The BBC have just published an article where they've looked at the minutes given to under 22 players in the League by each Premier League club.
Here is the table if you only consider the top 6:
Arsenal - 4467 minutes
Tottenham - 4083 minutes
Liverpool - 2553 minutes
Manchester United - 2009 minutes
Manchester City - 1107 minutes
Chelsea - 151 minutes
I don't think I realised just quite how far behind we were in this department. There's a few common excuses we hear as to why this is so lets take a look at them:
1. We look to give our young player opportunities in the other competitions.
I think this is true to some extent, but these games in what you could consider we're up against 'inferior' opposition aren't enough for these youngsters now. They want to be tested at the top level, otherwise we might as well just send them out on loan....(oh, wait).
151 minutes in the League tells me we are putting no trust into our under 22's - only giving them game time at the end of matches once the result is secure.
2. Our youth players aren't as good as top 6 rivals
I personally don't understand this argument. Do we really not think Christensen, Hudson-Odoi and Ampadu wouldn't have been given more minutes at literally any other club in the League?
People then make the argument that the positions these players play in are hard to rotate (vs Hazard/Willian/Pedro/Luiz/Rudiger/Jorginho) - okay, I'll take that point of view on board - but what about the positions we've struggled in this season, which I think we can all agree are a striker and a goal scoring midfielder - could Mason Mount and Abraham not done a job for us? Barring City, I don't think any other top 6 club would have sent these 2 out on loan.
What's everyone's opinion on this? Should we be giving more minutes to the likes of CHO, Christensen, Ampadu, Abraham and Mount in Premier League matches?
Premier League Top 6: Youth Minutes
posted on 29/1/19
Cahill was regularly rotated in as 4th choice CB at start of the season for every Europa/Cup game so Ampadu can as well, it is a similar chance of playing as being back up to Jorginho given Jorginho is an untouchable in first XI and Sarri rarely rotates.
Although I do see him as a CB not against him learning as a DM for 6 months..but past that I would want to see him back at CB, and if Sarri doesn’t want to use him as DM no qualms by me.
posted on 29/1/19
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posted on 29/1/19
Ah I see what you mean now...I think it makes sense to use him as a utility player if he is equally good in both positions but I don’t know I just don’t think he even has a future in DM, at least to reach top level. I’m also of opinion we need a proper regista to back up Jorgi, not just any player, and Sarri defo seems to agree. It is a specialist position. I would actually prefer we sign a proper back up to Jorgi for benefit of the team then use Amps there. If that makes sense
As a 4th choice CB yeah I think 5-10 starts from here on in would be good. Next season if he stayed there as 4th choice, Sarri may trust him more to even rotate in league games (ok unlikely I know) but more just injuries / suspensions to any of our three CBs will mean he goes up in pecking order..that with an ageing Luiz who will probably be gone in next 18 months - 27 months gives a decent path to soon becoming 3rd choice CB
posted on 29/1/19
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posted on 29/1/19
if he isnt prepared to wait he will go the same way as Mceachren
posted on 29/1/19
comment by vavarising (U21731)
posted 1 hour, 31 minutes ago
if he isnt prepared to wait he will go the same way as Mceachren
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McEachran waited half a career for a chance!
posted on 29/1/19
Our ridiculous amount of loanees annoys me marginally less than the amount of fackin 18 year old wonder kids we are linked with on a monthly basis...
Both of which rarely, if ever come to anything....
In saying that, our academy must be seen as a huge success
posted on 30/1/19
BBC can f€co off.
posted on 30/1/19
CHO,Mason Mount,Christensen and Abraham deserve mentioning.Ampadu is a kid and needs to wait for at least 1 more year before starting for Chelsea especially in the Premier League.
posted on 30/1/19
Well reading through the OP I think we can put our heads safely above the parapet and say there's no basis for debate on point number 2 as our youth teams have been showing the way to the rest of the country for some years now (and even the big continentels).
I noticed no one has given Reece James and Dujon Sterling a mention, personally I think James especially is a good a prospect as CHO but a good defender rarely gets the same accolades as a good forward player.