We need younger, hungrier players

Whilst out running this morning, trying to jog off those extra pounds that are obscuring my six pack, I thought about young, hungry players. We don't really give our kids a chance, even though most fans want to see some youngsters coming through.

I got thinking about other clubs who do give kids a chance, either their own academy kids or those acquired from elsewhere.

Look at Spurs for instance. Harry Kane, he's one of their own. Ryan Mason came through their academy. Dele Alli came from MK Dons for £5M. Tom Carroll came through their academy. These kids weren't on much money. Dele Alli is on £10k per week (though that is rumoured to be going up to at least £20K). They are hungry. They want to show what they can do. They put in those extra yards.

Look at the kids Arsenal have brought through (or usually bought young). Walcott, Ox, Bellerin, Gibbs, Chambers, Ramsey, Wilshere. They've all had to fight for their place and have worked hard to get into, and stay, in the first team.

When Sterling when he went to Liverpool he was a young, hungry, talented kid wanting to prove himself.

Even Hazard at Chelsea was the same.

We need more hungry players ourselves. The ones that will give everything they have for us. Not some highly paid trundlers just seeing out their time.

Kids like Itchy. He wants to prove himself, not just at City, but to get into his national squad. I think we need another one or two like him to get the team putting in a proper shift again.

MDM over Denayer, for instance, was a pretty poor call.

Having not watched the full game yet to see how Kelechi played...he definitely needs to be given more chances, his goal per game record demands it. 3 starts, 2 goals, 2 assists...

As for Bony, looks like Swansea are trying to get him back...as it stands a year on, it's not necessarily worked for a number of reasons (injury, opportunities, formation).

I think if he was given a long run in the team, which I believe he needs to be effective, we'd see the Bony of Swansea, but I just can't see that happening.
Some players can adapt to being a bit part player, an impact player or a player who will play every other game - I don't think Bony is that type of player.
Not neccessarily his fault with Aguero ahead of him...

As for seeing more youngsters...agree, but I think it will be dependent on what formation MP picks. With a 4-2-3-1 which seems to be his preferred option on the whole, it may leave less opportunities for Kelechi. This season:

24 - 4-2-3-1

5 - 4-4-2

1 - 4-3-3

1 - 4-4-1-1

In a 4-4-2, it's far easier to get him in the starting 11, however, I'm not sure 4-4-2 is the correct way to go against certain teams in the PL and the CL.

The only way I can see Kelechi getting into a 4-2-3-1 is to play (team as example only):

Hart
Zaba, Vinny, Ota, Clichy
Fernandinho, Delph
KDB, Silva, Aguero
Kelechi

or the same, but with Aguero up top and Kelechi out wide left...but that requires dropping TLMLF and Sterling, or dropping Silva and KDB for Sterling and TLMLF.

4-3-3 would make it easier:

Hart
Zaba, Vinny, Ota, Clichy
KDB, Fernandinho, Sterling
Aguero, Silva, Kelechi

However, on the evidence on this season, 4-2-3-1 looks like the formation we'll see the most.

As for youngsters getting into the team more, it's easy to see where and who:

Hart
Zaba, Ota, (Denayer), Clichy
Ferdy, Delph
KDB, Silva, Sterling (Kelechi)
Aguero

Can't see many of the other kids at the moment, replacing the likes of a Silva, KDB, Fernandinho....the likes of George Evans, Celina and then we have TLMLF and the less said about him the better.

I would have kept Denayer as a HG player (I think) and told MDM he was 5th choice CB in case of injuries.

Totally agree Dawg. I think we all were shocked at the start of the season when he was sent on loan.

As for the other academy kids...it'll be really difficult to shoe them in during the PL.

I guess with the fact that Kolorov improved - for a while, Clichy injured, the only other player that may have got a chance after his loan spell was Angelino at LB.

Oh...one other, Angus Gunn for Willy/Wright, especially Wright, just doesn't make any sense for me to have him ahead of a potential academy first team keeper.

442 is a good alternative against weaker opposition as we can tear teams apart so against the like of Norwich, Sunderland, Newcastle, Villa. Sunland, Bournemouth I reckon we should be using this more frequently. Against the top European teams and (maybe)top half of the PL 4321 or 451 is necessary