Lewis Baker

[Styles 9,790]

Are you on your period?

As if making an appearance off the bench against Shrewsburry would have affected his future! He still has a looong long way to go if he wants to make it here which has nothing to do with tonight's game. He'll need to go out on a couple pf loans, do exceptionally well and then hope that the circumstances are right for him to be given a chance and that we don't already have several top-class players in his position. And that goes for all the youngsters.

Tonight's game did have some significance though, there were no top-class players blocking Baker, and certainly not to the extent he couldn't feature at all. There was no Fabregas, Hazard or Matic.

Salah, Schurrle and Oscar aren't top-class by any stretch.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Tonight's game did have some significance though, there were no top-class players blocking Baker, and certainly not to the extent he couldn't feature at all. There was no Fabregas, Hazard or Matic.

Salah, Schurrle and Oscar aren't top-class by any stretch.

No, don't think it has any significance at all, unless a bit psychologically maybe. Baker is not in the same group as Salah, Shurrle and Oscar and he won't be regardless of whether or how he plays tonight.

I understand that you are probably upset by tonight's performance of those players (can't understand why, though, it's the league cup!) but you need to put this into perspective.

[iseah100 5,612]

Are you on your period?

As if making an appearance off the bench against Shrewsburry would have affected his future! He still has a looong long way to go if he wants to make it here which has nothing to do with tonight's game. He'll need to go out on a couple pf loans, do exceptionally well and then hope that the circumstances are right for him to be given a chance and that we don't already have several top-class players in his position. And that goes for all the youngsters.

Mou insisted the youngsters would get time, he's 20 and can't even get in vs fucking Shrewsbury, if he doesn't play against them when will he play? He has a right to be concerned, he played Oscar, who played 2 days before, over playing Baker who could have played better knowing it was his chance.

[Tomo 21,751]

Mou insisted the youngsters would get time.

and 3 off them did.

[iseah100 5,612]

and 3 off them did.

Zouma isn't really a youngster though, is he? He didn't play with our youth squad like Ake, Christensen, Solanke, and Baker.

[Tomo 21,751]

Zouma isn't really a youngster though, is he? He didn't play with our youth squad like Ake, Christensen, Solanke, and Baker.

Just because he is brought doesn't mean he doesn't have the raw inconsistencys 99.9 percent of footballers his age have.

When lower league sides host PL teams the games are almost always very close, playing half or more of the team teenager's is asking for elimination.

Our youth cup winning side of few years back went to play Wycombes seniors the following pre season, they lost 5-1..............

[lionsden 4,689]

What was the point in adding him to the team sheet if he was never going to feature and when is he ever going to feature? when all our senior players are fit and free of suspension or when we move into the business end of the season smh

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Mou insisted the youngsters would get time, he's 20 and can't even get in vs fucking Shrewsbury, if he doesn't play against them when will he play? He has a right to be concerned, he played Oscar, who played 2 days before, over playing Baker who could have played better knowing it was his chance.

And they did. This season alone, Jose has given debuts to all of Solanke, Baker himself and yesterday Christensen and Brown was on the bench for the first time yesterday as well. That is more than any previous manager has done in a single season and beyond any of our dreams even 3 months ago.

About yesterday, the starting XI needs a certain balance. You can't put out your U21 team out because they'd get battered. Jose actually went one better than what I had expected and started Christensen who I thought would be on the bench. He could of course had started Baker instead of Christensen and played Ake at LB, but obviously Jose thinks the young Dane is more ready. Unfortunately, the game didn't pan out in a way where we could bring on more youth players and still ensure going through to the next round.

Point is, be grateful for the youth involvement yesterday and in this season in general because it has already exceeded expectations. There's just no pleasing some people...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

What was the point in adding him to the team sheet if he was never going to feature and when is he ever going to feature? when all our senior players are fit and free of suspension or when we move into the business end of the season smh

The point was that, had the game panned out in a way that we could have brought on more youngsters, he would have gotten some valuable experience playing with the first team. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, but just being on the bench should be a great boost for his confidence because it is a message that the management thinks you're going in the right direction, and a great motivation for him and the rest of the youth team to keep working hard to be able to play with the first team.

Honestly, the moaning on here is hilarious! The boy would have been delighted to even be considered for the match and yet you're all upset about it on his behalf!

[Madmax 9,219]

Point is, be grateful for the youth involvement yesterday and in this season in general because it has already exceeded expectations. There's just no pleasing some people...

Or conversely, it's no wonder that some people will always be extremely easily pleased because the sum total of their expectations amounts to 500 mins between 5 players.

[stroey 2,525]

And they did. This season alone, Jose has given debuts to all of Solanke, Baker himself and yesterday Christensen and Brown was on the bench for the first time yesterday as well. That is more than any previous manager has done in a single season and beyond any of our dreams even 3 months ago.

About yesterday, the starting XI needs a certain balance. You can't put out your U21 team out because they'd get battered. Jose actually went one better than what I had expected and started Christensen who I thought would be on the bench. He could of course had started Baker instead of Christensen and played Ake at LB, but obviously Jose thinks the young Dane is more ready. Unfortunately, the game didn't pan out in a way where we could bring on more youth players and still ensure going through to the next round.

Point is, be grateful for the youth involvement yesterday and in this season in general because it has already exceeded expectations. There's just no pleasing some people...

Agreed, if I'm not wrong, Ake has already played more minutes than last season.

Solanke and Christensen already had their debutes, Izzy traveled to OT and was on the bench last night.

Don't forget Zouma, he's also still very young.

Baker his time will come, I think Mou planned to give him minutes against Bolton and Shrewsbury if we could go up 2-0/3-0 but in both matches this didn't happen. Against Bolton yes, but then we suddenly conceded the 2-1 when he was about to make his debut.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Or conversely, it's no wonder that some people will always be extremely easily pleased because the sum total of their expectations amounts to 500 mins between 5 players.

Well, what exactly do you base your expectations on? What is the frame of reference? Past seasons? This season has already exceeded any of the past few seasons, bar maybe 2012-13, in terms of time for youth players and we're still in October. Other title contenders? How many youth players have city give debuts to this season? We've give for 3 while a 4th was on the bench for the first time for us yesterday.

I really don't see any realistic expectations of youth development that we have fallen short of in any way this season.

[Madmax 9,219]

Well, what exactly do you base your expectations on? What is the frame of reference? Past seasons? This season has already exceeded any of the past few seasons, bar maybe 2012-13, in terms of time for youth players and we're still in October. Other title contenders? How many youth players have city give debuts to this season? We've give for 3 while a 4th was on the bench for the first time for us yesterday.

I really don't see any realistic expectations of youth development that we have fallen short of in any way this season.

I was naive enough to base them on the manager's words, so that is the frame of reference. I couldn't care less about City or our past seasons and you'll find I haven't uttered one word about either of those situations. You can look at it as it still just being October, but the biggest chance to walk the talk has already been passed upon. I'll give him credit for Ake but not £12m signing Zouma or Christensen, whose inclusion was necessary to field a back 4 without performing gymnastics like playing a 34 y.o twice in 48 hours.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I was naive enough to base them on the manager's words, so that is the frame of reference. I couldn't care less about City or our past seasons and you'll find I haven't uttered one word about either of those situations. You can look at it as it still just being October, but the biggest chance to walk the talk has already been passed upon. I'll give him credit for Ake but not £12m signing Zouma or Christensen, whose inclusion was necessary to field a back 4 without performing gymnastics like playing a 34 y.o twice in 48 hours.

You know as well as I do that you can't challenge for titles while giving considerably more time for youth players than we already have. Very harsh not to give Jose credit for Christensen. JT is more than capable of playing and we had a 36 (or is he 37 now?) play 2 matches in 3 days up front. It was clearly to give Christensen a chance. Plus, you're forgetting that only last week Solanke was give his debut and became the youngest ever player to play for us in the CL when we didn't really need him to come on. Then there is the debut for Baker himself last month.

[Madmax 9,219]

You know as well as I do that you can't challenge for titles while giving considerably more time for youth players than we already have. Very harsh not to give Jose credit for Christensen. JT is more than capable of playing and we had a 36 (or is he 37 now?) play 2 matches in 3 days up front. It was clearly to give Christensen a chance. Plus, you're forgetting that only last week Solanke was give his debut and became the youngest ever player to play for us in the CL when we didn't really need him to come on. Then there is the debut for Baker himself last month.

I must have missed this Baker debut you talk about. See, 15 minutes when you're winning 4-0 is nice for sentiment and all (I say that genuinely), but when it came down to choosing a team against 4th tier opposition 2 days after OT, he chose to stuck with the knackered pensioner. We all knew Solanke needed that u21 game, he must have learned so much.

We can't win a League Cup 4th round game with more than 2 academy greenhorns featuring at some point? Well we sure romped it with the world champion and the Egyptian Messi. That own goal - boy, that'll show them.

I'm not asking to bring them on in every league game. I'm asking for Mourinho to show some heart and conviction in these guys on a stage he said he would :

Of course, Baker, Brown, Solanke and Boga cannot all be in my squad because I cannot have 30. But these four are going to work with us all season. At 17, I don’t think it’s good for them to go to play in the ­Championship or somewhere. No, at 17 they have to train with us and learn with us – and they will learn a lot – and play in the Under-21s, maybe for us in the Capital One Cup, the FA Cup... now and again.