Bergen Blade
Well-Known Member
Coulibaly's promising first full start last night, two and a half years after we signed him, made me wonder if we should have tried to play him before? Obviously this season he's been injured, but the club's never seemed overly keen to get him on the pitch.
It also made me think of other players, youngsters and new signings, that had to wait before they got a chance, but then surprisingly looked at home immediately. The question is did the club just find the optimal time to start using them, or should we have started playing them even sooner?
Like:
Wayne Quinn. Had only played youth football before starting the 1997/98 season as first choice left wing back. Looked excellent and played for England B in 1998.
Trianos Dellas. We had some good options at centre half at the time of his arrival and he didn't look too impressive on his first starts. Then he was tried in midfield and looked a world beater! He also played some games up front for us, but he showed more of his class later in his career as he won the Euros with Greece.
Kyle Walker. Looked great and was MoM almost every game after debuting. Blackwell had signed two right backs, Jihai and Halford, in the summer, despite having both Kyles available.
Luton Shelton. He'd been with us more than three months before his first start at Old Trafford. He looked a real threat. He never settled with us, but at the time it felt we should have tried blooding him sooner.
David Brooks. We didn't intend to use him in 2017/18, but following impressive performances for England U20 we cancelled plans of loaning him out and he played a big part that season.
Wes Foderingham. Signed in 2020 he had to wait for Ramsdale, Olsen and Verrips to leave or disappoint before getting his real chance and he's since showed he's an excellent keeper.
Iliman Ndiaye. Scored twice on his full debut aged 21, two years after signing.
More like these?
It also made me think of other players, youngsters and new signings, that had to wait before they got a chance, but then surprisingly looked at home immediately. The question is did the club just find the optimal time to start using them, or should we have started playing them even sooner?
Like:
Wayne Quinn. Had only played youth football before starting the 1997/98 season as first choice left wing back. Looked excellent and played for England B in 1998.
Trianos Dellas. We had some good options at centre half at the time of his arrival and he didn't look too impressive on his first starts. Then he was tried in midfield and looked a world beater! He also played some games up front for us, but he showed more of his class later in his career as he won the Euros with Greece.
Kyle Walker. Looked great and was MoM almost every game after debuting. Blackwell had signed two right backs, Jihai and Halford, in the summer, despite having both Kyles available.
Luton Shelton. He'd been with us more than three months before his first start at Old Trafford. He looked a real threat. He never settled with us, but at the time it felt we should have tried blooding him sooner.
David Brooks. We didn't intend to use him in 2017/18, but following impressive performances for England U20 we cancelled plans of loaning him out and he played a big part that season.
Wes Foderingham. Signed in 2020 he had to wait for Ramsdale, Olsen and Verrips to leave or disappoint before getting his real chance and he's since showed he's an excellent keeper.
Iliman Ndiaye. Scored twice on his full debut aged 21, two years after signing.
More like these?
