Definitely agree with all posts about the youngsters being given a chance. We need to now, I feel like our team is exhausted and motivation is lacking in some of them. The younger, homegrown players will surely have tonnes of motivation and determination to prove themselves so I say give them a good chance, mix the team up with experienced players and stick two or three younger ones in like Loftus-Cheek, Solanke, Brown, Traore, Bamford, etc.

Yes, they will make mistakes and yes, they will have poor games but they will gain the vital experience so that if they are good enough, in a season or two they will be dominant figures in our team.

I too get excited watching these players come into our squad and I want nothing more than for them to be successful. Been watching a bit of the youth team lately and we do have some decent players, but I fear they will fade into the background if we don't try to utilise them now.

The media seem to be going for this angle too suggesting Jose has to freshen things up otherwise face blowing the title altogether.

If anything I think that will make Jose more determined to prove them all wrong and stick with our main lads tbh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll get my coat..

If you have had a child play football for a team, you'll know that feeling of pride, trepidation and above all, hope. Very similar to how i feel watching a home grown youngster play for Chelsea. If they fail you still stand by them, you want them to get up and go again, it really is very similar.

Excellent, I should hope so.

But what about my first point? About having the mental strength and there being the possibility of being demoralised because you feel you’ve failed, not the fans, you the Manager, you – probably your biggest critic. Of course there are a million variants and I’m being very specific in this case but with some players a loan must be the better option. Perhaps there’s a reason why RLC hasn’t gone on loan? Maybe Mourinho thinks he’s better suited to learn as a bit part player, training with top players rather than going out of loan and playing regularly. I’d love for our youth team to get a chance and play for us now, I’ve never said otherwise, but I’m cautious of treating every player the same, they’re not.

Purely hypothetical you understand, but I trust the club’s judgement. After years of seemingly neglecting our academy in the past ten years we’re starting to see the fruits of the investment.

I definitely want to see us starting to drip feed the youngsters into the team rather than buy in all the time.

 

Loftus-Cheek had a great game the one time he was given a chance and I'm confused at to why that momentum was removed from him. I wonder what he must be thinking now ? Surely he's starting to get itchy feet.

 

Summer will be interesting and will show our intent. We need to replace Drogba, at the very least, and the question is do we give Bamford that seat or spend £40m on someone ?

The media seem to be going for this angle too suggesting Jose has to freshen things up otherwise face blowing the title altogether.

If anything I think that will make Jose more determined to prove them all wrong and stick with our main lads tbh.

 

I'm sure it will make him more determined.  I don't think we need to put half a team of youth players out there but I think it must help no end with their development to play with the first team.  I so badly want to see some of these players come through - for me it somehow seems 'better' when we're not just a team of foreign players, I don't know, it's just a good feeling when you can say this player came through our ranks and look where he is now. 

Excellent, I should hope so.

But what about my first point? About having the mental strength and there being the possibility of being demoralised because you feel you’ve failed, not the fans, you the Manager, you – probably your biggest critic. Of course there are a million variants and I’m being very specific in this case but with some players a loan must be the better option. Perhaps there’s a reason why RLC hasn’t gone on loan? Maybe Mourinho thinks he’s better suited to learn as a bit part player, training with top players rather than going out of loan and playing regularly. I’d love for our youth team to get a chance and play for us now, I’ve never said otherwise, but I’m cautious of treating every player the same, they’re not.

Purely hypothetical you understand, but I trust the club’s judgement. After years of seemingly neglecting our academy in the past ten years we’re starting to see the fruits of the investment.

 

Totally agree Gem, we should leave it to Jose, but it is frustrating when your kid is stood on the touchline waiting for his call.

Our support would never boo a young player. Never.

 

Try telling Danny Sturridge that.

 

Definitely agree with all posts about the youngsters being given a chance. We need to now, I feel like our team is exhausted and motivation is lacking in some of them. The younger, homegrown players will surely have tonnes of motivation and determination to prove themselves so I say give them a good chance, mix the team up with experienced players and stick two or three younger ones in like Loftus-Cheek, Solanke, Brown, Traore, Bamford, etc.

Yes, they will make mistakes and yes, they will have poor games but they will gain the vital experience so that if they are good enough, in a season or two they will be dominant figures in our team.

I too get excited watching these players come into our squad and I want nothing more than for them to be successful. Been watching a bit of the youth team lately and we do have some decent players, but I fear they will fade into the background if we don't try to utilise them now.

 

Have you not BEEN in a match-day thread?  Particularly lately?  And when we are not 5-0 up after 10 minutes?

Tell them to use the lift.  They look a little leggy for the stairs.

 

I reckon if we just put Ivanovic in the RW slot and have Dave play his natural position (amazing LB but we all know he started as a RB, LB was putting an oval peg in a round whole yet somehow it fit perfectly) and Luis take LB, we could of saved 70 odd million quid.

If you have had a child play football for a team, you'll know that feeling of pride, trepidation and above all, hope. Very similar to how i feel watching a home grown youngster play for Chelsea. If they fail you still stand by them, you want them to get up and go again, it really is very similar.

I watched my nephew play for the first time last summer.  My advice for him would of been "stay down!" haha jk 

Try telling Danny Sturridge that.

 

 

Have you not BEEN in a match-day thread?  Particularly lately?  And when we are not 5-0 up after 10 minutes?

 

Yup, but that doesn't mean I always share the opinions expressed there.  It's not as if the experienced players aren't making mistakes; they seem to have lost the ability to pass the ball to each other at the moment.

 

I'm sure sticking a couple if youngsters in the team isn't going to make us any worse, especially a striker or attacking midfielder.  Hindsight is a wonderful thing but that doesn't mean we shouldn't give a couple of others a chance every now and again.  If it doesn't work it doesn't work but like I said, it won't necessarily make us any worse.

 

It's not as if Cuadrado is making waves, and I'm not slating him, just saying how much worse off would we have been if a younger player came on instead?

It's funny how people talk about throwing youngsters in. It's not that simple they need time to train with the first team etc and yes some of these youngsters have been training with the first team all season but a season with the first team could set them in better stead for the following season.

It's funny how people talk about throwing youngsters in. It's not that simple they need time to train with the first team etc and yes some of these youngsters have been training with the first team all season but a season with the first team could set them in better stead for the following season.

 

Over dramatising there a bit ? Who said 'throw' them on ? Integrated into the squad is very different to just thrown on.

It's funny how people talk about throwing youngsters in. It's not that simple they need time to train with the first team etc and yes some of these youngsters have been training with the first team all season but a season with the first team could set them in better stead for the following season.

 

No-one is talking about throwing them in, but instead gradually integrating them into the team. Training with the team and being with the squad is important, but so is actually playing football which is something Ruben Loftus-Cheek has done precious little of recently.

 

Out of interest, do you know who Loftus-Cheek's one minute of Premier League football came against? Talk about throwing players in.

There's been plenty of talk about one or two of them staring against Hull that's throwing a young lad into the team.

No-one is talking about throwing them in, but instead gradually integrating them into the team. Training with the team and being with the squad is important, but so is actually playing football which is something Ruben Loftus-Cheek has done precious little of recently.

Out of interest, do you know who Loftus-Cheek's one minute of Premier League football came against? Talk about throwing players in.

Man City not really throwing him on so much as time wasting

As above, not just throwing them on willy-nilly!  They've been training with the first team which is all good and well but if they don't actually play and get used to the different pace, etc. of the premier league we're never going to know if they'll cut it.  Some won't, of course, but I would like us to at least try.

There's been plenty of talk about one or two of them staring against Hull that's throwing a young lad into the team.

 

It's probably too late to start using young players until we sew the league up. Jose has got himself into a situation where we have a squad of about 15 players, and that's including the sub-keeper.

 

Man City not really throwing him on so much as time wasting

 

I just find it bizarre that a player who needs integrating has had one minute of league football and it came against our closest challengers.

We have so much talent at our disposal but we don't seem to utilise it very well.

It's probably too late to start using young players until we sew the league up. Jose has got himself into a situation where we have a squad of about 15 players, and that's including the sub-keeper.

I just find it bizarre that a player who needs integrating has had one minute of league football and it came against our closest challengers.

But it's one minute isn't it? He came on to be an extra body don't act like he came on against City for any other reason. Clearly wasn't ready to come on in a game like that for any extra minutes.

I think most of the young boys are used mainly to keep us within the rules regarding homegrown and young players.

1 minute isn't really giving them football rather than a cheer from the crowd and a appearance bonus really. It's a nice touch obviously but will do very little towards their development going forward.

The problem with young players coming in at this moment in time is every game will be a cup final basically from here on out...but that pressure will always be here and I'm not convinced Jose will use them as much as he lets on in his interviews.

Kalas came in and had 2 very impressive and solid games but was punted on loan...not exactly encouraging for the rest.

 

 

I don't think this team does need to go up a level or two. We're top of the league by 6 points with a game in hand, having lost just 2 league games (the next best is 5). The only other game we've lost was against Bradford.

 

Do you really think we are in a good position to fight for the CL title?

If you'd asked that in December, the answer for me would've been a yes.

Team looked pretty much top class.

Tell them to use the lift. They look a little leggy for the stairs.

I reckon if we just put Ivanovic in the RW slot and have Dave play his natural position (amazing LB but we all know he started as a RB, LB was putting an oval peg in a round whole yet somehow it fit perfectly) and Luis take LB, we could of saved 70 odd million quid.

I like that. Oval peg in a round hole.

Get Bamford in our team, he's doing seriously well right now.  Him, Costa and a new striker plus Drogba for back-up/behind the scenes.  Not too bothered about what happens with Remy, he hasn't been given a good enough run this season and I can't see that changing next season, nothing against him.