Is it time Amorim promotes some of the youth?

[Lentwood]

Didn't Wharton play who is 18?

Wharton is 21, and he came on as a sub for 2-mins with Palace already 2-0 ahead

 

[Daengophile]

The future is young, bright and hungry for success.

PSR has had some side effects and one of those has been the preference to hire younger, cheaper players and put them through the academies.

The older, pricier players will struggle to keep fit or struggle to keep pace with the game. They will find themselves priced out of the market and will either need to reduce their demands or go to the shrinking markets of the Middle East

 

[romufc]

Lets admit it, our youth is pretty poor at the moment and has been for a while. We keep getting excited about players who "should" make it but they never do.

Mainoo is probably the only one to come through and is a top tier talent since Greenwood.

Since then, we have had plenty false dawns on youth players. I remember a few years ago under Ole, the entire fan base calling for Angel Gomes to be thrown in, he is now a free transfer in June.

We had the fan base asking where Harry Amass is this season, we have gone ahead and signed 2 young LWB's, which is a clear indication he isn't good enough.

There are loads of others like Garner, Janujaz, Iqbal, Savage and even ones who are still young like Kukoni, Lacey etc...

In all honesty our youth is quite poor.

 

[TRUE NUMBER 9]

There are a couple of young keepers, Vitek the Czech and Harrison, who should be given a chance through the pre-season. United need to upgrade from Onana and Altay may be a decent bench option but possibly nothing more. Harrison has just been recalled from a positive loan spell at Chester, where he reportedly performed very well.

With the signings of Yoro and Heaven, Utd have potentially set the future at CB. They will obviously need fine tuning and their development is going to happen on the big stage - sink or swim time it would seem. Thus far, I like the look of Yoro, he appears calm and composed, has some pace without being lightning fast and is a good tackler who can read well and passes the ball with ease. Add these youngsters to, say, Diomande, who I fully expect Amorim to try and sign in the summer, and the CB group starts to look much better.

In the middle of the park, Gore has promise and I am not the only one who sees and appreciates the energy of Collyer. Nice to see him already getting time with the big boys.

Striker is arguably the weakest link at the moment, despite the intermittent positive spells Rasmus Hojlund has shown during his time at the club. Zirkzee is not an out-and-out striker and may be better off heading back to Serie A in the summer. The name most associated with a summer transfer is Gyökeres, who I would love to see leading the line for United. Pace, power, instinct and finishing skills that are beyond anything currently in the squad. Obi and Biancheri offer promise for the future but at 26, Gyökeres is young enough but experienced enough to be the man for now and the next few years, should he arrive at Old Trafford in the coming months.

 

[1988]

Never promote youngsters when the team isn't working. It's the most damaging thing a club can do. Include them when the seniors are settled and in good shape. Ease them in.

 

[romufc]

Never promote youngsters when the team isn't working. It's the most damaging thing a club can do. Include them when the seniors are settled and in good shape. Ease them in.

Why do fans always come out with this false narrative? Most youngsters get promoted when the team isn't working or there are injuries, not when its in good shape.

When the team is working and in good shape, managers dont want to change anything....

 

[Scholsey2004]

Lets admit it, our youth is pretty poor at the moment and has been for a while. We keep getting excited about players who "should" make it but they never do.

Mainoo is probably the only one to come through and is a top tier talent since Greenwood.

Since then, we have had plenty false dawns on youth players. I remember a few years ago under Ole, the entire fan base calling for Angel Gomes to be thrown in, he is now a free transfer in June.

We had the fan base asking where Harry Amass is this season, we have gone ahead and signed 2 young LWB's, which is a clear indication he isn't good enough.

There are loads of others like Garner, Janujaz, Iqbal, Savage and even ones who are still young like Kukoni, Lacey etc...

In all honesty our youth is quite poor.

We're 2nd in the U18 Premier League, just 2 points behind with a game in hand and third in Premier League 2 the defacto Reserves. We're objectively not poor at present. I can understand and share a lot of the negative feelings around the club at the moment but the youth setup is doing pretty well.

 

[Tallis]

Lets admit it, our youth is pretty poor at the moment and has been for a while. We keep getting excited about players who "should" make it but they never do.

Mainoo is probably the only one to come through and is a top tier talent since Greenwood.

Since then, we have had plenty false dawns on youth players. I remember a few years ago under Ole, the entire fan base calling for Angel Gomes to be thrown in, he is now a free transfer in June.

We had the fan base asking where Harry Amass is this season, we have gone ahead and signed 2 young LWB's, which is a clear indication he isn't good enough.

There are loads of others like Garner, Janujaz, Iqbal, Savage and even ones who are still young like Kukoni, Lacey etc...

In all honesty our youth is quite poor.

Angel Gomez has been a relative success at Lille, I think. He did 8 assists in 31 games last season from MF and is a starter. I suspect he is moving on a free for money not because they don't want him.

I think we are doing all right from an academy perspective - Greenwood, Elanga, Garner, Alvaro, Mainoo, Garnacho, Gomes, Collyer have all emerged from the academy in the last 5 years and playing top flight football across Europe. We are not as prolific as Chelsea or City but they follow a different model as compared to us. I think our model is also moving closer to the City / Chelsea model.

 

[top1whoisman]

We're 2nd in the U18 Premier League, just 2 points behind with a game in hand and third in Premier League 2 the defacto Reserves. We're objectively not poor at present. I can understand and share a lot of the negative feelings around the club at the moment but the youth setup is doing pretty well.

After winning the U18s treble last season.

 

[KM]

After winning the U18s treble last season.

Yeah I'm not sure how our youth has been poor at this moment? When this batch has won mostly everything apart FA Youth Cup in the last year or so.

 

[top1whoisman]

Yeah I'm not sure how our youth has been poor at this moment? When this batch has won mostly everything apart FA Youth Cup in the last year or so.

Guess the poster based it on players not coming through to the first team. But that rarely happens, no matter which club you look at. The fact that we’ve got one player breaking through more or less every season (Garna, Mainoo & Collyer the last three) is a huge sign of good player development.

Whether any of the current academy players make it remains to be seen. But the signs are good, we’re still one of the best, if not the best a academy in the country.

 

[Tallis]

In relation to the original topic, yes, I think its time that some of the youth get some time out in the senior team.

- Either of Kukonki or Heaven I expect will be on the bench and get some minutes out given the injury to Licha and uncertain fitness of Shaw
- Chido Obi or Biancheri (when back from injury) could get some minutes
- Moorhouse is electric. He has missed game time due to injury but is a handful every time he plays and is full of running.

 

[justsomebloke]

Is it time Amorim plays some of the youth players?

That's a meaningless question, as posed. A better one would be "do we have any youth players who are ready to play in the PL and good enough to elevate this team, and should be given the chance" ?

 

[Borninthe80ts]

We do have a lot of talented players in the youth team regardless of what some think, and we have improved in both recruitment from outside the club and those being promoted from within over the last 5 years at least.

The issue isn’t whether their talented but more so if there potentially ready to contribute to improving the first team. The best young players that have been promoted recently or been called for, were consistent for large periods of time, such as Gomes, Greenwood and Mainoo.

Most of the current crop still show the fluctuations in performance that is expected at this age so it’s difficult to say who really deserves a chance but there’s one or two that always seem to make the right decisions. They have a manager who seems to invest in youth so maybe they’ll get a chance.

 

[TRUE NUMBER 9]

Ruben Amorim certainly has no issue playing youngsters. If you look at the list below, several of the current first team squad at Sporting show evidence to support that.

CB - Goncalo Inacio - given debut by Amorim at age 19 (regular first XI)
CB - Ousmane Diomande - given debut by Amorim at age 19 (regular first XI)
CB - Eduardo Quaresma - given debut by Amorim at age 18 (squad player)
W/F - Geovany Quenda - given debut by Amorim at age 17 (regular first XI)

Some will argue that starting in the PL is a bit different to starting over in Portugal, fair enough...but he still showed faith in the youth over there and thus far, has given opportunities to Patrick Dorgu (20yrs), Leny Yoro (19yrs), Toby Collyer (21) and Amad Diallo (22), all of whom were either out of the first team squad or at the very least, could not be considered regulars in the team. He looks like he is going to change that as he knows that the PL requires a good dose of youth, drive, energy & speed rather than solely reliance upon experience.

I would not mind seeing him bring a few of those Sporting players listed above to Old Trafford, along with the goal machine Viktor Gyökeres.

 

[DevilRed]

That Chido Obi kid looks destined for the top. I wonder if we will see him make his senior debut this year.

 

[distant_red]

I’m not really looking at individuals I’d love to come through, but more so now at positions in the formation. So hence a 9, and an 8 for instance, where we have issues - Obi Martin, Kone would be ones I’d love to see step up.

 

[hellhunter]

I’m not really looking at individuals I’d love to come through, but more so now at positions in the formation. So hence a 9, and an 8 for instance, where we have issues - Obi Martin, Kone would be ones I’d love to see step up.

Nowhere near ready

 

[DJ_21]

That Chido Obi kid looks destined for the top. I wonder if we will see him make his senior debut this year.

Not sure. Amorim will get his chance to see them all in pre season.

 

[LDUred]

Well, no-one right now and for the next month or so. Obviously Chido might have to play if there are injuries to the forwards because we only have two strikers.

I think Moorhouse should get one or two sub appearances towards the end of the season when hopefully there's nothing to play for league-wise; he's got great ability running with the ball and pace. Chido as well needs a few games to show what he can do, perhaps Kone, who looked encouraging against Spurs.

But Moorhouse is the one who stands out.

 

[distant_red]

Nowhere near ready

I meant in the future, not now

 

[MUEricTheKing]

Chido is the most exciting thing happening in United right now. Can’t wait until he’s ready to go…
I’m danish and have been following the danish youth national teams. Chido is from a different universe compared to Højlund’s talent at that age. Every coach on the national team says he’s the biggest talent ever produced from Denmark since Michael Laudrup. If he can keep developing and take the leap into senior football, the sky is the limit. We are talking ballon d’or potential. He could be the best transfer business made since Peter Schmeichel and Christiano.
Hope we don’t f*** him up.

 

[gulli_G]

Chido is the most exciting thing happening in United right now. Can’t wait until he’s ready to go…
I’m danish and have been following the danish youth national teams. Chido is from a different universe compared to Højlund’s talent at that age. Every coach on the national team says he’s the biggest talent ever produced from Denmark since Michael Laudrup. If he can keep developing and take the leap into senior football, the sky is the limit. We are talking ballon d’or potential. He could be the best transfer business made since Peter Schmeichel and Christiano.
Hope we don’t f*** him up.

I'm also excited by Moorehouse, hope both get time on the pitch tomorrow.

 

[Red Shorts]

Chido is the most exciting thing happening in United right now. Can’t wait until he’s ready to go…
I’m danish and have been following the danish youth national teams. Chido is from a different universe compared to Højlund’s talent at that age. Every coach on the national team says he’s the biggest talent ever produced from Denmark since Michael Laudrup. If he can keep developing and take the leap into senior football, the sky is the limit. We are talking ballon d’or potential. He could be the best transfer business made since Peter Schmeichel and Christiano.
Hope we don’t f*** him up.

When do you see him getting a chance?

 

[MUEricTheKing]

When do you see him getting a chance?

Today. When Højlund haven’t touch the ball in the first half.

 

[justsomebloke]

Angel Gomez has been a relative success at Lille, I think. He did 8 assists in 31 games last season from MF and is a starter. I suspect he is moving on a free for money not because they don't want him.

I think we are doing all right from an academy perspective - Greenwood, Elanga, Garner, Alvaro, Mainoo, Garnacho, Gomes, Collyer have all emerged from the academy in the last 5 years and playing top flight football across Europe. We are not as prolific as Chelsea or City but they follow a different model as compared to us. I think our model is also moving closer to the City / Chelsea model.

Those calling for Gomes back then have very obviously been proven right. He's played, and played well, for England for crying out loud. He looks like an obvious target for the summer window.

 

[Mingus]

Those calling for Gomes back then have very obviously been proven right. He's played, and played well, for England for crying out loud. He looks like an obvious target for the summer window.

I don't see him as fitting the Amorim and Wilcox profile. If you look at who we've signed recently (Dorgu, Leon) and the type of Academy profile that Amorim has said he appreciates (Kukonki, Obi), they would raise the level of athleticism of the squad.
In my opinion Gomes wouldn't and he's not quite good enough to be an exception (Mainoo might be ). I think, long term, Kone is a better fit and I think he has the physical potential to be the player next to Ugarte in the midfield 2.
As for the 10's I hope that Lacey, Moorhouse and Ibragimov are contenders. Jim Thwaites in central midfield too.

 

[justsomebloke]

I don't see him as fitting the Amorim and Wilcox profile. If you look at who we've signed recently (Dorgu, Leon) and the type of Academy profile that Amorim has said he appreciates (Kukonki, Obi), they would raise the level of athleticism of the squad.
In my opinion Gomes wouldn't and he's not quite good enough to be an exception (Mainoo might be ). I think, long term, Kone is a better fit and I think he has the physical potential to be the player next to Ugarte in the midfield 2.
As for the 10's I hope that Lacey, Moorhouse and Ibragimov are contenders. Jim Thwaites in central midfield too.

I agree he wouldn't do much to address athleticism, but he would give us quality deep playmaking, which we currently don't really have. But very possible he doesn't fit the profile. Most of all, I hope we have one, and are moving to make competent use of analytics in pursuing it.

Whatever Kone's physical potential, does he have the overall quality? Given Ugartes mediocrity on the ball, which I don't think is going to change, he is going to need quite some partner in that regard if he's to be a viable first-team player.

 

[Mingus]

Whatever Kone's physical potential, does he have the overall quality?

I believe he has. His vision, passing range and his ability to progress with the ball make him look a real classy player now that he's bulked up a bit.