Second Oldest Side in the Prem

billycopper · October 22, 2012

According to MOTD 2 the average age of our starting XI today was 29 (compared to Liverpool's 18) and only Fulham put out a side with more experience.

_______________Howard (33)
Coleman (24) Jagielka (30) Distin (34) Baines (27)
Anichebe (24) Neville (35) Osman (31) Pienaar (30)
_____________Mirallas (25)
______________________Jelavic (27)

Subs: Mucha (29), Heitinga (28), Gueye (22), Oviedo (22), Naismith (26), Hitzlsperger (30), Duffy (20)

If Gibson and Fellaini replace Neville and Osman it brings us down to 27.

Should we be concerned? Heitinga or Duffy could replace Distin, Neville is a stop-gap for Gibson and it can only be a matter of time before Barkley is more of a first team fixture. To use Brendan Rodgers' parlance around half the side are still in the "asset phase" (22-28 I think). The three that have only just turned 30 (Jags, Ossie and Peanuts) are intelligent players who read the game well and don't need to rely on pace. And 'keepers can go on forever. So maybe it's not so bad.

Brennan · October 22, 2012

Seeing as i only count three players there who would most likely be retired within the next four years, no.

noharmdone · October 22, 2012

You dont win anything with kids...

Deano · October 22, 2012

Neville & Distin cripple the average age.

Brennan · October 22, 2012

Deano said:
Neville & Distin cripple the average age.

Precisely. Once those two retire we'd have ZERO outfield players who would probably need to retire within the next four years.

Elong · October 22, 2012

If we still had Yakubu it'd be something like 42 ffs.

Brownie · October 22, 2012

Brennan91 said:
Precisely. Once those two retire we'd have ZERO outfield players who would probably need to retire within the next four years.

But with them we have two???

Brennan · October 22, 2012

Brownie said:
But with them we have two???

I THINK SO MATE MY MATHS COULD BE WONKY THO

noharmdone · October 22, 2012

BARKLEY AND DUFFY REPLACE THE TWO OLDIES ? THEN HOW ARE WE LOOKING FFS...??

Maestro Haze · October 22, 2012

I expect Distin to keep playing into his 40s, if he's that quick at his age then he might get even faster and better.
Neville on the other hand...

Fensta · October 22, 2012

Neville will never retire, he's too stubborn.

TX Bill · October 22, 2012

Nah...no worries.

tim cahill · October 22, 2012

billycopper said:
According to MOTD 2 the average age of our starting XI today was 29 (compared to Liverpool's 18) and only Fulham put out a side with more experience.

_______________Howard (33)
Coleman (24) Jagielka (30) Distin (34) Baines (27)
Anichebe (24) Neville (35) Osman (31) Pienaar (30)
_____________Mirallas (25)
______________________Jelavic (27)

Subs: Mucha (29), Heitinga (28), Gueye (22), Oviedo (22), Naismith (26), Hitzlsperger (30), Duffy (20)

If Gibson and Fellaini replace Neville and Osman it brings us down to 27.

Should we be concerned? Heitinga or Duffy could replace Distin, Neville is a stop-gap for Gibson and it can only be a matter of time before Barkley is more of a first team fixture. To use Brendan Rodgers' parlance around half the side are still in the "asset phase" (22-28 I think). The three that have only just turned 30 (Jags, Ossie and Peanuts) are intelligent players who read the game well and don't need to rely on pace. And 'keepers can go on forever. So maybe it's not so bad.

The only one to be concerned about is Neville and we're all expecting his replacement in January. The rest have got years left, including Distin. I was a lot more concerned about this a year ago but we've done some excellent transfer business since then.

MartSlinger · October 22, 2012

Age comes right down, as many say when Neville goes out the team and if we are to pursuit Ofoe again in Jan then the age will go down as he is only 23.