They don't need to be. They need to be able to step in, whilst surrounded by players who are, and do a job for a few games with 6-7/10 performances. Even if they don't make it as regulars, if we can get 20-30 performances out of a few of them over the next few years then that's great and gives us the chance to rest players and deal with injuries a little better without having the bloat the squad with 2 internationals in every position. I'd love it if we could do the latter but without a big bump in revenue the wages offered by the teams above us or the option to be a star player somewhere a little lower (with the wages to match) is hard to match.
Finding the next Grealish is hard but finding the next Bogarde is what we need.
Exactly. Arsenal playing a16 yr old, Liverpool and Rio - 2 current examples of youngsters getting game time.
You have picked two players there who are seen as tremendous talents of their generation and good enough to play top level and could well be full England regulars whilst still in their teens. Better examples are Miles-Skelly, Lewis, O'Reily and Bradley back in the day. Several of those have been getting caught out now though at those levels.
Of course I did. But the very fact you have highlighted that is partly the point: as the second-city stars, why are we not producing such talent?! Furthermore, of the players you list O'Reilly and Bradley would be our first-pick fullbacks if fit, and M-S would be a very decent alternative at LB. Lewis was a regular pick for Citeh until his injury.
Timing the introduction of youngsters into the first team is difficult but giving them 20-25 minutes in a game surrounded by regular first-teamers has to be the right way. Also, particularly with wingers - who will stretch fullbacks - there's little risk as long as they're good enough and worthy of a place in the matchday squad.
