No Darby or Spearing for Crewe game
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
There were many dissenting voices to my article about the academy and whether players coming through it are being ostracized both in the comments on this blog as well as on the forums that picked it up.
The main arguments were that, if good enough, players will come through and, even though I've got my reservations about that (would Jamie Carragher have made it at Liverpool if he'd come through now?) it is acceptable enough.
What I find hard to accept, however, is Dave Usher's snippet of news that neither Stephen Darby nor Jay Spearing have been called up for today's game against Crewe. I'd have accepted seeing Darby on the bench given that Phillip Deggen was always going to start with this one but if you're not going to utilise two of the most consistent reserve team players in the Carling Cup, when are they going to get their chance?
Before the pro-Rafa group jump on my case, this is not a criticism of the manager. He has brought in many good young players and he will undoubtedly use a number of them today. The reserves team has undoubtedly improved since he's been at the club.
My gripe is that the whole strategy isn't doing the club and the players themselves any favours. If neither Darby nor Spearing were going to get their chance in the League Cup, why not send them on loan to a decent Championship side (and not a struggling Division One side like Hereford, where poor Robbie Threlfall has been sent)? Surely, they would have had a better chance of improving?
Instead they were given hope that they would get to play some time during the season which, given today's news, looks unlikely. How their confidence and morale will be hit by this is anyone's guess, but it is hardly going to do them any good.
Do read Dave Usher's preview of the Crewe game, as well as his excellent match reports on The Liverpool Way.
In the meantime, have you read my post on the future of Liverpool's academy? Do so here and let me know what you think.
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3 comments:
it is so simple, spearing and darby arent good enough and never will be. its just a dream that new scousers come through the ranks and become the next gerrard and carragher, but its not happening in this generation of players. darby is weak, quite slow, poor at attacking and a back passer all the time. spearing is tiny, gives the ball away a lot, fouls a lot, has no strength also, and has nothing special about him. whereas the foreign players do and you have to face up to that. i know id rather play the likes of el zhar, pacheco, nemeth, insua, flora etc than those mediocre players
Can anyone honestly say that they weren't disappointed by the subs' bench for the Crewe game?
I agree with this blog. Maybe spearing isnt the next Gerrard but he has proved himself at youth and reserve level, surely he's worth a try in the carling cup even if it is starting from the bench. If not whats he doing at liverpool? it still amazes me paul anderson hasnt had a proper first team gaem (i know they are out on loan) I doubt they will ever play for liverpool in a competetive game.
It would be fascinating to see who wenger would have picked if he was in charge of liverpool, i suspect we wouldnt just be looking at spearing but also pacheco, bruna and even eccleston or amoo in the squad too
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