Will we blood any youngsters in our last 3 games

[tiger76]

Now that we're safe will we give some of the youths a chance to show what they can do,

Richardson is one who looks like he can make the step up in time, so ideally this is the opportunity to give him minutes in the 1st team as we did with Dwight a few seasons back towards the end of the campaign.

Is there anybody else involved in our development squads who would benefit from 1st team experience Josh Benson maybe, and at a push Glennon, Mumbongo & Thompson they are the ones who've already been around the 1st team squad, and if we're not going to blood then now then when are we going to blood them.

[IanMcL]

None up to it. They have had minutes, here and there, during injury periods.

[boatshed bill]

When I get the chance to watch the U23s I rate Thompson. Benson seems to have gone backwards (but i believe he has had injury problems), Glennon is fairly consistent, perhaps he could get some time. At a push SD could have a look at Mancini.

[Claret_tinted]

Richardson and Thompson are very much ‘upto it’

[Chester Perry]

Now that we're safe will we give some of the youths a chance to show what they can do,

Richardson is one who looks like he can make the step up in time, so ideally this is the opportunity to give him minutes in the 1st team as we did with Dwight a few seasons back towards the end of the campaign.

Is there anybody else involved in our development squads who would benefit from 1st team experience Josh Benson maybe, and at a push Glennon, Mumbongo & Thompson they are the ones who've already been around the 1st team squad, and if we're not going to blood then now then when are we going to blood them.

at £2.5m - £3m a place and with us still capable of finishing anywhere between 12th and 17th that is a lot of money we are talking about

[Claret_tinted]

When I get the chance to watch the U23s I rate Thompson. Benson seems to have gone backwards (but i believe he has had injury problems), Glennon is fairly consistent, perhaps he could get some time. At a push SD could have a look at Mancini.

I’d like to see Mancini play in a three with Cork and Westwood

[bf2k]

at £2.5m - £3m a place and with us still capable of finishing anywhere between 12th and 17th that is a lot of money we are talking about

Valid point but taking off the bean counting hat and also looking to the future is it worth £12.5-15m to “blood” promising young players?

[tiger76]

at £2.5m - £3m a place and with us still capable of finishing anywhere between 12th and 17th that is a lot of money we are talking about

Yes it is and that's why I suspect SD will go with the tried and tested, but how do we ever find out if these lads are up to it or not if we don't at least give them a go, and if we aren't going to eventually bring 1 or 2 through the ranks then what is the point of all the money being spent on Barnfield.

That's the balance we somehow need to find, of course we'd all like to win the last 3 games and finish as high as possible, but equally if we don't give these lads a game or two then we'll never know whether they can handle the pressure of playing in the PL entails, I know obviously Sean and the coaches will see them regularly in training and in the development leagues, but that's not the same as what performing in the PL will require, and if you don't buy a ticket you don't win the lottery as the saying goes.

I'm not advocating wholesale changes to our starting XI, but we can surely find a place or two on the bench for some of these promising youths, and even if they only get 10-20 minutes towards the end even that's better than nothing.

[KRBFC]

would love to see more of Mancini and Richardson

[boatshed bill]

would love to see more of Mancini and Richardson

Have you been able to watch the U23 games?

[KRBFC]

Have you been able to watch the U23 games?

I saw us get spanked by Leeds, I assume Richardson and Mancini aren't ready yet?

I just like the idea of thrusting a young kid with huge potential into the first 11, it's not always gonna work out like Rooney, but that moment was special and I don't care for Rooney or Everton.

[boatshed bill]

I saw us get spanked by Leeds, I assume Richardson and Mancini aren't ready yet?

I just like the idea of thrusting a young kid with huge potential into the first 11, it's not always gonna work out like Rooney, but that moment was special and I don't care for Rooney or Everton.

We looked poor against Leeds. The whole set-up is a bit up and down with regular use of trialists.
Richardson is a decent prospect, though he could do with a bit more physical development.
Mancini has played most, if not all, games in centre midfield; he has good control. I would like to see what he could do...perhaps 30 minutes in a game that we have either got control of or are being hammered in.... then that couple of million pounds wouldn't matter

[Chester Perry]

Yes it is and that's why I suspect SD will go with the tried and tested, but how do we ever find out if these lads are up to it or not if we don't at least give them a go, and if we aren't going to eventually bring 1 or 2 through the ranks then what is the point of all the money being spent on Barnfield.

That's the balance we somehow need to find, of course we'd all like to win the last 3 games and finish as high as possible, but equally if we don't give these lads a game or two then we'll never know whether they can handle the pressure of playing in the PL entails, I know obviously Sean and the coaches will see them regularly in training and in the development leagues, but that's not the same as what performing in the PL will require, and if you don't buy a ticket you don't win the lottery as the saying goes.

I'm not advocating wholesale changes to our starting XI, but we can surely find a place or two on the bench for some of these promising youths, and even if they only get 10-20 minutes towards the end even that's better than nothing.

It is not impossible, but only likely if the result is not in question - meaning the Liverpool game is most obvious one for such an opportunity - they will want to exact revenge for breaking the Anfield hoodoo

[superdimitri]

Sadly the money involved just makes it harder for kids to come through.

Hopefully we can successfully bridge the gap between youngsters and the first team. Everyone would love to see some more youngsters come through.

[bobinho]

Yes it is and that's why I suspect SD will go with the tried and tested, but how do we ever find out if these lads are up to it or not if we don't at least give them a go, and if we aren't going to eventually bring 1 or 2 through the ranks then what is the point of all the money being spent on Barnfield.

That's the balance we somehow need to find, of course we'd all like to win the last 3 games and finish as high as possible, but equally if we don't give these lads a game or two then we'll never know whether they can handle the pressure of playing in the PL entails, I know obviously Sean and the coaches will see them regularly in training and in the development leagues, but that's not the same as what performing in the PL will require, and if you don't buy a ticket you don't win the lottery as the saying goes.

I'm not advocating wholesale changes to our starting XI, but we can surely find a place or two on the bench for some of these promising youths, and even if they only get 10-20 minutes towards the end even that's better than nothing.

In answer to your question in the first paragraph, I would imagine we will do what we’ve always done under this regime..... we will wait until a player is either injured or suspended before making any changes to personnel. You will note I left “form” out of the equation. To be clear, this isn’t a dig in any way, merely an observation of how we operate.

I would like to think that a couple of them are capable of making the step up now or in the near future, but when that happens I don’t think it will be a gradual thing. Like McNeill, they will be thrust into the breach. Hopefully, like McNeill, they will prove themselves very quickly and make themselves undroppable.

[djemba-djemba]

Yes it is and that's why I suspect SD will go with the tried and tested, but how do we ever find out if these lads are up to it or not if we don't at least give them a go, and if we aren't going to eventually bring 1 or 2 through the ranks then what is the point of all the money being spent on Barnfield.

Because when we are relegated there might be players good enough for the Championship from our u23s, if not necessarily the Premier League.

[FeedTheArf]

Would love to see some of our younger players get more minutes but with millions per place still to be decided it looks unlikely. Pre season will be their main opportunity to break through now I would've thought.

[Mattster]

From what I've seen watching all the streamed U23 games I think Richardson and Mancini are the two with the most potential though both will probably need an EFL loan to help them adjust to the physicality of the senior game. Bobby Thomas looked dominant in the U23 but it took him a few games at Barrow to adjust and start showing that quality.

Thompson is really good but I think he's been hampered by not holding a fixed position, I think he'd rather be a striker but is often played on the wing. The flipside is that the wing is where we're lacking in the first team so maybe that gives him more opportunities here. Being a bit quicker and trickier than Richardson and Mancini (who are I'd say are more technical players but aren't as quick) he may be more able to step up to the first team in the short term. Same with Mumbongo, he has the physical strength and speed to make the step up more quickly but he just doesn't seem to have the same ability to link up play as the other 3 mentioned, but if he can develop that hold up/link up play that Vydra has done then he could be a real asset - will he get the time or opportunity, though?

Outside of those you have Glennon and Benson who probably need to go out on loan to League 1 or the Championship. Bobby Thomas who is definitely ready to play at League 1 level at least. Plus, I'd really like to see Adam Phillips (AKA - "the League 2 Bruno Fernandes") given a shot with the first team in preseason - if we do end up letting him go we need to get a buyback clause in the deal, he's one who I think could go far. I know he's already 23 but due to losing a few years of development after leaving Liverpool I believe he's a late bloomer.

But more on point with the thread, I think we may see one or two off the bench in the final game if the league positions look pretty set. Otherwise I doubt it, too much money up for grabs ahead of a key Summer for Dyche to be taking those kinds of risks unfortunately. If he did then Thompson or Mumbongo are the ones most likely to make an impact IMO.

[ClaretLoup]

For me the obvious candidate is Adam Phillips. He has done quite well at Accy and will be match sharp albeit at a lower level.

The probability is that we will get lamped by a rampant Champions League Liverpool so twenty minutes or so at the end might be worth a punt, as would some game time vs Sheffield United. However Sean seems to back his own judgement from what he has seen in training rather than
chuck people in and see how they get on.

[Mattster]

For me the obvious candidate is Adam Phillips. He has done quite well at Accy and will be match sharp albeit at a lower level.

The probability is that we will get lamped by a rampant Champions League Liverpool so twenty minutes or so at the end might be worth a punt, as would some game time vs Sheffield United. However Sean seems to back his own judgement from what he has seen in training rather than
chuck people in and see how they get on.

I don't think Phillips would be able to play in any of these games since he was on loan, would imagine he's registered for Accy for this season and since we're not in a transfer window wouldn't be able to register for us.