U21s earn slender win at City

As for Dowell, the Exeter vs Liverpool game showed the effects of too much U21 football on previously promising youth players. We've done well loaning out a lot of kids under Martinez and should do the same with Dowell asap.

I saw he was in the first team squad last weekend. Hoping he can push on and make an impact in the 2nd half of the season. Still only 18.

According to the report, we were very organised and held on well after Dowell put us in front with a low drive. City Albanian wonderkid Celini nearly caused a mass punch-up when he became frustrated and pushed Thornley in the face and McAleny twice went close at the other end. This lad appears to be on fire at the moment.

No mention of Leandro who played 90 minutes but I'll bet he was instructed not to push things. Gradually getting up to speed is what these games are all about for players with the 1st team squad.

Tom Davies and Joe Williams battled hard in midfield. Davies escaped a red card for one air-born lunge and was booked for another committed challenge. He doesn't take a backward step and apparently acquitted himself well when he trained with the full England squad recently.

Leandro lasted until the 5 minutes of overtime but he was shattered by then. He did get one chance, breaking into the box late on but he didn't have the pace to gain a step on his man to get his shot off. I'm not sure he has much to offer the first team yet. McAleny was our best forward player and his cross led to Dowell's mis-timed shot bobbling past their flat-footed goalie. I wish Roberto had found a way of giving McAleny consecutive games in the first team.

Surely he would offer more than say Kone. Dowell also looks a gem of a player. We must be patient with him, especially as he is recovering from an injury which will have damaged his confidence, but I feel a few substitute appearances and a run out in the 4th round could be benaficial to his development.

I'd also like, come the end of the season, the likes of Walsh and Ledson to be recalled and given some minutes on the pitch with the first team.

Ledson's loan seems to have been a great step in his development, and I feel first team football may give him that confidence boost to really push on in pre-season. Walsh, by all accounts, is a heck of a prospect. Hopefully his loan will prove beneficial, and next year, at 19, he could be ready to step up.

With much dead wood in our squad, replacing them with young lads and focusing our budget on additions to the first 11-15 players is our best opportunity to push on.

I certainly agree that they need to be given opportunities and it's a real shame that McAleny's loans have all gone so badly (I seem to recall his attitude being questioned on the last one) as he has regularly performed for the U21s.

As much as Martinez is seen as the champion of young players, he has only really given them opportunity when injury has necessitated it. The likes of Robles, Browning, Galloway and Besic have all been dropped after good performances when the senior pros have come back. I hope some more of the younger crop get chances but won't hold my breath.

The only area where we are not overly blessed with talent and depth is up front; if we were, I'm sure McAleny would have been moved on by now. I have no agenda against the lad, IMO he's simply not good enough for the first team squad. He's had his chances and simply not taken them.

John @#5 I don't know what matches you watched where McAleny impressed; the only thing that impressed me about the lad was how immaculate his hair remained throughout the games I saw him in... possibly because he touched it more than he touched the ball.