Dean Smith - Confirmed

[john e]

If there’s no midfielder in the younger players who can’t perform to the level of Barclay then they aren’t good enough yet it’s as simple as that
It’s all right crowing about what a bunch of world beaters we going to have but you have to be very special to breakthrough early and if they’re not we have to accept it

If your good enough your old enough
Obviously it good enough yet

[OCD]

The club is really keen to enhance their reputation in youth development and I think some of it is down to wanting them at their best for the cup games. We've already lost Aaron Ramsey to an injury.

[RamboandBruno]

Got to assume Dean knows what he is doing with the kids. Pep used to get loads of stick for not giving Foden game time, and that seems to have worked out well

It’s a bit different when a player like Foden is trying to get to a start ahead of players like Sterling or the other world class players Man City have. We’re talking about giving our youngsters a run out instead of the truly hopeless Barkley.

He has played Ramsey ahead of Barkley quite a few times, up until the last 3 or 4 games, so he has given one of the younger players a chance. One step at a time and I want us to try and get as many points as possible with the games left, I’m not sure playing 2 or 3 youth players at the same time would help us do that. Next season Ramsey will get even more game time and we’ll start to see cup appearances from Chuka and Kessler I reckon

[Mister E]

Got to assume Dean knows what he is doing with the kids. Pep used to get loads of stick for not giving Foden game time, and that seems to have worked out well

It’s a bit different when a player like Foden is trying to get to a start ahead of players like Sterling or the other world class players Man City have. We’re talking about giving our youngsters a run out instead of the truly hopeless Barkley.

He has played Ramsey ahead of Barkley quite a few times, up until the last 3 or 4 games, so he has given one of the younger players a chance. One step at a time and I want us to try and get as many points as possible with the games left, I’m not sure playing 2 or 3 youth players at the same time would help us do that. Next season Ramsey will get even more game time and we’ll start to see cup appearances from Chuka and Kessler I reckon

The point is that Chuk could play instead of Barkley now and probably make more impact.

[Allan C]

Got to assume Dean knows what he is doing with the kids. Pep used to get loads of stick for not giving Foden game time, and that seems to have worked out well

It’s a bit different when a player like Foden is trying to get to a start ahead of players like Sterling or the other world class players Man City have. We’re talking about giving our youngsters a run out instead of the truly hopeless Barkley.

He has played Ramsey ahead of Barkley quite a few times, up until the last 3 or 4 games, so he has given one of the younger players a chance. One step at a time and I want us to try and get as many points as possible with the games left, I’m not sure playing 2 or 3 youth players at the same time would help us do that. Next season Ramsey will get even more game time and we’ll start to see cup appearances from Chuka and Kessler I reckon

The point is that Chuk could play instead of Barkley now and probably make more impact.

I’d like to see Chuk given a go but don’t be surprised if that experiment (if Smith goes with it) fails at this stage of his career. It will be a massive step up at the moment

[chrisw1]

Yes there's no doubt Chuck has quality, but he is dominating so much partly because he's physically head and shoulders ahead of most the kids he's playing against.  He won't have that luxury when he steps up. I'm excited to see him in the first team but it's not a given that the jump will be easy for him.

[Dante Lavelli]

Yes there's no doubt Chuck has quality, but he is dominating so much partly because he's physically head and shoulders ahead of most the kids he's playing against.  He won't have that luxury when he steps up. I'm excited to see him in the first team but it's not a given that the jump will be easy for him.

Agree with that.  He looks big enough whereas Barry looks very much a kid. 

[SoccerHQ]

Looks like with this result we'll have to win our last 3 to have any chance of top 10 so yeah last 3 games are pretty dead now bar wanting to put on a good show for the 10k coming v Chelsea.

I think Carney will get some minutes in these games, probably Kesler aswell might start the Chelsea game if Cash is out for the season. Youth cup complicated things but final isn't under Saturday 29th May so they should be figuring given Barkley isn't going to be option for Chelsea game so will be a youthful bench that day at least.

[RamboandBruno]

Got to assume Dean knows what he is doing with the kids. Pep used to get loads of stick for not giving Foden game time, and that seems to have worked out well

It’s a bit different when a player like Foden is trying to get to a start ahead of players like Sterling or the other world class players Man City have. We’re talking about giving our youngsters a run out instead of the truly hopeless Barkley.

He has played Ramsey ahead of Barkley quite a few times, up until the last 3 or 4 games, so he has given one of the younger players a chance. One step at a time and I want us to try and get as many points as possible with the games left, I’m not sure playing 2 or 3 youth players at the same time would help us do that. Next season Ramsey will get even more game time and we’ll start to see cup appearances from Chuka and Kessler I reckon

The point is that Chuk could play instead of Barkley now and probably make more impact.

I was responding to the point of giving our youngsters game time instead of Barkley. Ramsey is still one of our youngsters and has been given game time instead of Barkley. If the point being made is that other youngsters apart from Ramsey should be playing instead of Barkley, that is different.

[CT]

No better time than to try them now. We’re going to finish where we are now, and we won’t be playing them when the new season starts when we will be under pressure for a good start.

I agree that Chucks and Kesler look ready to go. I’d give them game time on Sunday.

I’d be more worried about Louie getting chopped in half by some clogging centre back though. Would like to see him maybe loaned out next year (Cheltenham would be good in league one).

[Mister E]

Got to assume Dean knows what he is doing with the kids. Pep used to get loads of stick for not giving Foden game time, and that seems to have worked out well

It’s a bit different when a player like Foden is trying to get to a start ahead of players like Sterling or the other world class players Man City have. We’re talking about giving our youngsters a run out instead of the truly hopeless Barkley.

He has played Ramsey ahead of Barkley quite a few times, up until the last 3 or 4 games, so he has given one of the younger players a chance. One step at a time and I want us to try and get as many points as possible with the games left, I’m not sure playing 2 or 3 youth players at the same time would help us do that. Next season Ramsey will get even more game time and we’ll start to see cup appearances from Chuka and Kessler I reckon

The point is that Chuk could play instead of Barkley now and probably make more impact.

I was responding to the point of giving our youngsters game time instead of Barkley. Ramsey is still one of our youngsters and has been given game time instead of Barkley. If the point being made is that other youngsters apart from Ramsey should be playing instead of Barkley, that is different.

I know, mate. I was just reemphasising the point that both Ramsey and Chuk could play the role and get more from it, than the feckless Barkley.
We have options but continue to put him in the team - to the benefit of neither him nor the team.

[RamboandBruno]

Got to assume Dean knows what he is doing with the kids. Pep used to get loads of stick for not giving Foden game time, and that seems to have worked out well

It’s a bit different when a player like Foden is trying to get to a start ahead of players like Sterling or the other world class players Man City have. We’re talking about giving our youngsters a run out instead of the truly hopeless Barkley.

He has played Ramsey ahead of Barkley quite a few times, up until the last 3 or 4 games, so he has given one of the younger players a chance. One step at a time and I want us to try and get as many points as possible with the games left, I’m not sure playing 2 or 3 youth players at the same time would help us do that. Next season Ramsey will get even more game time and we’ll start to see cup appearances from Chuka and Kessler I reckon

The point is that Chuk could play instead of Barkley now and probably make more impact.

I was responding to the point of giving our youngsters game time instead of Barkley. Ramsey is still one of our youngsters and has been given game time instead of Barkley. If the point being made is that other youngsters apart from Ramsey should be playing instead of Barkley, that is different.

I know, mate. I was just reemphasising the point that both Ramsey and Chuk could play the role and get more from it, than the feckless Barkley.
We have options but continue to put him in the team - to the benefit of neither him nor the team.

True, not really sure of the point of playing him now either, he can play tomorrow and against Spurs, other than Everton away, he hasn’t added anything since he came back. Although I’ve thought Ramsey has also struggled in the games he’s started, so tricky one. Maybe Ramsey deeper and McGinn further forward.

[Mister E]

I know, mate. I was just reemphasising the point that both Ramsey and Chuk could play the role and get more from it, than the feckless Barkley.
We have options but continue to put him in the team - to the benefit of neither him nor the team.

True, not really sure of the point of playing him now either, he can play tomorrow and against Spurs, other than Everton away, he hasn’t added anything since he came back. Although I’ve thought Ramsey has also struggled in the games he’s started, so tricky one. Maybe Ramsey deeper and McGinn further forward.

Ramsey just needs more gametime. He is energetic, picks the easy pass, makes himself available and jockeys well. Because he also reads the game fairly well, he may fare better in a deeper role, interchanging with Luiz.

[Dante Lavelli]

I know, mate. I was just reemphasising the point that both Ramsey and Chuk could play the role and get more from it, than the feckless Barkley.
We have options but continue to put him in the team - to the benefit of neither him nor the team.

True, not really sure of the point of playing him now either, he can play tomorrow and against Spurs, other than Everton away, he hasn’t added anything since he came back. Although I’ve thought Ramsey has also struggled in the games he’s started, so tricky one. Maybe Ramsey deeper and McGinn further forward.

Ramsey just needs more gametime. He is energetic, picks the easy pass, makes himself available and jockeys well. Because he also reads the game fairly well, he may fare better in a deeper role, interchanging with Luiz.

I’m struggling to see what type of player Ramsey is at the moment; he looks a decent athlete and has a good touch but I’ve no idea whether he is a muncher, buzzer or spreader.  I really think a season on loan would do him the world of good, playing weekly and finding his identity. 

Ironically he’s almost done too well for that to happen now.

[Smithy]

I know, mate. I was just reemphasising the point that both Ramsey and Chuk could play the role and get more from it, than the feckless Barkley.
We have options but continue to put him in the team - to the benefit of neither him nor the team.

True, not really sure of the point of playing him now either, he can play tomorrow and against Spurs, other than Everton away, he hasn’t added anything since he came back. Although I’ve thought Ramsey has also struggled in the games he’s started, so tricky one. Maybe Ramsey deeper and McGinn further forward.

Ramsey just needs more gametime. He is energetic, picks the easy pass, makes himself available and jockeys well. Because he also reads the game fairly well, he may fare better in a deeper role, interchanging with Luiz.

I’m struggling to see what type of player Ramsey is at the moment; he looks a decent athlete and has a good touch but I’ve no idea whether he is a muncher, buzzer or spreader.  I really think a season on loan would do him the world of good, playing weekly and finding his identity. 

Ironically he’s almost done too well for that to happen now.

I think he's a modern footballer, coached from a young age to be capable at a number of aspects of the game required of a modern midfielder.  Whether he gets to the point where he 'excels' in one aspect above all the others, I guess time will tell.  But I'm not worried that a 19-year-old hasn't clearly defined the type of midfielder he is, or what his best position is.

He's certainly shown enough that he can be part of the first-team squad next season.  If we bring in another midfielder or two, then I'd happy to see him loaned to someone in the Championship (top half, hopefully), but I've no problem with him staying and getting another 10-20 appearances for us next season.