I have completely given up on our youth system.

[Badboy 1,526]

I think we have to face the fact that there is no point for us having a youth system anymore. Young players will not get an opportunity at this club because there is no time for them. To keep up with Man city and Man utd we will continue to spend and we will continue to marginalize our youth players. To be honest i don't even think Josh McEachran will break through now, AVB will most probably be a 1 season wonder and another manager will come in and then shun our youth because at this club unless you win the CL or the PL by a country mile you get the sack.

[Kez 2,727]

It's depressing we've invested so much in our youth system & not one player has broken through since JT. Roman does not have enough patience to allow youth players to come through. Why wasn't Josh loaned out if he was going to get so little game time this season, this isn't going to help his development at all. I'm just hoping that Roman will take this season as it comes even if we end up without a trophy, in the long run it will allow AVB to develop his own team & way of playing & when it's established we could be successful for the next 10 years or so. Instant success shouldn't be demanded.

[Tomo 21,751]

wow bit of a over-reaction there.

Roman does not sack managers solely on PL and CL success/failure, the managers departure's ran deeper than that, i explained imo why he doesn't it in detail in another thread and really cba to do so again tbh.

Don;t think we can say Josh won't make it on the basis he is not playing week in week out at the age of 18, Iniesta was still awaiting his Barca debut at the age Josh is now.

[Kojo 4,676]

I agree with you, it's shocking the amount of games Josh plays and every youth player, it's pointless we mayaswell just buy players.

[Badboy 1,526]

wow bit of a over-reaction there.

Roman does not sack managers solely on PL and CL success/failure, the managers departure's ran deeper than that, i explained imo why he doesn't it in detail in another thread and really cba to do so again tbh.

Don;t think we can say Josh won't make it on the basis he is not playing week in week out at the age of 18, Iniesta was still awaiting his Barca debut at the age Josh is now.

The thing is though Josh will have missed nearly 6 months of football by the time the next transfer window comes about. He has hardly played in the reserves and when he has played he has looked rusty like no other according to the people who watch our youth games. Chelsea youth system is fail and we all know it, Man utd could implement O'shea and Darren Fletcher despite them both being average players, we cant even give an expierenced young player who has played in Anfield and old Trafford for reading ( Bertrand). Ashley cole will play the whole season without rest and Bertrand will be chilling on the bench with Josh.

[Kojo 4,676]

It's depressing we've invested so much in our youth system & not one player has broken through since JT. Roman does not have enough patience to allow youth players to come through. Why wasn't Josh loaned out if he was going to get so little game time this season, this isn't going to help his development at all. I'm just hoping that Roman will take this season as it comes even if we end up without a trophy, in the long run it will allow AVB to develop his own team & way of playing & when it's established we could be successful for the next 10 years or so. Instant success shouldn't be demanded.

He took over a poor team, but he should of bought players, and he didn't. I would love him to build his own team, but i can't see it happening.

[zolayes 14,489]

just looking at the results of the reserves and the youth team this season doesn't inspire optimism

[Kojo 4,676]

I thought AVB is a manager who plays a lot of youth?, were we misinformed?.

[Tomo 21,751]

It's easy for us to play football manager and xperteleven, promote youth players into a winning team and carry on winning and it's even easier for us to say AVB should play x,y and z on x game, y game and z game but in reality it's a lot more complicated than that.

Yes we should have produced more since JT but since then which big club has produced that much talent and when i mean talent i mean at the club since a 8 year old (In England)? Have United brought any one through since Fletcher and O shit? they probally have decent CB's in the youth side but Fergie still opted on signing Jones and Smalling for a combined £30m.

Martin Kelly is the first Liverpool youth product since Gerrard, im not even going to count Spearing as he has not even played 20 times for Liverpool and is already 22. If it weren't for unfortunate injuries i have no doubt Sammy Hutchinson would be partnering David Luiz by now, ive still got quiet hopes of him pulling off the unthinkable, Jose and Carlo could not speak highly enough of him, and we would all be drolling over our academy for producing such a gem.

Another thing we have to remember is the academy was in a real state when Roman came in, he (Roman) has invested heavily in the academy but it was never going to be a overnight job. With McEachran and Chalaboh waiting in the wings and a U15 group winning numerous trophies, according to a user of another forum im on the U12's (which includes) Josh's brother George are unbeaten for 2 years. Slowly but surely our academy is improving and it won't be long before we reap the rewards.

[bluephoenix 1,131]

the problem is, we are losing patience ... we aren't doing all that well for AVB to take the risk of bringing in young players to starting 11 ... we already have enough attention from the media as it ...if our strikers did the job well then I am sure AVB would have given the younger players more chance ... but sadly we aren't doing so well in front of goal and also defending them ... so AVB has to go with the experienced players on the bench to correct things on the pitch... if he did give the chances to the younger players if it doesn't click, again not a single person would miss out on criticizing him ... I believe in him... he should be given some time to get his style and principles to sink into the players.

[EskWeston 696]

wow bit of a over-reaction there.

Roman does not sack managers solely on PL and CL success/failure, the managers departure's ran deeper than that, i explained imo why he doesn't it in detail in another thread and really cba to do so again tbh.

Don;t think we can say Josh won't make it on the basis he is not playing week in week out at the age of 18, Iniesta was still awaiting his Barca debut at the age Josh is now.

Agre totally about Roman not sacking managers on the basis of trophies but on the basis of deeper running problems.

With Iniesta, yes he may not of been playing for Barca at this stage. But he would have been playing for Barca B which is miles more experience than what Josh is getting. The set up in the UK is not helping us to develop our players. Reserves football is useless as a development tool and loan spells are unreliable.

Josh needs games for sure, but my bigger gripe as already mentioned by Badboy is Ryan Bertrand. He should be getting much more games and resting Ashley, Bertrand has buckets of league experience already and always does very well when played for our first team.

This is such a complicated issue with so many different levels of problems and issues to deal with. I won't judge AVB on his ability to bring through young players yet that is for sure. Josh should have been allowed to go out on loan this season though.

[Melanicus 5,208]

Agre totally about Roman not sacking managers on the basis of trophies but on the basis of deeper running problems.

With Iniesta, yes he may not of been playing for Barca at this stage. But he would have been playing for Barca B which is miles more experience than what Josh is getting. The set up in the UK is not helping us to develop our players. Reserves football is useless as a development tool and loan spells are unreliable.

Josh needs games for sure, but my bigger gripe as already mentioned by Badboy is Ryan Bertrand. He should be getting much more games and resting Ashley, Bertrand has buckets of league experience already and always does very well when played for our first team.

This is such a complicated issue with so many different levels of problems and issues to deal with. I won't judge AVB on his ability to bring through young players yet that is for sure. Josh should have been allowed to go out on loan this season though.

This! I've been thinking about this too. Barcelona has got Barcelona B, which is on the level of Swansea and it's really good, because they can swap players. Maybe Roman should buy one more club?

[Heartless Beast 7]

I'm excited to see how Todd Kane and Islam Feruz develop.

[Superblue 6,372]

I think AVB kept hold of McEachran because he is probably the closest player similar to Mata. He probably would have played a lot more often for 20-30 minutes in games if it were not for our inability to finish teams off until late in games, particularly at home.

Yes the first half of this season hasn't been great for Josh but neither was the first half of last season for Sturridge. The difference is that Sturridge was 21, Josh will still only be 18 come January!!! I believe he may go out on loan not just after January but also next season aswell.

People think that if a player hasn't broken through by the time he's 20 then he's never going to make it and that's simply not the case. Unless you are a truly exceptional talent (e.g. Messi) the truth is young players at top teams will not normally break through until they are 21 simply because of the pressures the big clubs are under to be successful. The club has to ensure the player is well equiped and mature/experienced enough to handle this.

It's happened for Sturridge who will now go on to become an exceptional player for many years at Chelsea in my opinion, and it will happen for Josh (and I believe Romeu providing Barca don't buy him back!) and in the future Chalobah, but people have to be patient on the matter.

[The Rising Sun 711]

Josh should go out on loan in January....feel sorry for PVA though....he wont get a chance till Cole doesnt leave...

[eldo 868]

The problem with Josh is, his body needs to develop.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

The problem with Josh is, his body needs to develop.

True point. His composure and all somewhat compensate, but he really does need to bulk up. It's why Romeu is being played more often.

[Badboy 1,526]

It's easy for us to play football manager and xperteleven, promote youth players into a winning team and carry on winning and it's even easier for us to say AVB should play x,y and z on x game, y game and z game but in reality it's a lot more complicated than that.

Yes we should have produced more since JT but since then which big club has produced that much talent and when i mean talent i mean at the club since a 8 year old (In England)? Have United brought any one through since Fletcher and O shit? they probally have decent CB's in the youth side but Fergie still opted on signing Jones and Smalling for a combined £30m.

Martin Kelly is the first Liverpool youth product since Gerrard, im not even going to count Spearing as he has not even played 20 times for Liverpool and is already 22. If it weren't for unfortunate injuries i have no doubt Sammy Hutchinson would be partnering David Luiz by now, ive still got quiet hopes of him pulling off the unthinkable, Jose and Carlo could not speak highly enough of him, and we would all be drolling over our academy for producing such a gem.

Another thing we have to remember is the academy was in a real state when Roman came in, he (Roman) has invested heavily in the academy but it was never going to be a overnight job. With McEachran and Chalaboh waiting in the wings and a U15 group winning numerous trophies, according to a user of another forum im on the U12's (which includes) Josh's brother George are unbeaten for 2 years. Slowly but surely our academy is improving and it won't be long before we reap the rewards.

Welbeck and Cleverly have both played a high amount of games already this season and they are youth products. Liverpool have Martin Kelly who has broken through and Jack Robinson will break through too no doubt. Arsenal have Wilshire and Gibbs who are both first team players. Man City even have Micha Richards lol ! Spurs have Kyle walker. 1 homegrown player makes a world of difference, it is a sticker on the club saying made in Chelsea. We are the only top side without 1 homegrown player who has not made a break through in the last 3 years. Why are all these teams breaking youth talents through and we are failing why ?? we have spent millions on our academy to get fuck all and it winds me up. Liverpool have not spent a quarter of the money we have spent and Jack Robinson at the age of 17 has played more first team games for Liverpool then Bertrand who has experience has played at 22 !

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Welbeck and Cleverly have both played a high amount of games already this season and they are youth products. Liverpool have Martin Kelly who has broken through and Jack Robinson will break through too no doubt. Arsenal have Wilshire and Gibbs who are both first team players. Man City even have Micha Richards lol ! Spurs have Kyle walker. 1 homegrown player makes a world of difference, it is a sticker on the club saying made in Chelsea. We are the only top side without 1 homegrown player who has not made a break through in the last 3 years. Why are all these teams breaking youth talents through and we are failing why ?? we have spent millions on our academy to get fuck all and it winds me up. Liverpool have not spent a quarter of the money we have spent and Jack Robinson at the age of 17 has played more first team games for Liverpool then Bertrand who has experience has played at 22 !

And then Liverpool bought José Enrique & Sebastián Coatés. Arsenal have Kieran Gibbs, yes, but then they bought André Santos who's kept out Gibbs since then. Richards came through, yes, but because he's an extraordinary talent & City had no RB. He filled in & excelled there, took his opportunity.

You're right about Cleverly & Welbeck, but remember they came through after their successful loan spells. Had they been inside the academy I don't think they'd have got the look in they wanted.

That's where it comes to, loan spells. Sturridge (granted he's not an academy player) went on loan (after we groomed him in the reserve squad), impressed, and came back into our first squad! McEachran will go on loan, so we hope, and if he works hard and is utilised by the manager Villas-Boas will use him. Bertrand is unfortunate because Ashley Cole has been very, very, reliable in the last 3-4seasons. It's unfortunate he didn't get a CL place because in Genk, Cole could've been rested. But Villas-Boas told Bertrand, he wouldn't go out on loan again because he was Cole's understudy. Hence the contract extension in January.

I share you're frustrations with lack of homegrown talent & academy talent, believe me. But I also do believe we're very close to giving a promotion to the likes of Bertrand & McEachran.

[Wilson 358]

All I am gonna say is Bertrand, Romeu, Josh, Sturridge and Kakuta are the ones that should get first team action. Yet it won't happen, that's understandable though if you reflect on how we are playing just now.