Some questions

[essexblade87]

It's only a blessing if they'e any good. 5 lost games on te bounce with the kids, and there'd be nobody asking for them to be given time. They'd be calling for the managers head.

I never quite understand the fascination with kids (though I'mall for bringing good ones through). I think there's some sort of belief that they've got the club at heart more. In reality, they would all leave at the drop of hat, given better offers from elsewhere.

UTB

It's the fact the Club is producing good Kids, the best clubs have Good Kids coming through, To have so many United made players involved in the England system (not just England 1st Team) is brilliant.
Quite frankly I wouldn't be calling for his head, give them time. The Best clubs are built from the bottom up, Barcelona, Man U, Liverpool ect...They also help bring in transfer fees which is the basis of a well run club

 

[oaklandrdblade]

Think Blackman and Cofie need game time together, too often yesterday they were making the same runs and we ended up with those two plus either Quinn or McCallister in the same 10 square yards of pitch. It's all about them finding the right balance of working off one another and also pulling the defenders away from one another, as if we can get some space between centre halves and full backs they both have the pace to exploit it.

 

[Willie Carlin]

What's the early impression of Cofie and Blackman as a pair, can they play together? Or are they too similar?

What did you think of McAllister in right midfield?

How does McMahon compare to Lowton?

Why did Shrewsbury get on top in the second half? What should we have done to prevent it?

Thought Blackman looks to me that he'll become a crowd Favorite. Cofie first showing not as good but showed some speed.
McAllister played a defensive right position. Didn't have confidence to hold ball or take his man on. Good goal though.
I think McMahon will prove to be equally as good as Lowton. Steady game yesterday and didn't venturs forward much.
Shrewsbury played with 5 in midfield and never let our midfielders settle on the ball. We had no width with backs not being able to get forward one of the few times Williams got forward he created McAllisters goal with a fine cross. How to solve it!! I think Danny Wilsons more qualified than any of us to solve it.

 

[sheffielder]

Cofie and Blackman are not similar. They need to work on their partnership because Blackman looked good working the right hand channel cutting in. This mean't that alot of the time Cofie looked isolated in the middle. If they worked closer they stand a chance.

Good finish from McAllister but he is not a winger and it doesn't suit him.

Hard to just McMahon as he needs a winger to make a combination with and overlap.

Wilson could see the game slipping away and we were lucky to get a point. There are subs for a reason and McFadzean would have added some energy which were were sadly lacking. Someone (Danny) should tell Doyle he is fucking crap when he tries to play ahead of McDonald. Just sit him infront of the back 4. The lack of movement was more worrying that anything else and it ended up with alot unwanted backpasses to the keeper from the half way line

 

[Bergen Blade]

It's only a blessing if they'e any good. 5 lost games on te bounce with the kids, and there'd be nobody asking for them to be given time. They'd be calling for the managers head.

I never quite understand the fascination with kids (though I'mall for bringing good ones through). I think there's some sort of belief that they've got the club at heart more. In reality, they would all leave at the drop of hat, given better offers from elsewhere.

UTB

While we had six youngsters on the bench, none of them actually came on. It may show that we're not ready to trust them just yet.

I don't think we should alienate the view of wanting young players to be given playing time. For example, most people who went have said that Doyle had a poor game yesterday. But I doubt that Wilson even for a minute considered subsituting him for Harriott.

I'm not sure that such auto selection of a player is great for Doyle, and in the long run Harriott isn't going to learn a lot more by the experience of sitting on the bench. It is a little better than not even being in the squad, but eventually he's got to be given playing time to realise his potential as a player. There were games like this last season as well. If Harriott had been trusted then, he may have been considered a little more experienced, a little more ready to deal with the situation of playing third division football against Shrewsbury.

 

[Deleted member 875]

First game of the season, and a poor team to start with, so realistically it was a game we should have expected to win.

I thought Howard looked a bit suspect, McMahon looks like a decent player but seems to like hitting long balls. Marcus Williams is shit, the centre halves looked solid and steady. DMac didn't do much apart from score and we need to strengthen down that flank. Doyle and Macca in the middle looked ok, Quinn had a decent game.

As for the front two, i wasn't particularly impressed with either, although it is early days. Cofie looked average and seems to have a poor first touch, whilst Blackman looks quick, he didn't seem to have much of an impact.

Like i say, it was a game we should be expecting to win, but against tougher opposition we will need to step our game up. Still think it will be a long hard season ahead, and we should be under no illusions that it will be easy.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

post: 434040, member: 875"]I thought Howard looked a bit suspect,

I thought Howard was one of the few real positives. Blackman showed promise too. But there wasn't much else to instill much confidence that we will live up to our favourites tag. Early days though.

 

[Deleted member 875]

I've always been picky about keepers mind.

Comes with the fact that between 1989 and 2009 we had 3 top quality keepers in succession to each other.

 

[Revolution]

While we had six youngsters on the bench, none of them actually came on. It may show that we're not ready to trust them just yet.

I don't think we should alienate the view of wanting young players to be given playing time. For example, most people who went have said that Doyle had a poor game yesterday. But I doubt that Wilson even for a minute considered subsituting him for Harriott.

I'm not sure that such auto selection of a player is great for Doyle, and in the long run Harriott isn't going to learn a lot more by the experience of sitting on the bench. It is a little better than not even being in the squad, but eventually he's got to be given playing time to realise his potential as a player. There were games like this last season as well. If Harriott had been trusted then, he may have been considered a little more experienced, a little more ready to deal with the situation of playing third division football against Shrewsbury.

Bergen, you always have your eye on long term development, which is admirable, but this really gives you a blind spot about what is happening now. Taking off Doyle for an untried youngster yesterday, or sticking in young players last season in a promotion run when a settled team is winning regularly, are simply not sensible things to do.

Whilst we have the more experienced players like Quinn and Doyle, we have to make use of them

 

[alcoblade]

It's the fact the Club is producing good Kids, the best clubs have Good Kids coming through, To have so many United made players involved in the England system (not just England 1st Team) is brilliant.
Quite frankly I wouldn't be calling for his head, give them time. The Best clubs are built from the bottom up, Barcelona, Man U, Liverpool ect...They also help bring in transfer fees which is the basis of a well run club

Man Ure, Liverpol and Barcelona bring the best youngsters through because the best youngesters want to go to Man Ure, Liverpool and Barcelona, not the other way around. We don't have that luxury. The chance of us getting more than 2 or 3 local lads at any point in time, good enough for the first team, is remote.

The youngsters stay on the bench because, generally, they aren't good enough. We ship McCallister out to Srewsbury and Tonne to York to get their experience, not risk them on us. And they didn't pull up trees there, which mystifies me when I hear others desperate to give them lots of time.

As for the sale of young players - I'm with you 100%. It's possibly a line that would keep many clubs afloat. But when it's done, most of the locals are upset because their dream of local lads bleeding for the cause is shattered. The reality that the youngsters would have walked to the premiership destination is lost on them. So all it does is piss the majority off.

I'm as excited about the likes of Blackman as any of the young lads coming though.

UTB

 

[Bergen Blade]

Bergen, you always have your eye on long term development, which is admirable, but this really gives you a blind spot about what is happening now. Taking off Doyle for an untried youngster yesterday, or sticking in young players last season in a promotion run when a settled team is winning regularly, are simply not sensible things to do.

Whilst we have the more experienced players like Quinn and Doyle, we have to make use of them

Are you saying that experienced players like Quinn and Doyle should play 90 minutes even when they are having poor games? Should they start every game even when they are going through bad spells?

What should we do when we're "in a promotion run and a settled team is winning regularly", but then suffer injuries to two vital players. Bring in a couple of loans?

 

[Rodley]

Whisper it quietly, but I think Doyle is hugely overrated.

When Whitehouse gets fit, I would like to think he's in serious contention.

 

[JohnDenver]

Are you saying that experienced players like Quinn and Doyle should play 90 minutes even when they are having poor games? Should they start every game even when they are going through bad spells?

What should we do when we're "in a promotion run and a settled team is winning regularly", but then suffer injuries to two vital players. Bring in a couple of loans?

I'm with you on this. When we get the chance to put kids in, even if it's just for a 15 minute taster or a one-off reward for progress, then we need to do it.

While we don't want to ruin young players by asking too much of them, what we should do is give them run outs before they are , what most fans would deem, "ready". It's not a case of sink or swim but one of incentives and investments. These days we need to be more like Crewe in our approach and less like the Premiership tarts we used to be. How many chances does a young player get to develop in their career before the potential is lost? Not many, I'd suggest (unless they're truly exceptional).

It could backfire if done recklessly, but think of the rewards. Even in my line of work, I know the only way to improve young staff is to give them responsibility and support in equal measure.

 

[Foxy]

I said on Twitter at the match that I'd have brought McFadzean on mainly to give the midfield a bit of bite and some more pace... I'd agree with the usage of the experienced pro's though, we still need to maintain a balance.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I said on Twitter at the match that I'd have brought McFadzean on mainly to give the midfield a bit of bite and some more pace... I'd agree with the usage of the experienced pro's though, we still need to maintain a balance.

Indeed, nobody is suggesting 11 teenagers at the same time.

Anyway, thanks for the replies! Turned it into a blog: http://scandinavianblades.webs.com/apps/blog/show/18250542-opinions-on-opener#comments

 

[essexblade87]

It does take time seperating the Diamonds from the ruff but I think United are starting to do that. We aren't a Mega Rich team, so have to make the most of what we have and get the best out of our Kids like West Ham, Southampton, Middlesborough ect...all similar sized clubs to us who have a conveyor belt of kids coming through they sell some for good money, they use many for the squads, teams and the rest are filtered around the leagues. These days loyalty is a word, players move they always have, so doesn't bother me too much if United have to sell one or two products to keep the club going.
I do think the slightly older kids like Blackman look good and will hopefully do us a job this season