Manchester United Teamtalk/Transfer Rumours/Gossip 2019/20 (Mod Notes Post #1)

NoviGlitzko

Matic isn't over the hill he's just had the best spell of form in his life.

I don't see why CF is a priority. We have Martial, Ighalo, and Greenwood + Rashford who can cover there.

Gabriel wold be a terrific signing especially for his price. He's exactly the type of defensive partner we need to cover Maguire as he's very quick along with his other talents.

GSPfan

GSPfan wrote: »

Really? I’m not seeing it. Shaw for me does a great job. Only his fitness bothers me (injuries, not weight) and with Williams being so good as cover last year I don’t think it’s an issue.

I think Shaw is a better attacking outlet than AWB In comparison and I think holds his own defensively against any player he comes up against.

I think it’d be money wasted.

Telles ive never watched really but have played in fantasy sports due to him being quite good going forward based on stats, but to cut a short story even shorter his attacking output seems quite high.

I've said before we need more creaticity from the fb position, AWB is one of if not the best defensive fbs in the league and signed last summer, so if we wanted to improve our creativity shaw is the logical one to target.

Also given AWB satrted off as a winger as a youth you would imagine could be more easily trained into giving the team a bit more from the wing be it through ball progression, improvement on crossing passing or making better runs in behind.

No idea if telles is any good defensively but would be a signing that would kind of excite me, from a fairly uneducated stand point

kowloonkev

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Jimenez would be ideal, but not for 60/70 million, he’s probably worth that to Wolves so I can’t see them letting him go cheap, we aren’t that lucky.

Surely there is a player on the continent that could do a similar job for a fraction of the price.

What do the scouts do all day? 100 million for Sancho, 80 million for Maguire, 50 million for AWB, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of unearthing going on, we are only short of signing a new tea lady for 75 million plus add ons.

Some of the deals other clubs get are amazing, Dortmund paid 15 million for Haaland somehow.

Dortmund are so smart to take advantage of the money in the PL. Taking young English players to a weaker league where it's so much easier for young attacking players to play with more time and space, with the English media and PL fans creaming themselves, thus inflating the price hugely and selling back overrated players. It's genius.

kowloonkev

mrkiscool2 wrote: »

Since Ole became permanent I feel our academy, in terms of talent, have massively improved. Scouts are being told to look for talent rather than big signings like under Van Gaal and Mourinho etc.

Massively improved? How? Who have we signed for the academy? Am I missing something and actually you're working for the club?

Maybe some of that is happening in the background, but there hasn't even been enough time to notice a difference since Ole has only been permanent manager for a year and they haven't been playing games for half of that.

kowloonkev

kowloonkev wrote: »

Dortmund are so smart to take advantage of the money in the PL. Taking young English players to a weaker league where it's so much easier for young attacking players to play with more time and space, with the English media and PL fans creaming themselves, thus inflating the price hugely and selling back overrated players. It's genius.

I mean it's the celtic business plan except they've been doing it longer and wider in terms of players bought and who they sell to. And to some extent Chelsea only buying less young players and actually playing them

The sad part of what you said is dortmund have been Germany 2nd biggest team in recent history have to resort to that but that's all becuase bayern have the run of the league and pick of the players. It truly is the most one sided league in the top 4

Also goes to show the level of money currently in the Premier league and something that must be unsustainable in the long run.

Still as you say fair play to them but in some ways it's a sad reflection on football as we currently know it

So turns out it's not a done deal at all. Shame.

S.M.B.

kowloonkev wrote: »

Massively improved? How? Who have we signed for the academy? Am I missing something and actually you're working for the club?

We've brought some high profile emerging talent to the club like Hannibal Mejbri and Dillon Hoogewerf and we've been linked with plenty more.

Not sure what the snark is for.

gimli2112

Deleted User wrote: »

It truly is the most one sided league in the top 4

Spain with the big 2 and Italy with Juve seem terribly lopsided too. TBH 2 years ago City were streets ahead of everyone in the UK and looked set for a decade of domination. I think the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Utd (as you seem to be going the right way) will put paid to that and whomever the Saudis buy eventually.

sReq | uTeK

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Matic has made a substantial difference at times and he’s well over the hill, a defensive midfielder is almost as much a necessity as a right winger right now for me.

We need Sancho, a DM, probably a LB first and foremost and then cover for CF, CB and midfield.

Our current squad will be eaten up by champions league football, the league starts in 5 weeks, the Europa will probably take it’s toll. The danger is we are an injury or two away from the form of the first 6 months of last season.

Thankfully there’s plenty of time to identify these players between now and October. We could make up serious ground in this window, the question is whether the club actually want to or if this will be another 2018. City and Chelsea are out of the traps, the pandemic will probably hamper Arsenal and Spurs in terms of improvement, the opportunity to fortify our position in the top 4 is there, and from that base you build a title challenge under the right manager, be it Ole or not.

Hes 32 and hasn't had a lot of injuries. Fernandinho is 35 and has had plenty of injuries, used correctly I don't see why Matic can't be around for a long long time.

bangkok

be interesting to see what sort of team we put out later v LASK, 5-0 up from the first leg

fatherted1969

S.M.B. wrote: »

We've brought some high profile emerging talent to the club like Hannibal Mejbri and Dillon Hoogewerf and we've been linked with plenty more.

Not sure what the snark is for.

Its fairly evident that there has been much more focus on recruiting young talent since Nicky Butt took over

kowloonkev

S.M.B. wrote: »

We've brought some high profile emerging talent to the club like Hannibal Mejbri and Dillon Hoogewerf and we've been linked with plenty more.

Not sure what the snark is for.

Is that evidence that the academy has massively improved? Massive improvements on Rashford, Greenwood, Pogba, McTominay and Williams. Really?

The snark is for the nonsense.

Rock77

kowloonkev wrote: »

Is that evidence that the academy has massively improved? Massive improvements on Rashford, Greenwood, Pogba, McTominay and Williams. Really?

The snark is for the nonsense.

Not much need for it though is there.

Great to see a new Rock77 post not from 4 days ago, has boards fixed itself

Also, game day!

kowloonkev

Rock77 wrote: »

Not much need for it though is there.

Fair enough, I was just pointing out that there isn't even enough time since Ole took over to make a judgement on whether there's been a massive improvement or not. And if there is a massive improvement (which I'd be delighted about) then we'll dominate for the next fifteen years if they're so much better than what we have been producing.

Mitch Connor

bangkok wrote: »

be interesting to see what sort of team we put out later v LASK, 5-0 up from the first leg

I predict:

---

Romero
Laird--Bailly--Lindelof--Williams

---

Garner--McTominay

---

Lingard
Greenwood-Ighalo-James

We can't see the same type of team we saw vs Atsana simply because most of the kids haven't been training properly as the academy season was finished up months ago.

Mengi, Laird, Garner are the only kids that have been in training with the first team that are available as far as I know.

You could make an argument for keeping a few more of the first 11 involved, to increase match sharpness, but it has not been that long since the PL finished, and the players clearly needed a rest.

Assuming we don't have the worst result in the history of the club, the quarter final match will be against İstanbul Başakşehir or Copenhagen, which we should still be able to rotate some players in for without needing to go for a full first choice 11. So we could possibly see half and half in terms of first 11 over the next two games.

StringerBell

mrkiscool2 wrote: »

Since Ole became permanent I feel our academy, in terms of talent, have massively improved. Scouts are being told to look for talent rather than big signings like under Van Gaal and Mourinho etc.

Not sure it happens that quick tbh, pretty sure a lot of the scouting and academy work is credited to Van Gaal for sure, not so certain about Jose but either way I am sure both improved it on what it was like Moyes came in for example and I'm very happy to see it continue to go in the right direction.

Mitch Connor

kowloonkev wrote: »

Fair enough, I was just pointing out that there isn't even enough time since Ole took over to make a judgement on whether there's been a massive improvement or not. And if there is a massive improvement (which I'd be delighted about) then we'll dominate for the next fifteen years if they're so much better than what we have been producing.

This is what you said at first: Massively improved? How? Who have we signed for the academy?

So.... signing some very highly rated player is exactly what you asked about. And we have.

Another 2 very highly rated full backs from Barca and Real on the way this summer, along with a very highly rated striker (from Sunderland iirc). Possibly others too.

Also, you are setting up a BS argument if the only way 'massive improvement' can be proven is if we dominate for the next 15 years.

and another also - and improvement in the academy would not be down to Ole, it would be Butt (with the backing of the club, via a much greater budget and scope)/ The youth system now has its own, separate and substantial transfer budget to bring in top talents.

bangkok

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I predict:

---

Romero
Laird--Bailly--Lindelof--Williams

---

Garner--McTominay

---

Lingard
Greenwood-Ighalo-James

We can't see the same type of team we saw vs Atsana simply because most of the kids haven't been training properly as the academy season was finished up months ago.

Mengi, Laird, Garner are the only kids that have been in training with the first team that are available as far as I know.

You could make an argument for keeping a few more of the first 11 involved, to increase match sharpness, but it has not been that long since the PL finished, and the players clearly needed a rest.

Assuming we don't have the worst result in the history of the club, the quarter final match will be against İstanbul Başakşehir or Copenhagen, which we should still be able to rotate some players in for without needing to go for a full first choice 11. So we could possibly see half and half in terms of first 11 over the next two games.

i would say it will be close enough to that, or hope it will anyway, but i reckon Fred in for Garner as he hasnt played much recently and Dalot in at right back

Mitch Connor

StringerBell wrote: »

Not sure it happens that quick tbh, pretty sure a lot of the scouting and academy work is credited to Van Gaal for sure, not so certain about Jose but either way I am sure both improved it on what it was like Moyes came in for example and I'm very happy to see it continue to go in the right direction.

From what I read (and was suprised about), LVG took little to no interest in shaping the academy structure better. Didn't feel that he had the time/stability to look at it rather than focus on the first team. which he was proven correct on.

The academy changes have come through Woodward/Butt. Butt had the role/scope expanded and Woodward/Glazers have backed and pushed that following stinging criticism a few years back when the academy was in a poor state, eventually resulting in the U23 side getting relegated.

Any praise the academy is due, is due to Nicky Butt and, by extention, Woodward, not LVG or Ole.

Mitch Connor

bangkok wrote: »

i would say it will be close enough to that, or hope it will anyway, but i reckon Fred in for Garner as he hasnt played much recently and Dalot in at right back

Fred for Garner is the obvious one. I don't think Ole has any interest in Dalot and if it isn't AWB, it will be Laird (imo - especially if Williams is ok to start at LB)

Lord TSC

S.M.B. wrote: »

We've brought some high profile emerging talent to the club like Hannibal Mejbri and Dillon Hoogewerf and we've been linked with plenty more.
.

Yeah, there actually is a very noticable shift in philosophy in our underage teams recently, and I think a big part of it is attributed to Butt. We seem to have been actively perusing 15-18 year olds, and even paying a few million for them as needed.

Mejbri was ultra highly rated with Monacco, but we perused him strongly. We apparently paid €5m with an additional €5m in add ons for him, and there's been chatter we want to get him in and around the first team this season, despite only being 17.

We've snapped up Marc Juardo from Barcelona very recently too. Again, very highly rated and I saw Barca fans over on Reddit in disbelief that we were able to nab him for free. (City nabbed another fullback too that was highly rated).

bangkok

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Fred for Garner is the obvious one. I don't think Ole has any interest in Dalot and if it isn't AWB, it will be Laird (imo - especially if Williams is ok to start at LB)

Just to put Dalot in the shop window maybe

Lord TSC

Christian Falk on twitter : Update @Sanchooo10 : A neutral Agent is doing the work between the clubs @BVB and @ManUtd. So United can say: WE don‘t talk. WE don‘t negotiate. WE don‘t have any agreements @SPORTBILD

Mitch Connor

Lord TSC wrote: »

Yeah, there actually is a very noticable shift in philosophy in our underage teams recently, and I think a big part of it is attributed to Butt. We seem to have been actively perusing 15-18 year olds, and even paying a few million for them as needed.

Mejbri was ultra highly rated with Monacco, but we perused him strongly. We apparently paid €5m with an additional €5m in add ons for him, and there's been chatter we want to get him in and around the first team this season, despite only being 17.

We've snapped up Marc Juardo from Barcelona very recently too. Again, very highly rated and I saw Barca fans over on Reddit in disbelief that we were able to nab him for free. (City nabbed another fullback too that was highly rated).

We were also very close to signing one of those two Lyon wonderkids - Chekkri I think... last summer. Had a private jet on stand by on the last day he was possible (can't remember if it was dadline day or the day before he finally agreed to stay at Lyon). We were very close on him.

As you say, there is a very obvious shift in how the club have been operating. And I believe the local scouting and recruitment has also seen a similar shove, having previously seen City dominate the local scenes.

Lord TSC

Mitch Connor wrote: »

having previously seen City dominate the local scenes.

Was going to say, I remember a lot of stories of United players sending their kids to the City academy.

Mitch Connor

Lord TSC wrote: »

Was going to say, I remember a lot of stories of United players sending their kids to the City academy.

Yep - RVP, Phil Neville are two I remember. Phil Neville's kid is at United now (having been at Valencia after City).

I think a lot of that was down to structure as much as scouting - there were big criticisms I read about the amount of training, type of training and facilities the kids had at United compared to City - City had a lot more coaches iirc at the most basic level of criticism.

Seemingly United have made big strides in addressing the issues.

I do wonder if we will see United fall behind again when the City football village thing opens up. Youth stadium and cool stuff like that - its bound to be attractive.

I remember reading United were looking into building a small stadium, for youth/reserve matces - similar to City, and Real Madrid for example, but I've heard nothing in a good while about it. So was probably just like the DoF talk!

yourdeadwright

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Yep - RVP, Phil Neville are two I remember. Phil Neville's kid is at United now (having been at Valencia after City).

I think a lot of that was down to structure as much as scouting - there were big criticisms I read about the amount of training, type of training and facilities the kids had at United compared to City - City had a lot more coaches iirc at the most basic level of criticism.

Seemingly United have made big strides in addressing the issues.

I do wonder if we will see United fall behind again when the City football village thing opens up. Youth stadium and cool stuff like that - its bound to be attractive.

I remember reading United were looking into building a small stadium, for youth/reserve matces - similar to City, and Real Madrid for example, but I've heard nothing in a good while about it. So was probably just like the DoF talk!

Strangely Neville son plays for us (Ireland) He's in the under 19 squad,

Whatsisname

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Yep - RVP, Phil Neville are two I remember. Phil Neville's kid is at United now (having been at Valencia after City).

I think a lot of that was down to structure as much as scouting - there were big criticisms I read about the amount of training, type of training and facilities the kids had at United compared to City - City had a lot more coaches iirc at the most basic level of criticism.

Seemingly United have made big strides in addressing the issues.

I do wonder if we will see United fall behind again when the City football village thing opens up. Youth stadium and cool stuff like that - its bound to be attractive.

I remember reading United were looking into building a small stadium, for youth/reserve matces - similar to City, and Real Madrid for example, but I've heard nothing in a good while about it. So was probably just like the DoF talk!

I actually live quite close to the Etihad and their youth stadium just outside the main stadium is quite impressive. When you consider how much land around OT United actually own, they’d easily fit a smaller stadium there, rather than having the youth and women’s games all the way out in Leigh.

All_in_Flynn

Have LASK sent over a full squad? Tie is over but if they've sent the reserves you can probably play more of the kids.

United's supposed stance on Sancho is not surprising. I would be shocked if any team pays 100m (Especially an upfront payment) for a single player in current economic environment. Time value of money never been more relevant or important. United's transfer strategy has seemingly changed. Be prepared to walk away if we feel we are being held to ransom and rely on our scouting network.

Would like to see Sancho signed and I think it will happen but there are other options if it doesn't happen. Regardless, a right winger is essential.

bangkok

Lord TSC wrote: »

Was going to say, I remember a lot of stories of United players sending their kids to the City academy.

as it was easier to get into, Uniteds academy tried to pick the best of the best in that age group. City cast their net over everything in the hope it would bring more success

Mitch Connor

Whatsisname wrote: »

I actually live quite close to the Etihad and their youth stadium just outside the main stadium is quite impressive. When you consider how much land around OT United actually own, they’d easily fit a smaller stadium there, rather than having the youth and women’s games all the way out in Leigh.

the club own so much land around OT, I wonder are there any real active plans to do anything with it.

I've heard there was work done on a new stadium (in terms of initial viability reviews), as well as a youth stadium - and a hotel. I think there is something weird about Hotel Football (I know United don't own it).

Obviously it is good for United to have the land and thus the opportunity, but doesn't seem to be an active appetite to do anything with it. I wonder from the Glazer point of view is it simply to make the club more sellable if they ever look to sell (look at all the room for activities!)

Mitch Connor

bangkok wrote: »

as it was easier to get into, Uniteds academy tried to pick the best of the best in that age group. City cast their net over everything in the hope it would bring more success

LOL, no.

City have had a much better academy structure and side(s) over the years. That isn't down to United focusing on a smaller number of kids. United took their eye off the ball and fell way behind.

It is ok to criticise the club.

bangkok

Mitch Connor wrote: »

LOL, no.

City have had a much better academy structure and side(s) over the years. That isn't down to United focusing on a smaller number of kids. United took their eye off the ball and fell way behind.

It is ok to criticise the club.

the whole point of the academy is to produce players to play at the top level. Citys academy is no where near as good as uniteds for producing players to play at the top level

El Gato De Negocios

bangkok wrote: »

the whole point of the academy is to produce players to play at the top level. Citys academy is no where near as good as uniteds for producing players to play at the top level

What do you define as playing at the top level?

dave_o_brien

bangkok wrote: »

the whole point of the academy is to produce players to play at the top level. Citys academy is no where near as good as uniteds for producing players to play at the top level

Produced more Premier League players than any other academy since the overhaul in the late 90's

bangkok

Statutory Ape wrote: »

What do you define as playing at the top level?

playing premier league football

Mitch Connor

I can't believe it is being argued that United's academy didn't fall behind in recent years.

The U23 side were the worst U23 side in the Reserve League and were relegated. the derth of talent in that age group was the culmination of bad youth recruitement and strategy over a number of years.

Its not that the structure became incapable of producing anything, but the general quality declined massively. It doesn't take long to fall being - one or two years or poor recruitment will see to that.

If the academy structure was fine as it was, why has the budget of the youth set up been massively increased, why has Butt seen his role expand in importance and scope? Why has there been massive overhaul of an academy structure that was apparently keeping up with the best around?

bangkok

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I can't believe it is being argued that United's academy didn't fall behind in recent years.

The U23 side were the worst U23 side in the Reserve League and were relegated. the derth of talent in that age group was the culmination of bad youth recruitement and strategy over a number of years.

Its not that the structure became incapable of producing anything, but the general quality declined massively. It doesn't take long to fall being - one or two years or poor recruitment will see to that.

If the academy structure was fine as it was, why has the budget of the youth set up been massively increased, why has Butt seen his role expand in importance and scope? Why has there been massive overhaul of an academy structure that was apparently keeping up with the best around?

i never said it didnt decline, i said it was and always has been better than citys

yourdeadwright

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I can't believe it is being argued that United's academy didn't fall behind in recent years.

The U23 side were the worst U23 side in the Reserve League and were relegated. the derth of talent in that age group was the culmination of bad youth recruitement and strategy over a number of years.

Its not that the structure became incapable of producing anything, but the general quality declined massively. It doesn't take long to fall being - one or two years or poor recruitment will see to that.

If the academy structure was fine as it was, why has the budget of the youth set up been massively increased, why has Butt seen his role expand in importance and scope? Why has there been massive overhaul of an academy structure that was apparently keeping up with the best around?

How many of United under 23's are actually playing in or around the first team or on loan, Rashford, Greenwood, MC Tomminay , Fosu-Mensah , Tuanzebe, Williams ,

How the Under 23's do in there own league is irrelevant most good players are in the first team squad or on loan by that time ,

If your looking at there leagues as sign's of progress in academy's you need to look at teams younger than the 23s

brinty

Its well known that United took their eye off the ball at youth level before Fergie left the club. Our last Youth cup victory was in 2011 (Pogba, Morrison, Lingard, Keane Class) and we've not been within an asses roar of a final since then and its plainly unacceptable. In that time we've lost ties to much lesser clubs and that's an embarrassment.

We've been left behind by City and Chelsea (who've won 7 of the last 10 Youth Cups) at youth level. For a club that prides itself on its Youth development we've been nothing short of a joke.

In the last year or two we've started getting our house in order. We're trying to get a better handle on the youth in our area and sending out scouts to bring in players from abroad. Nicky Butt has been doing a great job of that in recent years and identifying talent in foreign academies and getting them over here (Aliou Traore, Hannibal Mejbri, Zidane Iqbal, Mateo Mejia, Dillon Woogeherf, Mark Juardo fom Barca) with most of these players targeted to be involved with the first team squad next year.

Its also a case of these guys don't make the first team that we'll have talented players that we can sell on for a fee in future years. Look at Chelsea and how they brought in so many youth players and sell them on for 5 - 15m and you've never heard of the players. That's an untapped revenue stream that would only help us.

brinty

Are people honestly trying to claim City have a worse academy than us?? Is that honestly up for debate.

City's academy is so far ahead of ours it's laughable. The local talent in Manchester is choosing to go to City? United aren't even in the equation. That's a damning indictment of where we've fallen too.

bangkok

brinty wrote: »

Its well known that United took their eye off the ball at youth level before Fergie left the club. Our last Youth cup victory was in 2011 (Pogba, Morrison, Lingard, Keane Class) and we've not been within an asses roar of a final since then and its plainly unacceptable. In that time we've lost ties to much lesser clubs and that's an embarrassment.

We've been left behind by City and Chelsea (who've won 7 of the last 10 Youth Cups) at youth level. For a club that prides itself on its Youth development we've been nothing short of a joke.

In the last year or two we've started getting our house in order. We're trying to get a better handle on the youth in our area and sending out scouts to bring in players from abroad. Nicky Butt has been doing a great job of that in recent years and identifying talent in foreign academies and getting them over here (Aliou Traore, Hannibal Mejbri, Zidane Iqbal, Mateo Mejia, Dillon Woogeherf, Mark Juardo fom Barca) with most of these players targeted to be involved with the first team squad next year.

Its also a case of these guys don't make the first team that we'll have talented players that we can sell on for a fee in future years. Look at Chelsea and how they brought in so many youth players and sell them on for 5 - 15m and you've never heard of the players. That's an untapped revenue stream that would only help us.

all that matters is what players make it through to the first team, there could be 1 or 2 gems in any team and the rest are not good enough.

even the last few years, Rashford, Greenwood, McTominay, Williams with Rashford and Greenwood looking like superstars

bangkok

brinty wrote: »

Are people honestly trying to claim City have a worse academy than us?? Is that honestly up for debate.

City's academy is so far ahead of ours it's laughable. The local talent in Manchester is choosing to go to City? United aren't even in the equation. That's a damning indictment of where we've fallen too.

city have better youth teams, but thats not the point, the point is making players to play for the first team, United are miles ahead of city in that department.

we have been voted the best academy in England for 3 years in a row now

also, what local talent is joining city and not united. to say Utd are not even in the equation is laughable

Mitch Connor

yourdeadwright wrote: »

How many of United under 23's are actually playing in or around the first team or on loan, Rashford, Greenwood, MC Tomminay , Fosu-Mensah , Tuanzebe, Williams ,

How the Under 23's do in there own league is irrelevant most good players are in the first team squad or on loan by that time ,

If your looking at there leagues as sign's of progress in academy's you need to look at teams younger than the 23s

Disagree - otherwise we would have seen terrible performances from the U23 side for years and years. We didn't, because the players around the age of 19 or so, and younger, were good enough to compete at that level.

A couple of years ago, they were no where near.

yes, Rashford was in the first team, but there was a clear decline in general quality and it wasn't because a bunch of top quality kids were out on loan.

Even the most ardent Youth team fans/experts at the time would have pointed to this - the general quality of the age groups was well below what should be expected.

United recognised this, and have put in a lot of work to rectify it. That work was needed.

brinty

I also laugh at the fact that people forget Pep would rather buy players than promote from within. His record of youth development is atrocious.

Mourinho who gets lambasted for failing to do so gave plenty of our younger lads a chance. Rashford and McTominay being prime examples. Didn't McTominay get games ahead of Pogba last season.

But just because players come through the first team doesn't mean you've a better academy. Lets not forget City have and will continue to go out and buy the best players for Pep and he'll continue to ignore the talent in his academy.

S.M.B.

kowloonkev wrote: »

Is that evidence that the academy has massively improved? Massive improvements on Rashford, Greenwood, Pogba, McTominay and Williams. Really?

The snark is for the nonsense.

Yes it is evidence. Not evidence that these players will have first team success because we'll have to wait a few years to see how these kids progress.

Rashford, McTominay and Williams were certainly not considered major academy talent during their development years.

We have been actively pursing the best kids in the business recently, that's what is been said and it is most certainly not nonsense.

Mitch Connor

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I predict:

---

Romero
Laird--Bailly--Lindelof--Williams

---

Garner--McTominay

---

Lingard
Greenwood-Ighalo-James

We can't see the same type of team we saw vs Atsana simply because most of the kids haven't been training properly as the academy season was finished up months ago.

Mengi, Laird, Garner are the only kids that have been in training with the first team that are available as far as I know.

You could make an argument for keeping a few more of the first 11 involved, to increase match sharpness, but it has not been that long since the PL finished, and the players clearly needed a rest.

Assuming we don't have the worst result in the history of the club, the quarter final match will be against İstanbul Başakşehir or Copenhagen, which we should still be able to rotate some players in for without needing to go for a full first choice 11. So we could possibly see half and half in terms of first 11 over the next two games.

I'd imagine Mata will be starting before Greenwood and I can't see Lindelof starting either. Will be a completely new 11.

bangkok

brinty wrote: »

I also laugh at the fact that people forget Pep would rather buy players than promote from within. His record of youth development is atrocious.

Mourinho who gets lambasted for failing to do so gave plenty of our younger lads a chance. Rashford and McTominay being prime examples. Didn't McTominay get games ahead of Pogba last season.

But just because players come through the first team doesn't mean you've a better academy. Lets not forget City have and will continue to go out and buy the best players for Pep and he'll continue to ignore the talent in his academy.

that is the whole point of the academy and nothing else

Nervous about tonight, hopefully we've enough quality to get the job done.