Liverpool FC Forum

by **Reg** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 4:47 am

Liverpool play 3 teenagers against Arsenal in the end of season run in, a 17 and 18 year old as left and right backs and we fans become delirious 'We can see the future', 'We're going to win the league and champions league next year'. Lets be honest, NO club in the 1st through 4th division put out two defenders of 17 and 18 last weekend except Liverpool. Not even the team bottom of the 4th division - and I don't need to check. Its a sham and shows what a TERRIBLE state the club is in. Other top sides must be amazed how we manage to stay in the top half of the league.

Mourinho would disagree with the club's assessment which is why he'll never come to Anfield - his philosophy is if you want success you need 2 world class defenders and if you don't have them, buy them in. Wenger refuses to accept he needs to bring in players and Arsenal will not win a cup again whilst he is in charge.

ManUre have Evra at left back, Chelsea have Cashley. Liverpool have a constantly injured Fabio and a 17 year old. In the centre we have the constantly injured Agger. Skrtel hasn't played well since his injury against Chelsea 3 years ago and Carra (90 thou a week) is playing out of his skin to plug the holes.

It reminds me of countless scenes from the film 'Life of Brian' where everyone is constantly BS'ing each other...... Kenny is the messiah, Kenny in reality is trying to paint over the cracks whilst no one's looking. The crowd shouts 'We want Kenny' (instead of Berwabbas) and the Romans (owners) say 'Dammit we want a young manager but if thats what they want give them Kenny'. And the Kop happily singing 'Always look on the bright side of life.....'.

If you look at the club without the rose tinted sunglasses, playing Academy youngsters in the 1st XI is a sad, sad reflection on the state of the club.

by **Boocity** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 6:16 am

Reg, while I agree with you regarding the state of our squad, I would also point out the old saying, if your good enough, your old enough. Just because they are 17 and 18 doesnt mean they shouldnt be playing in the 1st team. I am sure many clubs even in the EPL would wish to have either of these players in their 1st team

by **Octsky** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 7:21 am

errrrr.....cant agree with u Reg,
Pele played and won (if i am not wrong) the worldcup with Brazil when he was 17.
and Robinson did so well that Walcott has to be subbed out.

i rather we play a home growth than spend 7-8m on a squad player.
i think manu was so strong in the 90's because the core players (butt, nevilles, beckhams, scholes etc etc) were all academy players who had been playing with each other since their teens.

at the end of the day, we need to have home growth players replacing senior players to
rejuvenate the squad.

by **The Good Yank** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 7:51 am

WOW Reg, you've really gone off the deep end here. Consider that fullback has been the biggest area of attention in the past few years, aside from Aquilani. It's gotta be the club's worst area in regards to spending/ results. Dossena and Johnson cost what? 25million? Not to mention that the teenagers did quite well. Another point that makes your post seem misguided.

by **Reg** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 7:51 am

Whilst I admire the loyalty and comparison with Pele, I don't think our two lads have gathered the experience nor maturity to create the defense platform for LFC to be a title contender. There are a lot of very good (and hard) midfielders and forwards out there who these young lads need to play week in week out for a few years more yet before they're ready for the first team.

A team of Shelvey and Kelly's etc.. might make a half reasonable mid league team but not title contenders.

by **The Good Yank** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 8:04 am

Reg wrote:A team of Shelvey and Kelly's etc.. might make a half reasonable mid league team but not title contenders.

And what the Eff is this bit? Kelly has been out for a month now and Shelvey has just gotten back. Have you watched? Actually watched what the young lads like Morgan, Sterling or Amoo have been doing? Not to mention Suso and Silva.

I'm sorry mate, but I'm having a bit of trouble figuring out what your doom and gloom post was all about.

by **SouthCoastShankly** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 8:23 am

Reg wrote:Whilst I admire the loyalty and comparison with Pele, I don't think our two lads have gathered the experience nor maturity to create the defense platform for LFC to be a title contender. There are a lot of very good (and hard) midfielders and forwards out there who these young lads need to play week in week out for a few years more yet before they're ready for the first team.

A team of Shelvey and Kelly's etc.. might make a half reasonable mid league team but not title contenders.

I for one would not suggest that youth players are capable of winning a title? But they have provided us options now.

We are playing youth players out of necessity, but their performance's have been beyond our expectations and because of this we are celebrating how well they've done.

Those performance's also show potential, potential that many of us never knew we had in those positions at a youth level.

by **Reg** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 8:51 am

1995–96 Manchester United F.C. season

Manchester United finished the season by becoming the first English team to win The double (league title and FA Cup) twice. Their triumph was made all the more remarkable by the fact that Alex Ferguson had sold experienced players Paul Ince, Mark Hughes and Andrei Kanchelskis before the start of the season, and not made any major signings. Instead, he had drafted in young players like Nicky Butt, David Beckham, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers, Gary and Phil.

Veteran defenders Steve Bruce and Paul Parker moved on at the end of the season, as did goalkeeper Tony Coton, who had only joined the club in January and never played a first team game. As the season drew to a close, speculation mounted that United would sign a world class striker – possibly Alan Shearer – to partner Eric Cantona in the bid to bring the European Cup to Old Trafford.

I took the 94/95 squad so you can see the age of the team that provided the springboard for the 95/96 team (McClair, Hughes etc..) however teh ages relate to the 95/96 season, the first teh youngsters were given their head. You can darw your own conclusions however most of them had at least 3 more seasons experience than our youngsters. 3 years in footy is a generation.

Name DOB Age
Lee Sharpe 71 24
Gary Pallister 65 30
Eric Cantona 66 29
Paul Ince 67 28
Brian McClair 63 32
Mark Hughes 63 32
Ryan Giggs 73 22
David May 70 25
Gary Walsh 68 27
Andrei Kanchelskis 69 26
Roy Keane 71 24
Andy Cole 71 24
Nicky Butt 75 20
Phil Neville 77 18
Paul Scholes 74 21
Gary Neville 75 20
David Beckham 75 20

by **Reg** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 9:11 am

The Good Yank wrote:
Reg wrote:A team of Shelvey and Kelly's etc.. might make a half reasonable mid league team but not title contenders.

And what the Eff is this bit? Kelly has been out for a month now and Shelvey has just gotten back. Have you watched? Actually watched what the young lads like Morgan, Sterling or Amoo have been doing? Not to mention Suso and Silva.

I'm sorry mate, but I'm having a bit of trouble figuring out what your doom and gloom post was all about.

I thought we were speaking the same language here mate but apparently not. My post is about age and ability. Not whether a player is injured or not and not whether I watch Academy games. What I AM saying is that to make a proper challenge for the league we need more experience than the 17-20 year olds currently have and therefore at this time, these lads are not the solution. Nor do I believe playing anyone under 23 for 40-50 games a season good sense anyway in terms of wear and tear and a premature end to careers. Michael Owen was over played and crocked, Fowler has his hip problem etc..

Yes I have seen some of the younger lads play and I look forward to seeing them in 3 years time when they progress into the first team, however meantime we need to buy in kwality to underpin a championship challenge. Anything less will show we are under financial constraints.

by **woof woof !** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 9:12 am

I understand where you're coming from Reg but I don't think anyone is seriously suggesting that because we've fielded two very promising youngsters we don't need to sort out our defence.

I think most of us are just excited at the prospect of what some of these young players may go on to achieve in the years to come.

BTW Gerrard v Blackburn , Carragher v 'Boro, Owen v Wimbledon and Fowler v Fulham, all made their 1st team debuts aged 18.

by **Reg** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 9:32 am

woof woof ! wrote:BTW Gerrard v Blackburn , Carragher v 'Boro, Owen v Wimbledon and Fowler v Fulham, all made their 1st team debuts aged 18.

Good point Woofster! FWIW: MO was picked by Souness as manager, the others were all under Roy Evans.

'Gerrard, who has spent his entire career at Anfield, made his début in 1998 and cemented his place in the first team in the 2000–01 season.' Ahem.... :eyebrow

by **Ben Patrick** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 9:41 am

I think we all know that the squads in poor shape Reg, but the young lads that have come in have done far better than anyone expected.
Its a bonus.
We wouldnt win the league if they were in the team every week next season but if they can come in and hold there own then its great to have options like that.

I do agree with the sentiments of your post, we shouldnt go overboard and get too carried away, however after the difficult past couple of seasons we have had i think its ok to be positive about the young lads.

by **lakes10** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 9:57 am

what i will say is yes our club is in a mess, but its not as much of a mess as it has been in for the last four years.
Kenny only had one window to buy players in and he has also been hit by bad luck with a run of top players being out.

what it shows to me is that our club is getting back to its roots with young british players, thats what made Liverpool great, the die hard feeling you get from them players can not be beat.

lets see what kenny buys in the next window but i get a feeling there will be a few brits in there.

by **metalhead** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 10:46 am

I don't think many on here are getting carried away mate, not that I know off. I don't think for one second that we will win the league with 17 year olds, just look at Arsenal and their philosophy which is so flawed.

If we need to challenge for the title we must buy quality, we must improve our starting 11 and get 1 or 2 options and use our young guns as other options (Flanagan and Robinson look good to me). Scottbot made a valid point in the Arsenal thread saying that youngsters should be brought slowly into the first team, let them develop first and get some experience then see where it takes us.

Its clear as day that we must invest in a top quality left back, center back, winger and midfielder, and I do think King Kenny knows this, he already said that he doesn't like to rush young players in but the current state allowed the young players to get their chance. I'm sure Comolli and Kenny already have a transfer strategy and we will hear a lot of good news in the summer in terms of quality players.

by **stmichael** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 11:55 am

all i'll sy is i'd rather be in our position than chelsea's for example, who's average age of the squad is nearly 30 and most of it will nedd replacing in the summer.

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