***Official City v chelsea FA Youth Cup final thread***

[twosips]

Three at the back would be interesting.

........................... Gunn ...............................

......... Humphries .. Tosin ... Denayer ..........

Maffeo ............... Bryan ..................... Angelino

................ Lopes ..... Boadu...... Barker .................

........................... Ambrose .................

What i'd give to see that lot play together in a kinda b-team environment up against seasoned pros week in week out.... Iheanacho, Garcia etc too.

God that'd be fun!

is that a 3 3 3 1 or a 3 6 1?

or 3 4 3?

I have no idea. Just looks fun doesn't it? Kinda meant three at the back. Two wing backs with Bryan holding and then three attacking mids behind Ambrose. Proper total football stuff

[Sister of fu]

Cant say that I have seen a lot of the kids but I do like Barker and hope he develops into the player we all hope. I only saw the first leg and know he had a quiet game but he had the one instance where he burst to life, ran past a couple of players and set up a goal. I think that's the kind of player we lack in the first team. We need to accept that you cant always rip it up every game but a little burst in a tight game could make all the difference. Not comparing him at all but that's what Hazard does for Chelsea, he might be quiet and then burst into life and create a goal/chance.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Cant say that I have seen a lot of the kids but I do like Barker and hope he develops into the player we all hope. I only saw the first leg and know he had a quiet game but he had the one instance where he burst to life, ran past a couple of players and set up a goal. I think that's the kind of player we lack in the first team. We need to accept that you cant always rip it up every game but a little burst in a tight game could make all the difference. Not comparing him at all but that's what Hazard does for Chelsea, he might be quiet and then burst into life and create a goal/chance.

Peter Barnes used to be that type of player.

[iwasthere2012]

I think what we have on that list is the cream of the initial 'new' academy players over recent years. You could add maybe Cole possibly Rekik & tbh I was impressed by the cameo of George Evans.

I think we will see a similar thing happen next, where perhaps some of the next age group are not quite so good, but mix with the younger ones from this group and go to EDS, whilst some of the younger ones below them get promoted & we possibly have a slight lull, then start to find another exciting 11 at u18s a year or so down the line.

What I will find most interesting, is when the first of the kids who have been coached in this manner from being small, post takeover, all start to reach the u18 age. Then I think we will see another leap in football style. We are seeing the 14s batter everybody each generation.

It's going to get even more interesting I think.

This kind of mirrors what I thought I was saying to you earlier. When you look at the list of top quality youngsters there, you kind of hope for the floodgates to open and we would see 4 or 5 of them slot in. I certainly hoped to see something radical happen this summer. But having watched the academy games recently I am starting to realise that this is not going to happen. It will start with a trickle and I think you are right in that the real sea change in our style is a little further down the road. It will require the majority of our squad having being groomed in the New City way.
No reflection on the talent listed above, but I just don't think our first team could play the style of football these youngsters are being taught.
I agree it is going to get interesting but it may take a little more patience on our behalf.
This summer's dealings will definitely be interesting.