The Skipper

Scolari?

I see you saying this a lot. He really isn't...

I really like them. Sweet. (Pretty much looks like we have the Dutch flag on the end of each of the home and away sleeves )

Who said that because I have a problem with the youth integration that I'm not happy? As I said earlier, I'm very happy with a lot of things Mourinho has done this season, the only thing I think he could improve on is the youth integration. Just because I think that's what he can improve on doesn't mean I'm unhappy about things in general. I'm very happy with how this season has gone.

I actually agree with Strike there. I do think Salah's role in the squad could be given to someone like Boga and would be more beneficial for us in the long term as well. Boga is more naturally talented in my books. Yeah, Salah hasn't had plentiful of game time, but I would rather have Boga have those minutes tbh. Didn't even want us to sign Mo to begin with. Of course it's not as naive as thinking that everyone will be satisfied with just that. As long as there is evidence of a clear pathway being constructed from the academy to the first team, I would be happy. It would start by playing them in games we can afford to play them in, surrounding them with senior stars, and seeing who actually has the ability to stick around the first team and contribute from then onwards. What I meant to say is that Zouma shouldn't be treated as an academy product. Aké is just about an academy product for me but it wasn't Jose that gave him his first break here. I consider Nathan and Zouma as squad players already - sure they need the further development and stuff but they were already pretty much part of the first team - Nathan when Mourinho came here, Zouma because he was bought for the squad - even though he is a young player, that was clear for me from the start. Kurt wasn't bought for the academy or the reserves. I agree with you though, the discussion does seem to be getting a bit tedious now. I won't really change my mind on the lack of youth integration so far this season and I know some others won't change their opinions either, but both sides in my opinion have valid arguments.

What were you trying to insinuate with this post then?

I never said it wouldn't be a risk, in fact I actually mentioned at the start that it is a risk, but then again that's what comes with the package. The best thing you can do is try to reduce that risk by surrounding these players with as much experience as you can - and the XI I put up earlier reflected that perfectly.

You're not following the discussion well at all are you? If you were you would've seen a sample side I gave earlier in the thread... It included just Boga and RLC. The rest were senior players (including Zouma)...

We don't need to be smashing teams or winning comfortably to introduce these youngsters who are extremely talented in two or three games IMO but each to their own.

I've been reading. Your argument was that we shouldn't sign injury prone players, then people mentioned that he wasn't injury prone in NL and then you brought up the stupid physicality thing. It doesn't make sense pal, give up.

Ake and Zouma aren't academy players atm. They're both members of the first team squad. I'm talking about the likes of RLC, Boga, Christensen, Solanke etc. If that's the best example you can come up with then you're not getting my point at all.

Yes, because playing a very strong side and having two extremely talented academy players alongside them is jeopardising our season and underestimating the opponent massively... When will people get over the fact that this isn't the case at all?

Those citing Arsenal as an example are clearly not reading the discussion well. No one is asking for a plethora of youth players to start, just 2 of our best and surround them with experience? That isn't much to ask for at all.

Zouma isn't really a youngster either IMO. He's a £12m squad player in my eyes. He has to play. He's a huge investment.

Barbara, my point doesn't extend to just recent games where we haven't been on fire. It's in regards to pretty much what we've been doing the whole season. I have no idea where you're getting this notion that because we're not on fire, we should throw in the kids. I'm not saying that at all. That would be stupid. What I am saying is in competitions like the COC, or like that dead rubber game against Sporting that meant nothing at all, we should be looking to integrate our young talents more than we have - so they can start buying into the team and Mourinho's philosophy, ethics and culture - so that they show everyone in the academy that there is a pathway from the academy to the first team. Like I said before, a lot of people don't have a problem with this facet of Mourinho's management, and Jose himself doesn't seem to put it as one of his priorities either - and that's my only real problem with him and others. I'm not questioning other facets of his management. You don't need to bring that to the table. I'm not attacking Mourinho as a manager.

I'm not defending MVG, just find it stupid that you're trying to use the fact that the Dutch league isn't as physical as the PL as a reason why MVG shouldn't have been signed.

Stupidity. So playing in the Dutch league basically means you're injury prone to you then. Great.

And that's impossible to do without playing one or two academy players right? Again I repeat, is it impossible for the team to pick up momentum if we play two academy youngsters in 2 games or so? Does that suddenly kill all of our momentum? When it comes to integrating youth, van Gaal is an excellent point of reference. He's shown countless and countless of times that you can do it and still dominate and win titles. I'm just using LvG as a pretty good example for youth integration. I'm not comparing his other facets as a manager (why that even needs to be brought up, I don't know). I don't expect everyone (and this is a general statement, not directed at you Barb) to be as passionate or 'desperate' as you would put it to see these academy guys come through because some don't get the joy it brings to fans, how one of our own made it through the ranks and became a top quality player, someone that's Chelsea made, knows the club, knows the Bridge etc... It's very sentimental yes, but for me it's important; at the same time I'm not deluded. If the talent wasn't there I'd be fine with the non integration but it's there alright. We've got one of the best academies and best young talent in Europe, by quite some distance too. Jose himself has commented on how this batch is far more talented than those during his first spell here. I understand this stuff is not as important for everyone but each to their own right? Not everyone follows the youth team regularly, checks on how each player is progressing and actually watches youth games... That's fine. I understand that very well but that doesn't excuse the poor integration this year for me. I argued this exact point for Mourinho throughout the season last year, expecting him to pick it up this season and he barely has, even with all his raving about how if the likes of Baker, Brown, Solanke etc. don't make it he would've 'failed' and stuff like how the game against sporting was academy day... His words do not match his actions at all when it comes to the youth integration thing. As I've said before, I've really enjoyed almost everything Jose has done this season and the only thing I have a real problem with is the lack of youth integration, but then again this subject isn't as important to some on here, and a lot of you seem to think that playing one, two or three academy talents in a handful of games so far would've derailed our season completely. As I said before though, each to their own.

Looks sweet.

Hence why I said that my complaint isn't mutually exclusive to the Derby game alone. In fact, you've fully highlighted the problem - they should've been playing in the competition from the start.

So you honestly think playing RLC or Boga would severely damage our likelihood of winning against a team like Derby? Incredible. You're telling me that Boga definitely can't put in a better performance than the one Schurrle gave us yesterday? Incredible yet again. Well here's where the discussion ends then. You clearly think that someone like Boga or RLC aren't anywhere near quality enough to even contribute to the team in any sort of game we'll play this season, whilst I think that is absolute rubbish and that they are definitely more than talented enough to do exactly that. Each to their own though I guess. We'll agree to disagree.PS - I have never really counted Zouma as a youngster. He was bought for £12m.

This is my argument though... How is putting RLC or Boga into any team automatically going to kill our momentum? It's a myth. Using a game or two to give a small amount of the academy lads a go is hardly going to disrupt our whole season is it now? Do you seriously believe such?

He said that a week or so before the Liverpool game. Falcao could've started easily.

Outraged? Really? Do you think if Jose took Mikel and Schurrle to the side and said "listen lads, today I want to give Boga and RLC a chance today in our cup game, I want you two to sit out/be ready if you're needed", that they would've been outraged? Mikel has played quite a lot over the last two weeks, Schurrle has been in and out too. It's one game. Schurrle and Mikel will have plenty of more game time to get into form and get minutes. Not buying it sorry.

Explain why LvG started Wilson, in a massive PREMIER LEAGUE match against Liverpool, ahead of a fit Falcao? That would never happen here, even though we have bigger talents. LvG has just been in his job for a few months and is already showing confidence in some youth players, showing them if the seniors aren't performing that they'll have a chance. But that won't happen here, not even in a dead rubber match like the Sporting game or Derby in the COC.