A lesson from history

[Concrete John]

What was his record like with bringing the youth through at Liverpool?  I think Owen was already established when he took sole charge, so does that leave just Carragher?  That is only a poor record if the players went elsewhere and did well and Warnock is about the best I can think of from the generation he would have had and released.

[Leighton]

He also gave Steve Gerrard his chance and put a lot of faith into him, I seem to recall reading that he also made him one of Liverpool's youngest ever captains. This is partly the reason why i'm really looking forward to see Delph get back from fitness and see how he develops in our 1st team.

[joe_c]

It occurred to me the other day that we never had what you would call an injury crisis throughout O'Neill's tenure and with the treatment tables filling up this season, I wondered whether his and his backroom staff's departures had anything to do with this state of affairs. I am genuinely curious by the way and not pining for him or trying to start a fight or anything.

[Matt Collins]

I think MON had a few injuries in his 1st year, but we were outrageously lucky thereafter. Although I'm sure Milner and Petrov were about 60% at best for parts of last season!

Midfield options of Gardner, Delph, Albrighton, Bannan plus 'old heads' Downing, Young and Ireland is a very promising stock. I still think it's taking a massive risk to rely just on them, but NRC and Petrov as more experienced players will help. No need for Sidwell. One more combative centre midfielder should be the order of the day I think

If Gabby gets back to top form then that would seem to negate the need for a new centre forward, unless we could find someone genuinely top class. I don't think we've played two up at all under GH have we? So assuming we won't be doing much of that.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

We all love seeing players come through the ranks, and even with some/much of it being enforced it will bear us in good stead for the future.
All the more reason to back the team thats out there each and every game, come what may, results wise.
With all the younger players on Wednesday night, I was more than usually disappointed with some of the boos that rang out on the half time whistle against Blackpool.

[TonyD]

It is great to see the young players given a chance.  Lets hope that Petrov and Heskey etc aren't automatically put back in the side when fit if the kids continue to make progress.

[Concrete John]

We all love seeing players come through the ranks, and even with some/much of it being enforced it will bear us in good stead for the future.
All the more reason to back the team thats out there each and every game, come what may, results wise.
With all the younger players on Wednesday night, I was more than usually disappointed with some of the boos that rang out on the half time whistle against Blackpool.

I didn't hear any where I was sitting (Upper Tritinity)?

 

[curiousorange]

We all love seeing players come through the ranks, and even with some/much of it being enforced it will bear us in good stead for the future.
All the more reason to back the team thats out there each and every game, come what may, results wise.
With all the younger players on Wednesday night, I was more than usually disappointed with some of the boos that rang out on the half time whistle against Blackpool.

I didn't hear any where I was sitting (Upper Tritinity)?

 

There were definitely a few boos but it wasn't a sustained thing.

[JUAN PABLO]

we would have been ok with mON still here ..  we would have had the excellent Mcgready and the sensational Keane to fill the team  ;-x

[pablopicasso_10]

He also gave Steve Gerrard his chance and put a lot of faith into him, I seem to recall reading that he also made him one of Liverpool's youngest ever captains. This is partly the reason why i'm really looking forward to see Delph get back from fitness and see how he develops in our 1st team.

have a guess who was leeds manager when delph got put into a key role in the first team at the age of 18...

gary mcallister...

[Concrete John]

have a guess who was leeds manager when delph got put into a key role in the first team at the age of 18...

gary mcallister...

I didn't realise that.  Guess Houllier will know all about him then without (probably) ever having seen him play.

[saunders_heroes]

we would have been ok with mON still here ..  we would have had the excellent Mcgready and the sensational Keane to fill the team  ;-x

True, but so far we're hardly pulling up many trees with all these kids in the team.

[Dribbler]

I think one of the most important things about any team is to play together for a few years, it provides a natural understanding between players that can be invaluable at the top level. The young players coming through have for the most part played together now for a few years and you can tell, the Bannan pass to Albrighton for the goal against Fulham was a good example of a natural understanding between players. If we can develop that kind of understanding all over the pitch we will do well. Young and Gabby have it up front, and it also looked like the Fonz is starting to get on Ash's wavelength too.

I think next year, with a few bits of deadwood cleared out, 3 or 4 new additions, our senior players fit, and the likes of Delph, Gardner, Weimann coming through too, we will be a very potent force. Not sure we will win the league or the 'European Cup' but we could certainly be up there challenging for the top four.

 

[Dave Cooper please]

This thread has even more prescience after today's display

[hawkeye]

we have some real talent coming through, we are trying to play more progressive football, we might look back and think that this injury crisis and gerrards appointment is the best thing that could have happened,