12 May 2021 18:40:48
A number of us have posted about giving some of our kids a run before the end of the season to start the process of integrating them into the first team and we all I think have very high hopes for our youth team products. However I was looking at the England U 17 World Cup winning squad to see how many of them were playing at the highest level and actually considering these lads were the best England had to offer only two are what I would call established first team players those being Foden and Sancho and four others are occasional starters Smith-Rowe, Hudson-Odoi Gallagher and Rhian Brewster. Maybe we need to keep expectations in perspective if we end up with two or three established premiership quality players out of our current crop of youngsters we will have done exceptionally well.


1.) 12 May 2021
12 May 2021 19:08:03
I see what you are saying John, and I get the point you are trying to make, but its opinions again mate.
It is not possible that we could play any of these players, Chukky, Kesler, Bidace, A Ramsey, and they become Foden class in a year or two.
Also don`t forget Greenwood who has played 50 plus games for Utd, and he turned our defence like a seasoned pro to score, aged 19.
Gems are always hidden mate, you never know its a gem until it is uncovered.


2.) 12 May 2021
12 May 2021 19:40:31
Spot on John. i'd say about 1 in every 200 kids maybe more will make the grade when you have 1 of those kids you have to nurture them not rush them. How many made the grade from the Nextgen team?


3.) 12 May 2021
12 May 2021 19:57:54
Villadave Greenwood especially is a good point . Obviously he was doing it in youth and U23 games, so he was given his chance . We have these kids who deserve their runout, whether it’s a step to far, can only found out, if they have their chance . You can go through all standards of football& anybody scoring regularly, will continue scoring, after a step up . Look at Ollie, £28m for someone with no, Premier experience, waste of money .
Onwards&Upwards Villaforever.


4.) 12 May 2021
12 May 2021 21:05:55
John say it quietly but it’s because these youth team players aren’t as brilliant as some like to make out 🤫. I watched a couple of the games in the group stage of the EFL trophy I think it’s called now, where they get to play against lower league full men’s sides, and it wasn’t great, to say the least. No doubt there’s talent there, but it’s been said a thousand times, youth and ressies are a million miles from the pro game.

I’ve no doubt it’s our best crop since the next gen winning side, but as gaz has said, out of that side two have played more than 10 games at Premier league level and I think 3 at championship level. That side were playing at the highest level at the time, this lot are second division domestically. Since then we had the raving about someone else every couple of years, when they fade into nothing we don’t hear it anymore, there was bloody murder from posters on here about Hepburn-Murphy, no one seems to like to mention he’s at Pathos FC now😂.

Leave it to the professionals, if their good enough, they’ll play, as we’ve seen with JR this season.


5.) 12 May 2021
12 May 2021 21:13:37
Exactly Dave, what's to lose, I don`t get it mate.