Minutes to teenagers…

[Pogue Mahone]

Random discovery on t’internet.

Looking at the statistics on FBRef, the Red Devils have now handed 3,637 minutes to teenagers in the Premier League this season.
This is almost three times compared to the rest of the current top six in the Premier League.
Manchester City are the second highest with only 698 minutes. They are followed by Aston Villa (360).
Liverpool have handed only 117 league minutes to teenagers this term despite much talk about ‘Klopp’s kids’ since they beat Chelsea in the League Cup final.
Tottenham Hotspur are fifth on the list (54) with Arsenal bottom of the pile with only 14 minutes which came through Ethan Nwaneri against West Ham United.

So that’s… encouraging? Right?

 

[Mike Smalling]

It's encouraging that we have quality teenagers, and that they have generally been performing so well.
It's not so encouraging that the squad is in such a poor state, that we have to rely on teenagers so heavily.

 

[horsechoker]

No pedofile or rape jokes should go without saying but I know what some of you are like.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I guess we have 2 teenage starters in Garnacho and Mainoo? Probably quite rare in the PL in general not just top teams?

 

[Doracle]

Neither positive or negative. We have two really talented youngsters, which is great. They are having to play nearly every match because we spent £160m on Antony and Sancho and haven’t purchased a decent number 8 in about 20 years.

 

[simonhch]

Neither positive or negative. We have two really talented youngsters, which is great. They are having to play nearly every match because we spent £160m on Antony and Sancho and haven’t purchased a decent number 8 in about 20 years.

Whilst all that is true, it is also true that we have other players that could’ve filled their positions, such as the afore mentioned Antony, Eriksen, Amrabat etc. The number would also be a lot higher if Mainoo hadn’t been injured for three months at the start of the season.

There are definitely positives. 1. That we are producing high quality youngsters that are good enough to become integral parts of the team, and 2. That we are trusting giving those youngsters the minutes they deserve.

 

[Remember the geese]

Massively encouraging because if you can't recruit properly, you sure as hell better have a top academy to fall back on! Seriously though, it's very encouraging and the best part is, there are more to follow.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Encouraging and worrying too. It means we've produced a couple of teenagers who are regular starters, but at the same time, we still have the highest net spend in football in recent years.

 

[Borys]

It's encouraging that we have quality teenagers, and that they have generally been performing so well.
It's not so encouraging that the squad is in such a poor state, that we have to rely on teenagers so heavily.

Wonderful comment, close the thread.

 

[The United]

It is encouraging for the academy and their development.

It would be not so much encouraging though if we don't build the squad properly and wander around the mid table with them constantly.

 

[BazzaBear]

It makes this comment on the BBC site during the Liverpool game even more demonstrably laughable:
"I've no sympathy for United "having" to play teenagers. Liverpool have done this all season, and it's why their teenagers don't look out of depth. Can't wait for this one."

The whole media blowing smoke up 'Pool's collective asses because they named some teenagers on the bench for one game really did have half the country convinced that they're winning games with their creche, didn't it?

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Most of that is Garnacho and Mainoo, right?

 

[Irwin99]

A little bit like LvG's second season the youngsters/early twenty-somethings have been the few bright sparks of this season. Let's hope they're managed better and look after themselves better in the future than Rashford and Martial.

 

[Dan_F]

Most of that is Garnacho and Mainoo, right?

Yes. There’s 200 minutes for Kambwala.

 

[top1whoisman]

Yes. There’s 200 minutes for Kambwala.

Plus Forson’s 65 minutes.

 

[Bilbo]

Random discovery on t’internet.



So that’s… encouraging? Right?

It's wonderful. Always been by far my favourite thing about this club

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Yes. There’s 200 minutes for Kambwala.

So Kwambala alone got more minutes than all the Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool teenagers combined.

 

[didz]

It's bloody terrible. Kobbie should have added about another 1000 to that tally, but he went and got injured for half the season.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Plus Forson’s 65 minutes.

Same as Spurs and Arsenal’s teenagers combined.

 

[Dan_F]

So Kwambala alone got more minutes than all the Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool teenagers combined.

Indeed. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing but two of those clubs are going for the title, I wouldn’t expect them to be giving many minutes to teenagers.

Hopefully we get some more quality to give Garnacho and Mainoo a rest at times next year. They’re playing a lot of intensive football at a young age.

 

[thisisnottaken1]

It makes this comment on the BBC site during the Liverpool game even more demonstrably laughable:
"I've no sympathy for United "having" to play teenagers. Liverpool have done this all season, and it's why their teenagers don't look out of depth. Can't wait for this one."

The whole media blowing smoke up 'Pool's collective asses because they named some teenagers on the bench for one game really did have half the country convinced that they're winning games with their creche, didn't it?

Good grief, what a stupid comment. Liverpool’s teenagers don’t look out of depth but ours do? This guy is a pure bitter, plain and simple. (Referring to the guy on BBC)

 

[711]

Hopefully we get some more quality to give Garnacho and Mainoo a rest at times next year. They’re playing a lot of intensive football at a young age.

Yeah that is a worry. Personally I'd give Garnacho an occasional rest via Amad/Antony even if a downgrade, just for an odd match, and Mount now available should help with Mainoo.

But as for the general development of the pair, I fecking love it.

 

[saik]

But, but.. Klopps kids though? Neville needs a good kick up his ass for that idiotic comment. Spouted that shit like those kids won them the Carabao cup.

 

[Stig]

It makes this comment on the BBC site during the Liverpool game even more demonstrably laughable:
"I've no sympathy for United "having" to play teenagers. Liverpool have done this all season, and it's why their teenagers don't look out of depth. Can't wait for this one."

The whole media blowing smoke up 'Pool's collective asses because they named some teenagers on the bench for one game really did have half the country convinced that they're winning games with their creche, didn't it?

Who made the comment ?

 

[P-Nut]

Wasn't this a statline Arsenal were top of a couple of seasons ago. It can definitely be a positive in a poor season. It just depends how we build on it from here

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Definitely encouraging.

I don't necessarily agree with the idea that they're only getting loads of minutes because we're a poor side.

If you're that talented(even at a young age), you'll get minutes no matter what. Yamal and Cubarsi at Barcelona are a good example of this too.

 

[FrankWhite]

I think this would be a good stat if our performances were at an acceptable level.

 

[Gordon S]

It shows that our academy is doing well. It shows that Mainoo and Garnacho are doing really well, big credit goes to them of course.
it is also another thing that shows just how abysmal our squadplanning have been last 10 years.
We are spending +100m in transferfees alone more or less every year, but we are relying on 2 teenagers to not only start every week but also be differencemakers for us.

 

[Insanity]

It's some solace we can take from this shit show of a season. Actually, more than the tin pot cups we have won, the emergence of youth and our continuation of the 'an academy player in each match-day squad since eternity' has been the thing that has given me, personally, the most joy the last XI years. Januzaj, Greenwood, Rashford, Mainoo, Garnacho etc. have at different points in different seasons given us some magical moments to savor. It gives someone like me, who started following this club at the same time as the class of '92 were establishing themselves, immense pleasure that we have at least continued with that one tradition.

It would help us immensely if Mainoo, Garnacho, Kambwala and others can form the basis of our next great squad. The new management teams job would become so much easier if these guys can establish themselves as first-teamers or at least quality squad players. It's a shame that Gore got injured during his loan spell. I had high hopes that he would come back and be ready to play a part for us next season.

 

[Zed 101]

It is interesting and positive, what is particularly pleasing is that Garnacho and Mainoo have probably been our best players this season, like others have mentioned that is also worrying given the money we have spunked down the drain

 

[Vault Dweller]

Massively encouraging for us and the academy too. Remains a real source of pride for the club.

 

[BazzaBear]

Who made the comment ?

Just some geezer. You know they occasionally add things to the feed which members of the general public* have texted in.

*i.e. idiots.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

It's always encouraging as long as the club knows what it's doing. Mainoo, especially, given our cash and FFP issues, could as well become a get out of jail card in the attempt to shape a new midfield. Whether that is a requisite, though, in the foreseeable for an organization that seems enamoured with kick n' run merchants, it remains to be seen. Do we know what we have in our hands, this is the big question. Because the last player who made us all feel hopeful has turned into a frustrating enigma.

It would also leave a sweeter taste, if not for that nagging feeling of deja-vu. Wasn't it LvG's last resort, too, when his "process" wasn't paying dividends? Dutch coach who has made his name working under Ajax's structure, pretty much hopeless on his own in the market, resembling a teacher more than a manager, arrives at OT and is left to do everything on his own. He fails, and the money's dried up. So, he turns to the youngsters (who were always on the radar, but the whole thing gets fast-forwarded) - and the teacher's pets - because they are the ones that can be moulded into what he wants easier and there are fewer chances they'll start kicking like a mule. All in all, there's a bit of desperation in those impressive minutes numbers there.

It's also one of INEOS' biggest calls: how they'll nurture them, decide their future and deal with contract renewals or sales.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Good and bad, as others have already noted. One thing is for sure though: Carrington is in the best state it's been in a while

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Random discovery on t’internet.



So that’s… encouraging? Right?

It always is. But if a given fan detests the manager to them it's a sign he is incompetent....