Going down the youth route

[not3bad]

There's not much I can add to what has already been said apart from that Villa's challenge will be to keep the slight edge they appear to have at the moment.  The big advantage we can offer a young player is that we are an established Premier League club that can give them a genuine chance to prove themselves, unlike a Chelsea or a Manchester City with their congested squads and their big money signings constantly arriving.

[OzVilla]

Totally agree with what's been said.

We can all see what an outstanding job the acadamy has been doing down the Villa and some will develop better than others, some will surprise us and others disappoint.  It's a big year coming up for the likes of Clark, Bannan and Fonz in particular.  I'm certain Albrighton has a big future. 

You'd have to think the sheer quantity and general quality of young lads coming through means RL and AM can build a squad around these players with 5-6 quality imports for the first XI - Bent being a prime example.

I'm expecting another season of transition but if a few of these lads kick on and fulfill their potentials we've one hell of a team in the offing in a couple of years time I know that much - so there is much to be optimistic about.

Having someone like James Milner around would suit this young, hungry ambitious group of players down to the ground.

[SoccerHQ]

The only two I can see playing week in week out next season are Clark and Albrighton as both showed last season they're good enough I think.

Bannan, Fonz, Baker not really sure will be.

[Sir Paul Merson]

dont you all realise that if Clark and Albrighton have a good season we will only sell them to man ure and other top 5 teams, what is the point ?

[pedro25]

As our squad stands right now Clark, Bannan, Albrighton and Delph are probably in the matchday 16, 2 in the first 11 and 2 on the bench.  Delfouneso will be pushing Heskey hard for his place on the bench too and Lichaj, Baker, Gardner, Hogg etc will be an injury or 2 from being involved.  We need at least 3 or 4 of these guys to make the Agbonlahor/Cahill level at least it if we are to have a chance of challenging the top 6-8.  We can't build a very strong team (like we had 3 yrs ago with Mellberg, Bouma, Laursen, Young, Milner, Barry, Carew, Friedel etc) from just Bent, Gabby, Downing and Makoun, we need Clark, Delph, Albrighton, Bannan etc to step up a level and really make it.   We dont have the funds to buy 3/4 of a new team, one or 2 new additions yes (keeper, Young replacement etc) and maybe the odd big name like Bent, but the core of the team for the next 3/4 yrs needs to really be made up of what we have right now.

[Dave]

dont you all realise that if Clark and Albrighton have a good season we will only sell them to man ure and other top 5 teams, what is the point ?

Quite right, let's just give up now and melt the players down for glue.

[UsualSuspect]

The only two I can see playing week in week out next season are Clark and Albrighton as both showed last season they're good enough I think.

Bannan, Fonz, Baker not really sure will be.

I concur

[Mister E]

dont you all realise that if Clark and Albrighton have a good season we will only sell them to man ure and other top 5 teams, what is the point ?

Well, if you read some of the more thoughtful posts above you might realise that - whilst selling them is certainly a possibility - the strategy we're chasing down will eventually put us in the top echelons of the P'ship.
Meantime, you might be better supporting a club that can give you instant gratIfication.

[Mister E]

The only two I can see playing week in week out next season are Clark and Albrighton as both showed last season they're good enough I think.

Bannan, Fonz, Baker not really sure will be.

True although Hogg got a regular game for Portsmouth and may be ready to step up and Herd seemed to be close to getting a few more games.
Additionally, I think Lichaj will definitely feature in one of the FB positions.
I'm most interested to see whether Weimann can 'cut it' - he seems to be a better prospect than the Fonz.

[dave.woodhall]

dont you all realise that if Clark and Albrighton have a good season we will only sell them to man ure and other top 5 teams, what is the point ?

Obviously not. We all bow to your superior intellect.

[TheSandman]

This is one of the things that worries me about rumoured pursuits of middling (at best) pros like Gardner and Adam. These guys play in a similar position to where we would accomodate Delph, Bannan and a year or so down the line Gardner. I have no qualms in singing players who are absolutely top class that get in the team ahead of young players but if we are spending it on mediocre ones then I'm not so happy. We have finite funding and I'd rather see us use that on top class players who can play with our young players than mediocre ones who will play in the place of them.

Next season will be crucial. We have no certainty that any of our current prospects will make it. There are still reservations to be had with Clark and Albrighton and next season will be crucial in dispelling those. I think both should be regulars at the start of the season to prove themselves. Maybe Bannan and Lichaj too though I see them playing supporting roles.

[PaulWinch again]

This is one of the things that worries me about rumoured pursuits of middling (at best) pros like Gardner and Adam. These guys play in a similar position to where we would accomodate Delph, Bannan and a year or so down the line Gardner. I have no qualms in singing players who are absolutely top class that get in the team ahead of young players but if we are spending it on mediocre ones then I'm not so happy. We have finite funding and I'd rather see us use that on top class players who can play with our young players than mediocre ones who will play in the place of them.

Next season will be crucial. We have no certainty that any of our current prospects will make it. There are still reservations to be had with Clark and Albrighton and next season will be crucial in dispelling those. I think both should be regulars at the start of the season to prove themselves. Maybe Bannan and Lichaj too though I see them playing supporting roles.

Agree with all that, but I do think Clark will definitely make it. He looks excellent to me.

[The Man With A Stick]

dont you all realise that if Clark and Albrighton have a good season we will only sell them to man ure and other top 5 teams, what is the point ?

Good point.  I'd much rather them have no impact whatsoever and end up flogging them to the Blues for £450k in a year or so.

[The Man With A Stick]

From listening to people who watch the babbies more regularly than me, the likes of Bannan and so on deserve to be given a chance.  The problem is finding the balance between breaking them in gently and throwing them all in at once.  Personally I'd send the younger ones out on loan as long as they're guaranteed games.  If they're sitting on someone else's bench they might as well be playing for our reserves.

[Hadley83]

As people have already mentioned that united team was a bit of a one of. It also contained alot of older heads in the team and the squad to learn from. When last season our younger players were played as we had so many injuries, and our older "professionals" were the ones causing issues, not setting a great example or showing support. So a tough comparison.

I think that if every couple of years we can produce players of clark and albrighton's ability, and a few players as good squad players then our youth policy will be viewed as sucessful. If you add to that scouting and poaching players at a young age like arsenal have done for years, then the future looks really bright.