apart from Greenwood, who I can argue the he hasn't really been given enough chance to impress this season, is there any other integration you have witnessed so far?
Garner and Chong didn’t play with the under 23s yday so unless injured they should be on the bench for this one with Greenwood likely to start.
pharod: Lingard is running around the pitch in the name of pressing... The next option available is Juan Mata. Since OGS doesn't want to move Pogba a bit forward, what is the next option? We still don't have very good leaders in the team. So the youngsters can come in, play a couple of games and let's see what they have to offer... We can't continue to integrate them gradually by allowing them to play with U23s and taking them to preseason tours.
Apart from Greenwood, who I can argue the he hasn't really been given enough chance to impress this season, is there any other integration you have witnessed so far?
I actually think you are right in that we need to offer them more opportunity in the 1st team.
I just don’t want us to place too much pressure on these boys, cos the same fans you see cursing Rashford now are the same ones who were hailing him when he burst on to the season a few years ago.
We need to be ready for good performances followed by bad performances from the youth players, cos youth players by default will be very inconsistent.
Gomes’ contract ends this summer so if we don’t play him he will walk for free. I would start playing him and Greenwood a bit now but keep the remaining youth players for the under23s and Europa league. I am talking about Garner, Chong, Williams et al.
pharod: Who saw the goal Gomes scored for the U23s against westham yesterday? I'd say he's ready. He can't do worse than Lingard in the first team..
He actually had a poor 2nd half in the game. I don’t think these guys are ready to play week in week out, because as youth players they will be inconsistent. A gradual integration is what i hoped for.
I have said it before that it would have been easier to integrate them into a team playing at a high level and with much better senior players.
Fast tracking a bunch of teenagers at the same time into the 1st team when there is little or no senior leadership is a recipe for disaster.