03 May 2017 11:23:49
Ed1 just want to run something by you.

As Ed2 has said it is increasingly difficult for youngsters at top clubs to make the jump into the first team, so I wondered if any team has tried promoting a few young players at the same time rather than individually.

I was considering that if you had a group young players who had played together for many years how that might offset some of their weaknesses as individual players if they were put into the first team at the same time.

Didn't Xavi and Iniesta play at youth level together for a long time? I know they were very good players anyway, but they had an excellent understanding of each others game. Also the Mancs had Beckham, Giggs, Scholes etc. and managed to win the league.

As Football is team game it's so important to have that continuity to maximize performance. This all being hypothetical if I were Klopp I'd try this with the youngsters we have - though there's more chance of Ed2 becoming a Liverpool supporter than that happening.

Anyway as always I'd welcome whatever thoughts you have, and thanks in advance.

{Ed001's Note - recently at the top level, only really Saints have tried this approach. Even they have not really done it in a meaningful way. Clubs tend to just try and get them in and around the first team in training to build up that understanding now.}

1.) 03 May 2017
03 May 2017 11:39:02
Thanks for the reply Ed1. Out of interest what do you consider the right approach to get the youngsters into the first team?

{Ed001's Note - I am not sure there is one. If it was me, I would look to keep a smaller squad to give them opportunities when there are injuries. It can be as much luck as judgement who makes it. Look at Marcus Rashford, who was a young winger in their youth sides until an injury crisis meant they had to turn to the youth team for a striker. Ashley Fletcher got the nod only to pick up an injury and Rashford was drafted in at the last second.}