Matthew Pennington

[Eggs]

I would like to see Pennington tried as the middle in a 3. It's a role that takes a bit more intelligence than being RCB or LCB. I think we have plenty of players comfortable in them positions but only really Williams as middle man.

...he's certainly got intelligence, very clever young man. I have to say I'm not sure if he'd be able to cope defensively in the Premiership at this stage but he's very impressive striding out of defence with a football at his feet. He looks more of a traditional CB than Holgate but physically in the Jagielka mould.

I get the impression the coaches like him and he is in their thoughts for first team game time. It's up to him if he gets the opportunity.

 

[Eggs]

I know I sound repetitive, but what exactly has holgate done wrong? Our three at the back covered the defiencies of Mori and Williams and give us width by allowing Baines and Coleman to push on. It gave us the natural width, that was so lacking in our play yesterday.

...I wonder if his poor performance against Stoke has prompted the manager to withdraw him for a while.

 

[catcherintherye]

...he's certainly got intelligence, very clever young man. I have to say I'm not sure if he'd be able to cope defensively in the Premiership at this stage but he's very impressive striding out of defence with a football at his feet. He looks more of a traditional CB than Holgate but physically in the Jagielka mould.

I get the impression the coaches like him and he is in their thoughts for first team game time. It's up to him if he gets the opportunity.

Often academic intelligence and football intelligence don't correlate. Lads like Rooney or Jeffers were never brains of Britain but had fantastic spacing awareness.

However Pennington seems to buck the trend a bit. He knows his limits and plays within them. He seems close to the first 11 and too many poor performances from Mori I can see a change being made.

The one issue I would have is his lack of physicality.

 

[Eggs]

Often academic intelligence and football intelligence don't correlate. Lads like Rooney or Jeffers were never brains of Britain but had fantastic spacing awareness.

However Pennington seems to buck the trend a bit. He knows his limits and plays within them. He seems close to the first 11 and too many poor performances from Mori I can see a change being made.

The one issue I would have is his lack of physicality.

...I think being bright helps whatever line of work you are in but you are right about footballing brain. Some of the best footballers are unlikely to be on University Challenge. I also agree about Pennington's physicality. I can't see him getting any taller but he can get stronger so he has time to develop that side of his game but it's whether that is at Everton.

 

[Lanolin]

...I think being bright helps whatever line of work you are in but you are right about footballing brain. Some of the best footballers are unlikely to be on University Challenge. I also agree about Pennington's physicality. I can't see him getting any taller but he can get stronger so he has time to develop that side of his game but it's whether that is at Everton.

I can't imagine it being here.

The noises from Koeman and Moshiri are that we want to be the best, challenging for the major honours. Pennington will be 23 very early next season, and there's been nothing in his junior career or the early days of his senior one to suggest that he's anywhere the elite level you need to be a regular at that level.

I think the lad will have a decent career, and 10 years ago it might well have been with us, but I think (and hope) that those days are gone.

 

[Eggs]

I can't imagine it being here.

The noises from Koeman and Moshiri are that we want to be the best, challenging for the major honours. Pennington will be 23 very early next season, and there's been nothing in his junior career or the early days of his senior one to suggest that he's anywhere the elite level you need to be a regular at that level.

I think the lad will have a decent career, and 10 years ago it might well have been with us, but I think (and hope) that those days are gone.

..it could be the case for most of the current U23 squad. Koeman has made it clear he will recruit the best young talent as well as more proven players. As each window passes the further down the queue they fall. If and when any youngster gets a chance they really need to grasp it.

 

[Bagpuss]

Can't see Pennington coming in against West Brom but could well see him play against Hull. Think Koeman is more likely to trust Pennington in a two but would expect Holgate to play anytime we switch back to a 3. Pennington will definitely get game time this season because Unsworth has really talked him up and Koeman will want to run the rule over him before he decides whether he needs one or two centre halfs in the summer.

 

[Lazio]

I can't imagine it being here.

The noises from Koeman and Moshiri are that we want to be the best, challenging for the major honours. Pennington will be 23 very early next season, and there's been nothing in his junior career or the early days of his senior one to suggest that he's anywhere the elite level you need to be a regular at that level.

I think the lad will have a decent career, and 10 years ago it might well have been with us, but I think (and hope) that those days are gone.

You imply that he's just been rotting away in the mediocre reserves until 22; the reality is he's been out on loan and excelled wherever he went, and then broke into the first team at the end of last season and looked a more accomplished defender than Stones. He played well in pre-season before the injury, and without it would likely have featured for the first team from the start of the season. His career trajectory until that point had been fine.

Having watched a lot of City's youth team for the past 3-4 years, Adarabioyo is nowhere near as intelligent a defender; Jason Denayer is the only top class kid In that position to feature for City at that level in that time.

Pennington could do no worse than Williams and Funes Mori at this point

 

[Lanolin]

You imply that he's just been rotting away in the mediocre reserves until 22; the reality is he's been out on loan and excelled wherever he went, and then broke into the first team at the end of last season and looked a more accomplished defender than Stones. He played well in pre-season before the injury, and without it would likely have featured for the first team from the start of the season. His career trajectory until that point had been fine.

Having watched a lot of City's youth team for the past 3-4 years, Adarabioyo is nowhere near as intelligent a defender; Jason Denayer is the only top class kid In that position to feature for City at that level in that time.

Pennington could do no worse than Williams and Funes Mori at this point

I imply no such thing mate.

What I'm saying is the manager and board are making noises about the club making a serious splash. In order to do that, you want truly elite players - the type who get 50+ England caps. To put things into perspective, Lennon, Cleverley, Funes Mori and Mirallas have about 100 caps between them for top 10 nations. They're all in what should be their peak years but the common consensus is that they're not good enough for what we're trying to achieve. We're even talking about wanting to replace Williams, who has been a consistent premier league performer for years. That's how good players have got to be to make an impact here now. I'm not saying Pennington won't do that - and believe me i'll be thrilled if he does - but I've seen nothing so far to suggest that it's likely.

I think you were evidently slightly more impressed with Pennington than I was when he played last season. I thought he looked a decent, solid defender, but a little one paced, not particularly physically imposing, and not overly gifted on the ball. I thought he was run ragged at Leicester, and cost us a goal against Bournemouth. Not overly surprising for a young lad starting out, but not something that made me think he was the next big thing either. I'd compare his level of ability to players like Duffy, Hibbert etc at a time when I hope we're looking for Terrys and Ferdinands.

Again, I'm not claiming to be the oracle here, just giving my opinion on the lad's chances.

 

[toffeejack]

everyone overreacting and asking for drastic change again after one bad performance against the second best team in the league.

our defensive record has been very good lately with 6 clean sheets in our previous 9 league games up until then. Calm down, jeez.

 

[Bluebonic]

I agree with Toffeejack, i think we are letting outselves get carried away a little here? We are the seventh best team in the league. When the like sof Gueye and Scneiderlin have had sufficient time to build up a proper understanding, i think we could become the fifth best team in the league, but without some heavy spend we are just not breaking that top four lads, not unless someone totally melts down ahead of us? Spurs are a far better first team and far better squad than we are at present! Lets not start ecting too many crucifixes just yet!

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

everyone overreacting and asking for drastic change again after one bad performance against the second best team in the league.

our defensive record has been very good lately with 6 clean sheets in our previous 9 league games up until then. Calm down, jeez.

To be fair mate, I've been banging the drum for Pennington since the end of last season

I can't speak for others, but this isn't a knee jerk reaction from me

 

[Deulofeumygod]

everyone overreacting and asking for drastic change again after one bad performance against the second best team in the league.

our defensive record has been very good lately with 6 clean sheets in our previous 9 league games up until then. Calm down, jeez.

But Mori is and always has been a terrible defender/pass of the ball.

 

[toffeejack]

To be fair mate, I've been banging the drum for Pennington since the end of last season

I can't speak for others, but this isn't a knee jerk reaction from me

yeah, wasn't on about you. Just others now jumping on based off one bad game, i.e. pennington and holgate should play together now.

 

[Neiziro]

Start him on Saturday please Ronko.