Zak Brunt

[BushBlade]

It's not as nice as it looks on tele

It didn’t look that nice on tele tbh. Not the bits on Hurst Farm.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

It's not as nice as it looks on tele

Fish and Chips, a nice walk through the park, and a Pint while you watch the match, what's not to love.
Also, if the games shit but it's a nice night you can look up at Riber while supping your ale and eating your chips.

 

[Tapton Blade]

And if your lost what to do after all that you can go fishing in the river Derwent. Iv heard there are some old Trout in Matlock.

 

[FTPE]

I'd play this fella for the rest of the season.
I think he could start for going forward and dramatically improve us.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

He's got to be knocking on the door, right??

 

[Houston_Blade]

I'm not saying he's not capable but 18 years old and no first team games in any league club to his name, doubtful.

The pathway must be followed (wrongly in my view).

 

[tomgclarke]

Don’t know why you all waste your breath. We all know no fucker in our current set up will change it.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

No matter what the results giving a bright young talent a few games in the EPL will only develop the kid.

Keep playing Lunny and he will learn nothing.

 

[ISZA ⚔️]

At this point just play him. Assists galore.

 

[Yogi]

He should at least be on the bench right now Lunny knows regardless of what happens during the 90 minutes there’s no one in the match day squad to replace him

 

[Rochdaleblade]

Even if he is not up to it, at least it would tell us something, ie that he needs to go out on loan.

 

[BladeTillIDie]

My friend brought him through at matlock academy and he's got faith.

 

[MalmoBlade]

He's 18 - he's too young
He's 19 - he's too young
He's 20 - if he was any good he would have made an impact by now, gerrimaht!

 

[Paisley Blade]

Kind of related to this - Wayne Rooney is still only 35 and has been around forever.

 

[Cutbush City Limits]

Ive known Zak since his days at Junior Blades when he was 6 so maybe Im a bit biased but can there be a better time to give the young lads a go than now? Nothing to play for, no in-ground fan pressure, low expectations. He has an incredibly mature attitude and has done well from Man City to Spain to Derby and in his spell at Matlock whilst he had his contract with Derby sorted. He has a mature head and would relish the opportunity.....on the other hand, there is Lunny!

 

[Notts Blade 123]

Bellingham - 17
Foden - 20 (broke onto the scene a couple of years ago)

All I am saying is it's quite narrowminded not to play somebody because of their age.

 

[S64 Blade]

Bellingham - 17
Foden - 20 (broke onto the scene a couple of years ago)

All I am saying is it's quite narrowminded not to play somebody because of their age.

"Yeah but they at least need to prove themselves out on loan first..."

 

[blades78]

Based on the recent U23 match highlights of him passing the ball to a strikers feet, getting into the opposition and attempting to score /create goals, I'd pick him. None of current midfielders seem to be interested in doing that.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

If he's ready, of course age doesn't matter.
Thing is, we've only seen what he can do mainly against other inexperienced young 'uns.
Playing against top Premiership players is a totally different ask.
I look like a world beater against my 5 year old granddaughter in the garden.

 

[EddieColquhoun]

If he's ready, of course age doesn't matter.
Thing is, we've only seen what he can do mainly against other inexperienced young 'uns.
Playing against top Premiership players is a totally different ask.
I look like a world beater against my 5 year old granddaughter in the garden.

We're losing every game.
There is a player playing in his position who appears to be coasting,
Surely 10-15 minutes wouldn't hurt?

 

[Booker4]

I reckon the next step for these promising youngsters is to go out on loan in Leagues One, Two and Conference level as RND has, Brooks did, DCL did, and Slater has. It's going to be very tough for any youngster to make their way into a first team at Championship level with United having never played any senior football, unless they're the cream like Foden, and even then he's had to wait a few years before any regular football, although that's because he came through at City.

 

[SouthportBlade]

Good enough old enough etc etc

Let's be honest, of course he's not ready to be a first team player in the Premier League, let alone the Championship. If he was there's little chance he'd still be with us. As much as i dislike and REALLY don't rate Lundstram, to suggest Brunt would do better in the Premier League is hugely optimistic.

That's not writing him off, nor is it saying he shouldn't be involved - but acknowledging the monumental shift from youth football to mens.

Think a poster above nailed it when we have no midfield options on the bench - there's literally nothing stopping Fleck, Norwood, Lundstram just going through the motions. At the very least get him on the bench to give a taste of first team responsibilities.

My guess is once we are mathematically down, we may see a bit more of the young lads. As any minutes these lads get would purely be for their benefit, not the teams.

 

[DeanLearner'sCat]

The man currently picking the team knows more about these U23s than anybody at the club. If he thinks it's right to play them, he will. Maybe he is waiting for relegation to be confirmed, or maybe he just thinks they aren't ready.

With that being said, how bad to Lunny have to play to get dropped? He's got worse since Wilder left and he's not going to be here next season. If ever there was a time to bring a young midfielder in, surely now is it?

 

[Bergen Blade]

Based on the recent U23 match highlights of him passing the ball to a strikers feet, getting into the opposition and attempting to score /create goals, I'd pick him. None of current midfielders seem to be interested in doing that.

Two excellent assists in the last U23 game, the type that requires great technique, composure and vision. We very rarely see these passes attempted from the first teamers. There is probably doubts about his defensive qualities, but at this stage it seems like a good chance to give him some playing time.

 

[BladeTillIDie]

Our fanbase is strange when it comes to youngsters, other week I said why no Gordon when we had 6 defenders out and got pelters lol

 

[BladeTillIDie]

Our fanbase is strange when it comes to youngsters, other week I said why no Gordon when we had 6 defenders out and got pelters lol

 

[BladeTillIDie]

The man currently picking the team knows more about these U23s than anybody at the club. If he thinks it's right to play them, he will. Maybe he is waiting for relegation to be confirmed, or maybe he just thinks they aren't ready.

With that being said, how bad to Lunny have to play to get dropped? He's got worse since Wilder left and he's not going to be here next season. If ever there was a time to bring a young midfielder in, surely now is it?

He knows they're good enough, PH is just a yes man and a puppet

 

[LudlamBlade]

Yes, some young players need a senior loan or two to make the step up...








But then again, some don't...







The only real way to find out is to play them.

 

[Working Class Hero]

It would be absolutely brilliant if he could step up and play the Duffy role (no sign of that being brought back anytime soon), to have a homegrown talent bringing back that type of creativity would finally be something to get us interested again. However, we need to remember that he is playing at a lower level in under 23 terms, than the first team is at now. Most of the players in the top divisions of under 23 won't make it at a club like ours, never mind those at the next level down. So it's not realistic to watch these games and assume he can easily make the step up.

 

[BushBlade]

Yes, some young players need a senior loan or two to make the step up...

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But then again, some don't...

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The only real way to find out is to play them.

It’s the only way to be 100% sure but I think the process is usually to identify players who stand out in the youth teams, then get them training with the first team to see what they’re like. If they are technically and physically capable, the coaches have to make a bit of a value judgement on their character and personality and decide whether they’re mentally mature enough. If they tick that box too, then they’ll usually get a run out.

I remember hearing about Gerrard’s first training session with the first team and he levelled one of their senior players with a full blooded tackle. The other seniors thought “looks like we’ve got one here”.