With the scrapping of the elite stage I'm pretty sure both age groups have the same amount of league games so that has no bearing on holding him back. It wouldn't be a reason anyway as he could just drop back down during the periods there is no u23 games.
Angel Gomes
- Thread starter khoazany
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Really? Madness isn't it? How are they supposed to develop without playing?
Who knows. It's simply ridiculous how this hasn't been addressed and instead they just start scrapping U18 games as well.
They removed the U18s elite stage to introduce the U18s PL Cup which is fair enough (though still less games if you're out from the group stage).
Sweaty goal
He was class against Basel in U19 CL game, even under pressure he can hold the ball with ease and his turns are a joy to watch. If he continues to progress i see him as a future deep lying playmaker for us in a kroos role.
Any chance he might feature against Burton as no Pogba or Pereira available?
I wouldn't bet on it.
Nah, he'll stay with the U18 group, the U17 World Cup is just around the corner.
Pengel Gomes FC
Did you just steal my unoriginal joke?
Middield is looking rammed this season - a good thing I think. We need lots of U18/U19 games to give them all time on the pitch (though I expect both Gomes and Chong will play more than a few U23 games).
Coincidence. It's not a joke you have to think hard for.
Rather he stayed away from that horrendous U23 side, to be honest. I hope he stays mostly in the U18 this year.
Better if he plays against tougher competition so i want him in the U23's.
That U23 team is not good for his football education. It's the worst team at any level I've seen for a decade.
Any chance he sees some action during the cup game mid week? I wouldn't mind starting him and resting Mata/Mkhitaryan.
Maybe the opposition is better but the games are meaningless, the team is awful, style of football is bad. He'll be losing games often and his team will be playing shit.
The U18 is a great group, the atmosphere is better, play more games, including European ones, and can actually win something if he stays. I think that experience would be more beneficial to him. There's plenty of time to move up, perhaps with some of the lads he's playing with now. He's still so young.
Exactly the reason why i want him to play with them. He'll face adversity and would need to step up to help the team. That will help him grow as a player rather than just cruising along beating dross at a lower level. He should definitely play in the European fixtures though.
Understand what you're saying (ie. protect the kid right?) But if the U23 is as bad as you think it is, then surely a way to improve the team is by putting better players in, be they 17, 19 or 22...Plus it's an odd thing to not want a kid who might be ready in a year or so to play first XI to step up and play against tougher opposition now don't you think?
Agreed. Playing with players that can't keep up with you or play poor football can instil bad habits and destroy confidence.
There's a balance to be found. All young players, especially the most gifted, need to be tested.
The u23s would only improve if players like Gomes played. Tbh the u18s have been v mixed in performances since a great start under McKenna.
I agree but being "tested" is subjective. They need to be tested in the right environment. It's a similar concept as to why I wouldn't want someone like Pereira to play at Oldham on loan as it would do more harm than good to his game.
Well this is a bit worrying, was just thinking that there've been no news of him signing up a new contract.
Can't see him not signing a new deal.
Nani and Ronaldo are two of his idols and he'll want to follow in their footsteps.
Although Barcelona would be a tempting move. He could be Iniesta's successor one day.
These English kids are good enough to go out and play elsewhere regularly. I wouldn't be surprised if he does a Sancho and moves abroad.
Can't see it myself. He's obviously valued at the club and was even given a debut at 16. Manchester bred as well.
Sancho was a Londoner and City are stacked in midfield and up front.
There will be actual places up for grabs at United. Carrick will be leaving next summer and Fellaini might move abroad for a good final contract at one of the Turkish clubs, if not China, after The World Cup in 2018.
I give up if Gomes is allowed to leave.
Barcelona though? His path to the first team won't be any easier.
Someone in another thread said that he had already signed so I'm not sure what the situation is.
Same could have been said of Rashford a couple of years ok and that turned out ok. If it really isn't possible to bring a kid as talented as Gomes through into our first team then we might as well shut down our academy tomorrow.
If he's good enough we should at least put him on the bench for tomorrow night, and indeed for all Carling and FA Cup matches. Best way to keep him away from Barca is to give him some first-team exposure.
Also worth pointing out to him that with Pogba, Rashford, Martial and DDG we've got better medium-term prospects than Barca. Their great team is getting old and, apart from Dembele, they haven't got the quality coming through to replace those star names (they're signing the likes of Coutinho and Deulofeu ffs).
Well, they do have Dembélé, Umtiti, Semedo and ter Stegen.
Carles Aleñá is their next midfield hope and he's impressed for the senior side and B team.
Yerry Mina, Colombian CB aged 22, joins them in January from Brazil. Probably Mascherano's long term replacement.
Things are not as bad at Barcelona as it seems. They will eventually need to sign a player to replace Suárez, but that's about it.
They're hopeless with La Masia these days.
But what has that got to do with said player? He's doing well and signed a new contract.
We need a balance here though. Set a precedent in giving 17 year olds first team games because they haven't signed a contract and everyone that follows will do/expect the same. I think he could deserve a start on merit, but in general we need to be careful.
Sancho was only at City for 2 years though, Angel's been here for much longer and loves the club
Why though? The U18s before McGuiness left were awful even though that team had Borthwick-Jackson, Fosu-Mensah, Rashford, Williams and Tuanzebe.
They praise City's U16s for going unbeaten for however long even though I'm not sure this actually does them any good.
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