City have lost an important squad player who played a key role over the last 3 seasons, and someone who likely would have had an even bigger role this year based on how the rest of the squad is shaping up. Rather than turning to the typical big expense experienced player to replace him they are now seemingly turning to a 21 year old with 1 season of Belgian football under his belt. this is the exact opposite of the normal Pep criticisms and part of the reason their transfer approach this year has been difficult to understand.
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Heâs a Spanish U21 international, not exactly some scrub kid. Looks like heâs been dominant at that level too.
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I didnât say he was a scrub. I am saying, as I thought pretty clearly, that is not the profile of player or signing most assumed they would bring in to fill an important gap and nor is it a fair example to use as a criticism of him not being willing to use kids, despite that otherwise being a reasonable criticism.
Considering weâve only seen Foden progress in fact if you couple both clubs together then weâve only see Mount, Foden progress for two youth situations that are literally bought itâs a poor return.*
*you could throw in Abrahams I guess
How many have come from our academy to first team regular in recent years? Just Trent? Jones potentially
But the opportunity is there for them - at Man City it really isnât. In the Premier League last season they used players under 21 9 times, totalling 156 minutes divided between five players (and Man City are by far and away the best youth academy in the country donât forget).
Liverpool used five players also, played them in 25 games and gave them 1279 minutes between them.
I just find it very frustrating to see players who should getting significant minutes in the Premier League - Wilson-Esbrand, Burns, McAtee, Delap, Bobb, Edozie, Palmer - being overlooked. Iâm glad some of them like Lavia got out of there.
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How many have we bought at silly prices?
If we are taking that as a position then Elliott, Kelleher and Gomez could all be classed on that.
My argument isnât youth systems itâs buying the very top talent at cheap prices and then it getting no game time unless on loan.
Do you think many of these would be getting significant minutes for us?
Definitely McAtee and Palmer.
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Not convinced. And if none of the others would then we can hardly point the finger at City. You have to be world class already to break into 2 of the best teams in the world
McAtee and Palmer would be regulars in the same way Jones and Elliott are. Not even disputable in my opinion, theyâre both exceptional.
Delap would be used, maybe not heavily but heâd be the kind who doesnât play for the U21s anymore because heâs with the first team all the time. Wilson-Esbrand would have Robertson and Tsimikas in his way so probably wouldnât feature yet but heâs a better prospect than our own Beck - and reports are theyâre rewarding his excellent pre-season by buying two players to block his path to the first team. Bobb has the potential to be the best of the lot, along with Carlos Borges who is also in their academy, I think theyâd probably still be U21s if they were at Liverpool but theyâd be banging on the door for first team minutes.
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Liverpool are already giving more minutes to young players who generally arenât as good as Cityâs.
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Who? Do you think any of those players are better than Elliott or Jones? I havenât seen enough of them to make that call so genuine question.
Whose place in our team would âWilson-Esbrand, Burns, McAtee, Delap, Bobb, Edozie, Palmerâ take?
City also have Mbete whos very good.
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Any insight into why is that? Better coaches, better scouting network, more attractive destination perhaps?
Itâs a shame that they produce all that talent and then let it go to waste.
Pretty sure weâve tried to sign McAtee or Palmer multiple times.
HmmmâŚ
just trying to think what it possibly could beâŚ
They spend huge amounts on the best talents, we sign one or two a year, they sign 10 or so.
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Scouting network is immense. Think they have a series on the scouting of each continent on their YouTube. The affiliates they have is also one of the largest around in the city group. Their financial clout and willingness to spend on youth. Have great coaching also but I feel their talent identification is excellent and is key
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Somebody like Neco Williams wouldnât have got a single minute in a league or CL game for City. Kelleher almost certainly wouldnât have got a look in either, and Tyler Morton isnât getting starts against Porto, Milan or Tottenham.
And I highly doubt Elliot and Carvalho are being used off the bench in games that havenât already been won.
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