The changing of the guard...

[paulbefc]

I'd say we have a good mix of youth and experience. Players like Jagielka, Naismith and Barry must be good for the young players to learn from.

 

[Shibbywiggles]

If any of those experienced players on the bench were a left back or a right back they'd have started the game. Nice to have young players but 2 of the 7 are filling in due to an injury crisis with our defence.

To be fair Coleman's not exactly old either, though of course Baines will start every league game when fit. Saying that, it's the first time for years you'd say that Baines will have to keep form to not be dropped as Galloway has been superb.

 

[bluelife]

Remember when martinez said “it is possible to get champions league without throwing stupid amounts of money at it, it just takes time“

Look at our squad now, if we can keep adding quality and keep our squad together, i dont see why we cant challenge in a couple of seasons time.

Many of these players will want to leave if they don't get champions league....don't think he has 'a couple of seasons' to challenge

 

[AndyC]

If any of those experienced players on the bench were a left back or a right back they'd have started the game. Nice to have young players but 2 of the 7 are filling in due to an injury crisis with our defence.

But filling in really well for their tender age and inexperience.
Keep this squad together and ease out the ageing, injury-prone players and add maybe a couple more, and we will have a very, very competitive team with bags of potential and no shortage of skill and class.
Good enough to win trophies, we'll have to wait and see, but good enough to entertain us royally and encourage a new generation of Blues supporters who revere great football even more than silverware - most definitely.

 

[oldblue]

Seen too many good young prospects go nowhere over the years to get over excited but there's a positive feel to the players coming through.
Everyone to post so far gets a like though for avoiding the most sickening phrase to creep into modern football lingo, s**l o* v***e

 

[Khalekan]

Today for me was the first real signal of the old guard within the squad over the last decade or so being cast aside; not so much dropped but much like buying a new car, you always need a younger model.

At one point today we had Galloway, Stones, Browning, Deulofeu, Barkley, Lukaku and McCarthy on the pitch; more than 60% of the team 24 or younger.

On the bench we had internationals in Osman, Gibson, Lennon and Mirallas.

The club now is more reliant on the young lads than the senior internationals, established Premiership players.

Like it or not, Martinez has placed great confidence in the youth and it seems only natural these boys are going to fill the fulcrum of our team going forward. Add in Garbutt, Funes Mori, Besic and potentially exciting kids like Dowell, Ledson, Pennington etc and we are seeing right in front of our very eyes the changing of the guard at the club right now.

These guys want it more, physically they are better and attitude wise, they are different. I see more winners in this lot than in the past. Their attitude is fantastic; never give up, want to win and pissed off when things dont go our way.

This lot are destined to lift something.

Watching that game on TV yesterday I felt I was witnessing a transformation.

Suddenly the Martinez vision of what we can be was laid out for all to see.

Rarely can a 0-0 draw have unleashed such positivity and optimism.

The nearest thing I can recall to yesterday was a 1-0 defeat in the Cup at OT circa March 1983.

A young Everton team battered United only to succumb to a last minute goal from Frank Stapleton.

But everyone of us leaving the ground that day felt grounds for optimism.....optimism which was proved justified a year later and for several years after that.

 

[oldblue]

Watching that game on TV yesterday I felt I was witnessing a transformation.

Suddenly the Martinez vision of what we can be was laid out for all to see.

Rarely can a 0-0 draw have unleashed such positivity and optimism.

The nearest thing I can recall to yesterday was a 1-0 defeat in the Cup at OT circa March 1983.

A young Everton team battered United only to succumb to a last minute goal from Frank Stapleton.

But everyone of us leaving the ground that day felt grounds for optimism.....optimism which was proved justified a year later and for several years after that.

One of my first away games that. Tore them apart. Also remember the TV highlights mainly showing last ten mins so it looked like they had been on top. Not much changed there.

 

[flibbyflob]

To be fair Coleman's not exactly old either, though of course Baines will start every league game when fit. Saying that, it's the first time for years you'd say that Baines will have to keep form to not be dropped as Galloway has been superb.

Good that we hopefully don't need to rush Baines back either now as long as Galloway is fit.

 

[Verbal Kint]

I honestly feel we are a Payet/Yarmolenko type player short of the top 4. Add another striker to really put the pressure on Rom and the sky is the limit for this side.

 

[WA Toffee]

Strange this, as Barry Horne was co commentator last night and he suggested that while we have a very good team out there, it's not a very young team.
I remember thinking what the hell he was on about, it was a very young team we had out there.

Perhaps he only saw Howard, Jagielka and Kone?

 

[BigBlueConk]

You can't win anything with kids.

 

[MartSlinger]

Strange this, as Barry Horne was co commentator last night and he suggested that while we have a very good team out there, it's not a very young team.
I remember thinking what the hell he was on about, it was a very young team we had out there.

Perhaps he only saw Howard, Jagielka and Kone?

He was probably looking at the average age. Kone, Barry, Jagielka and Howard are all 30+ so would shoot the average up when on the whole we've got a young squad.

 

[Khalekan]

One of my first away games that. Tore them apart. Also remember the TV highlights mainly showing last ten mins so it looked like they had been on top. Not much changed there.

Yes.....you wouldn't have believed you were at the same match lol

Alan Irvine was great on the right wing that day.

 

[oldblue]

You can't win anything with kids.

Weirdly enough your name made me think it's usually kids who win a game of conkers

 

[Guest89]

From what I've heard Dowell has a good chance of playing a part some point this season; he's got a big reputation and it sounds like the type of player Martinez would love.