He should be getting the game time here. He’s been fine in the games he’s played and is hardly chucking them in his own net Keane-style. No player doesn’t make mistakes, but you aren’t binning Tarkowski for his today, or Pickford for his against City. I don’t know why everyone acts like his are somehow career-defining or terminal.
Im far from binary on the lad, I want him to develop and improve. I don’t think he’s getting mins over Coleman or Young for that matter and he needs mins and experience.
Im not even talking about the goals, im talking of his general defending, he doesn’t know when to get touch tight, he gets caught ball watching, he struggles with decision making and when to stick and twist and today our centre half’s had to come across almost every time to plug his side. He’s not a tenacious defender, in fact he doesn’t look like he enjoys defending. I see a player there but I also see huge developmental needs that aren’t being met - part of that is game time and experience.
Nathan touching 23, he can develop thus I’m advocating what I think he needs, he can develop - to answer your question if I thought we could send Keane out fir four months and he would improve I would, I don’t think he would come back a better player, but I think Nathan would.