Bushy2812

Maybe a slight bang on the head might make you realise you are talking utter tripe!! Gerrard is more of a forward the majority of the time than a midfielder....... read many, many statements from Rafa about that very subject.

Yeah I did think you were probably talking about Academy graduates as apposed to the current youth players. If I was to address the individual points I would say Guthrie is a decent player for a mid level club, better than Plessis? I would say about the same, considering we sold Guthrie for a couple of million and didnt pay a lot for Plessis we have benefitted financially there. Spearing for Lucas, like you say people have a different opinion but personally I think Lucas has more of the ingredients to be a better player, and barring two big mistakes recently has been looking a good player. Spearing is local and perhaps more determined but those arent the only ingredients. But again opinions differ. Darby ahead of Degen..... I really like the look of Darby, but would you really go into the season with the second choice right back having played no games in the PL? Same applies with Spearing, would you want a 3rd choice central midfielder (if Gerrard is a forward) having never played before? I think sometimes people make the mistake of wanting to see these players too early. If I was a manager I wouldnt want to rely on someone who has never played. I would have a more experienced player as that 2nd or 3rd choice whilst slowing introducing the young player over a couple of years, so in 2 years time we ditch Degen and Lucas for arguments sake and play Darby and Spearing, who by then have 30 games or so under their belt and can be relied upon having proven their ability to do it on the big stage. I have read most of Dave Usher's articles, and I really appreciate them. However whenever you read anything dont take it as the gospel truth, everyone has an opinion and his (and possibly the nature of his contacts) is reflected in his writing. I base my opinions on what I hear, read and can see with my own eyes. I can see that players are progressing between the ranks and that no one has a right to move on, it is something that has to be earned. If that means taking 2 or 3 years to make the break through from the fringes through to the 1st team squad then knuckle down and do it. If ultimately you are deemed not good enough, then so be it, you probably arent. Afterall not a single player who has left this club after failing to make the first team has gone on to prove us wrong.

Surely you cant mean what you just wrote? His refusal to pick academy players for the first team or squad? Surely you cant be advocating picking U18 players for the first team? None of them are even close to ready..... If you mean academy graduates then you need to realise that they were all dross when he arrived, and although it looks like it is slowly improving it takes time and these guys are very young. I posted on RAWK (yeah I know) about some of the transition between the academy and reserves and then from reserves into the first team and how in my opinion it was along the correct lines. If you look at players who were in the U18's but now play for the reserves there are plenty......Spearing, Bouzanis, Kelly, Irwin, Putterill, Flynn and Threlfall. Ok so some are out on loan and likely to leave but it shows players progressing through the ranks in the last 2 years. Add to that Amoo, LDV and Ecclestone who have all trained with the reserves and are linked to making the move full time, and Adjarevic who was trialled and rejected and that is a decent number of players moving through. Then look at the reserve players who have made some progression, Insua, Spearing, Kelly, Plessis and Darby. Pacheco and Nemeth were involved pre season and would seem to be close. Ok so they are not getting as many minutes as some people would like but the fact remains that all of these players have seen first team action this season. Kelly in particular has gone from U18 to Champions League squad in 18 months which is good progress by anyone's standards for an 18 year old. Hobbs, Martin, El Zhar, Leto were also all players brought into the reserves who have had first team exposure. Realistically how many do you expect to progress? In my mind if 2 players a season can become regular squad players or starters that is fantastic progress, but it takes time. When Rafa arrived he tried to introduce players, the likes of Warnock, Guthrie, Potter, Ostemobor and Raven, I may have forgotten some, but all were given a chance and were not good enough so he had to go back to the beginning and start again. Personally I think within the next 2 years if we carry on we will see a regular trickle of players progressing through to be regular members of the 1st team squad. As for the Lucas argument, on this and every other forum there are those that like him and those that dont, just because you dont please dont say it is fact that he is crap and no one likes him, and he isnt as good as Spearing. The two play at completely different levels and the coaching staff at Liverpool is best placed to decide. Phew.....2p worth for my 2nd post!!