3 hours ago, GarnachoCheese said:

This is a myth based off a couple of players falling off in later years. Fabregas, Rooney, Raul, Ramos etc. all played loads as teenagers and played at an elite level until their mid 30’s.

A full PL season is under 3600 mins just for context, so he has played over that at 18yrs. Yamal has already missed 16 games which is 129 days out with injury. Endrick has been out injured for 88 days and missed 11 games.

Like Sexyfootball pointed out, Sterling had already peaked when we bought at 27yrs, and you could argue his peak was around 25yrs. Rooney also peaked at 26yrs. We bought Fabregas at 27, had 2 brilliant seasons in a “deeper” role next to Matic and Kante who had the legs. By the time he left for Monaco at 31yrs, he was shot and finished.

Doesn’t Yamal now have some weird chronic pelvic issue?

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Doesn’t Yamal now have some weird chronic pelvic issue?

yeah, but that must be because he ran about as a teenager.

34 minutes ago, GarnachoCheese said:

yeah, but that must be because he ran about as a teenager.

& the extracurricular activities are also a factor

I'm not so much concerned about him burning out by the time he is 30. He probably won't even be at the club at that age anyway. My concern with young players is having them burn out at 24, like Mount.

Estevao should have started again Sunderland, as should a few others. They had momentum from the previous game. If we are worried about playing him too much, then we could have left him out of the Wolves game.

On 26/10/2025 at 20:43, GarnachoCheese said:

This is a myth based off a couple of players falling off in later years. Fabregas, Rooney, Raul, Ramos etc. all played loads as teenagers and played at an elite level until their mid 30’s.

Not a myth. Firstly Fabregas and Rooney were done with top-tier football before 30, and the latter has even spoken about the physical and mental burnout of playing since he was 16. Raul was a different era of football and left Madrid at "just" 33, though tbh he was washed up before then. The biggest indictment of this modern era is that the likes of Hazard, Neymar and Bale were done with football before the Messi and Ronaldo they were supposed to replace.

Ramos of course is an outlier, along with Benzema, Modric, Messi and Ronaldo, who had true top-tier careers well into their late-30s despite playing as teenagers. The concern is that players like Yamal and Pedri have had so many more minutes under-20 than even this generation (especially at international level). We don't know what that means for the future but there is a real risk that this generation of players retires sooner than the ones that precede it.

So dont play a youngster too much now so that he can have a longer career later. If a player has 300 games in them rather than 6 years of intense football restrict him and make his career 12 years playing maybe 320 games. If he has gone past his peak in later years that may not be so good.

What if he gets a serious injury in year 7? Popular theory is to use them sparingly when they are young but it has its failings.

Hes not a classic car to be kept with low mileage in the garage, so it lasts forever.

Edited October 28, 2025Oct 28 by OTL

5 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Not a myth. Firstly Fabregas and Rooney were done with top-tier football before 30, and the latter has even spoken about the physical and mental burnout of playing since he was 16. Raul was a different era of football and left Madrid at "just" 33, though tbh he was washed up before then. The biggest indictment of this modern era is that the likes of Hazard, Neymar and Bale were done with football before the Messi and Ronaldo they were supposed to replace.

Ramos of course is an outlier, along with Benzema, Modric, Messi and Ronaldo, who had true top-tier careers well into their late-30s despite playing as teenagers. The concern is that players like Yamal and Pedri have had so many more minutes under-20 than even this generation (especially at international level). We don't know what that means for the future but there is a real risk that this generation of players retires sooner than the ones that precede it.

Rooney was in the Prem until he was 33 and Fabregas until he was 32. Players aren’t supposed to play into their 40’s.

32 minutes ago, OTL said:

So dont play a youngster too much now so that he can have a longer career later. If a player has 300 games in them rather than 6 years of intense football restrict him and make his career 12 years playing maybe 320 games. If he has gone past his peak in later years that may not be so good.

What if he gets a serious injury in year 7? Popular theory is to use them sparingly when they are young but it has its failings.

Hes not a classic car to be kept with low mileage in the garage, so it lasts forever.

Rest him now so whoever we sell him to can get longer out of him

30 minutes ago, GarnachoCheese said:

Rest him now so whoever we sell him to can get longer out of him

exactly😂

Edited October 28, 2025Oct 28 by OTL

There is absolutely 0 reason other than tactical ineptitude that Stevie shouldn’t be playing every minute of every game. He’s a f**king sensation and miles ahead of the likes of Pedro Neto & JJBG.

Yeah but

Dutch Caviar?

1 hour ago, Scott said:

Dutch Caviar?

"Muisjes", or little mice. It's aniseed with a sugar coating. Sprinkled on top of "beschuit", a crispy biscuit (probably uniquely Dutch you'll be happy to learn), it's the traditional treat given out by new parents. Cheesy's graph reninded me of a beschuit met muisjes. IYKYK

Edited November 6, 2025Nov 6 by Valerie

Can someone produce a map that looks like Poffertjes? I like Poffertjes.

On 26/10/2025 at 21:46, markpitts said:

A full PL season is under 3600 mins just for context, so he has played over that at 18yrs. Yamal has already missed 16 games which is 129 days out with injury. Endrick has been out injured for 88 days and missed 11 games.

Like Sexyfootball pointed out, Sterling had already peaked when we bought at 27yrs, and you could argue his peak was around 25yrs. Rooney also peaked at 26yrs. We bought Fabregas at 27, had 2 brilliant seasons in a “deeper” role next to Matic and Kante who had the legs. By the time he left for Monaco at 31yrs, he was shot and finished.

I remember fabregas last season with us, he was done done. It was like watching player running in slow motion.

15 hours ago, Snedger said:

Can someone produce a map that looks like Poffertjes? I like Poffertjes.

Fraudo's turnover of players this season:

On 06/11/2025 at 18:46, GarnachoCheese said:

He is a gem.

No need to hold him back now, let him loose Maresca, starting with today!

1 hour ago, 2211 said:

No need to hold him back now, let him loose Maresca, starting with today!

20 minutes at the end when we're 2-0 down...if hes lucky.

On 06/11/2025 at 09:46, GarnachoCheese said:

Well the eye test has not lied - very impressive data. We need him to be playing, offers so much. They are gently easing him in though, and after Europe you can guarantee he’ll be on the bench today.

28 minutes ago, PhilH930 said:

Well the eye test has not lied - very impressive data. We need him to be playing, offers so much. They are gently easing him in though, and after Europe you can guarantee he’ll be on the bench today.

✅

A couple of minutes is all it took to outperform almost every player on the pitch.

Best 18yr old I've seen on a football pitch. May he continue to blossom into a world beater