Youth Hit Out

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

What an incredibly stupid answer. They play there youth, everyone respect them for that...Why? Cos I really have no idea. Where has playing there youth got them? I'd rather be a club that is winning, than a club that is producing youth.

Agree about the last part,but I'm not saying play McEachran over Lampard or Sturridge over Drogba.Play them instead of Mikel,Kalou,Ferreira...Just give them a chance they definitely deserve.

Arsenal has loads of youngsters and they don't have the necessary balance.We can have that mix of older,more experienced players with new faces from the academy.And this season was the right moment to introduce them.

I'm suggesting this because if they are in the team we don't need to spend our money on squad players that are old and have big wages.For example,instead of signing Benayoun last summer we could of given Kakuta a chance.

You didn't understand.If I wanted to see youth playing at all the time,I'd be Arse fan.

[Bear-Felix 16]

I agree when people say we over rate our youth a bit, no doubt we have some incredible prospects and will have many more in the future but people need to remember we are one of the best clubs in the world, 95% of the youth wont be anywhere near good enough. I think we're going down the right route tho in terms of scouting talents, the likes of Sturridge, Kakuta and Piazon will (hopefully, if we get our heads straight) have a long and amazing future at Chelsea.

Having said that I do think that we've not given enough chances to the youth, Borini and Sturridge quickly spring to mind. Hopefully our next manager will change that.

[teignman 441]

In general, I think every team's supporters tend to overrate their youth. That being said, I honestly think we have some true talent in our side, namely Kakuta, Sturridge, and McEachran. The key is to mix them in with the experienced players a start here, a subsitution there, etc. Blood them in. As much as I hate to reference him, Sir Red Nose is pretty adept at this. Take a risk on them, or they will not come to fruition.

[ZanSnake 1,211]

Sincliar was NEVER going to join the ranks of Chelsea with the jumping stages of managers. He is a good player, especially in Championship level, and i supported for him to succeed here or given an actual oppertunity but the role that he was playing with the age he was, it was never going to happen which is saddening. Mancienne, too weak for Chelsea, and i think he actually put some weight on since his injury? He can tackle, and his play is 'hoof-ball' otherwise. He wouldn't really add anything to the squad that, let's say, Mikel couldn't do plus better and more.

Cork and Borini - Cork should have been given the right chances, but it never occurred which was saddening as i would have loved him to be our versatile player. Imagine playing in the center of midfeild would have been ideal alongside the like of Lampard. But, yet again, the jumps of managers hasn't really done anything to add to this. Borini was a more hierarchy kind of thing, and in some ways, wanted too much from the club at his age (19?) especially since we have Drogba, Sturridge, Anleka, Kalou and then Torres infront of him in competitions. Should have been giving the time, but was defo bacl listed by the directors.

The worrying element for me now is that with Carlo gone, we are in a sense of an alien atmosphere. We have no indication of whom the next manager is, nor can we actually say they would rather play the youngsters then going out to by the next Benay. Until we have a new manager, and have assessed his plans over pre-season (which i doubt would include many of the youngsters) we can only speculate who and what the future holds for us and the youth.

[robdog 2,084]

I love it when I hear the youth is not good enough. Then we see Chelsea Academy grad Beckford make a 75 yard run & chip the Chelsea POY. Nope, I only hear/read that he is a championship player, but every time he against Chelsea he finds the net. Oh well I guess I should feel good to see Chelsea improving other teams w/ their youth program.

[ZanSnake 1,211]

I love it when I hear the youth is not good enough. Then we see Chelsea Academy grad Beckford make a 75 yard run & chip the Chelsea POY. Nope, I only hear/read that he is a championship player, but every time he against Chelsea he finds the net. Oh well I guess I should feel good to see Chelsea improving other teams w/ their youth program.

And i hear Vidic is the best defender in the world, yet i watched as Pedro was let to be in the box in a 'free-zone', and i saw Man United's defense not even be able to come out and even TRY to press against Messi.

Alex was out of position and Cech was far out-stretched. We were caught on the counter attack, and we NEVER made ourselves a threat.

[malhaar 0]

yup, agree with you.... Bruma, Kakuta are all raw at the moment and surely not first team material as of now

To be honest none of the players (with the exception of Borini) that were quoted would have been good enough for Chelsea, Sinclair couldn't even get a first team place at Wigan, Jack Cork would always be used as a squad player at best and nothing more (and he wants to be a first team starter), and Mancinenne is average and weak for a defender.

[NattyBlue 44]

Fuck if they want to hit out at us I say, ultimately they're not good enough. Would they get in at any other top teams? No.

They've been spoiled by exploits of people like Messi, Fabregas, Rooney and Ronaldo, thinking that when they're at 20 - 22 they should be playing in CL knockout games.

EDIT: RE Beckford

Just because someone scores against you doesn't mean that they're better than your world class defence. 1. He plays for Everton, our bogey team and we never show up against them in the league. 2) We released him, it gives him that extra fire in his belly to do well against us, it's a small time player mentality

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I think some are missing the point by this thread.

It's not about these individuals, it's about how our academy is being seen by any prospective youngster looking for a club. We offer no incentive at all right now. Our last youth product was John Terry, 11 years ago! Yes we've got one coming in, Josh McEachran, but 2 players in 11 years? Really?

We need to offer more hope for other youth players. I'm willing to bet, for every signing we make, the youth players lose more confidence. We need to start giving them more bench places and more opportunities to come on and shows their stuff. Even if it's for 10minutes, it still gives them hope.

[NattyBlue 44]

I gave up on our Youth policy last season or the season before I think. I don't hold any hope whatsoever for our youth players to make it to the first team. It's just nicer to watch them play and track them than the first team.

So now we're supposed to do what we did with Sturridge, for everyone? Give him 10 mins, everyone sees he needs more, loan him out and then sell him...

We would've sold JT if he wanted to leave as well anyway. No hope for our youth, who was the last real MU player to break through from their youth ranks btw?

[LDN Blue 7,903]

We would've sold JT if he wanted to leave as well anyway. No hope for our youth, who was the last real MU player to break through from their youth ranks btw?

LMAO no-one. They keep relying on past days of Giggs, Scholes, Neville & all those idiots.

[NattyBlue 44]

Good, just checking

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Good, just checking

The worst part is, no-one will call them on it..

[BlueSunshine 672]

I think some are missing the point by this thread.

It's not about these individuals, it's about how our academy is being seen by any prospective youngster looking for a club. We offer no incentive at all right now. Our last youth product was John Terry, 11 years ago! Yes we've got one coming in, Josh McEachran, but 2 players in 11 years? Really?

We need to offer more hope for other youth players. I'm willing to bet, for every signing we make, the youth players lose more confidence. We need to start giving them more bench places and more opportunities to come on and shows their stuff. Even if it's for 10minutes, it still gives them hope.

Couldn't agree more.

[robdog 2,084]

EDIT: RE Beckford

Just because someone scores against you doesn't mean that they're better than your world class defence. 1. He plays for Everton, our bogey team and we never show up against them in the league. 2) We released him, it gives him that extra fire in his belly to do well against us, it's a small time player mentality

If he only scored against Chelsea, then this would be a valid argument. Unfortunately he is finding the back of the net vs. other prem opposition. True he may have never been a starter @ Chelsea, but it still burns me up to see a Chelsea Academy grad elsewhere, applying his trade, which was helped developed @ Chelsea. I see the end result helping the other English clubs, but not Chelsea.