Dowell bags a hat-trick in U21s win

The thought of Dowell linking up with Rom, Ross, Del, Stones, Galloway, Robles next season is what makes next season already exciting.

I agree, exciting times.

Moyes never gave youth a chance?

Vaughan, Anichebe, Gosling, Rodwell, Chadwick.

Remind me of the glittering careers they've all had?

He did have his favourites but I don't think Martinez has exactly promoted youth when playing Kone rather than bringing through our younger players.

The league season has been over since January after an awful Christmas period, the likes of Dowell, Galloway, Connerly, Davies, and Pennington should have all been in and around the first team gaining invaluable experience.

Martinez is a joke, he's tried to blag everyone who cared to listen that our season was still alive, but no one apart from Kenwright has taken him seriously.

I can't stand the red shite, but look at the teams Klopp has put out in recent weeks, check his side vs Bournemouth for example, he's given everyone a fair chance and he will unearth some diamonds for the future as a result.

All this shite about Martinez gives youth a chance is as much a myth as the one that he plays expansive football. He's a legend in his own mind and talks that much shite that people almost can't help but repeat it.

Stones and Barkley were put into the side because they are a lot better than the older players.

Galloway was put into the side because Baines and Oviedo were both injured so who else could play.

Robles isn't that young, and was held back for much longer than he ever should have been.

Connerly and Davies were used recently because Martinez knew it would get him a small amount of positive press. Were was they for the derby?

Del Boy is very talented, and 22 years of age, yet is still not in the side because he's allowed to walk around all season no were near fit enough.

Mo Besic is Martinez last choice.

Dowell has been inform most of the season, yet Martinez has used a half fit Cleverly at times, a never fit Gibson, and two fossils in Pienaar and Osman over him.

Brewster has banged goals for the younger sides yet he's not had a mention dispite the fact we have no back up for Rom.

Martinez doesn't give youth a chance at all.

Can't help but agree with Andrew 7.

Add Velious, Coleman, Hibbert, Jose Batter, Shane Duffy, Maggy Gueye (20), Barkley (not used as much as we would have liked).

Exactly, Barkley was starting to show in Moyes final months and Stones was special.

But the lack of youth time has been restricted.

The fact that Gibson, who I like as a footballer, was brought on Saturday having rarely featured says it all. United played energetic kids and won.

Martinez does not advocate youth. He just uses them when all other options are removed or one is simply too good to ignore.

Tom Davies and Callum Connolly both impressed tonight. Davies and Joe Williams worked like Trojans in central midfield while Connolly formed a solid central defensive partnership with Matt Pennington. After conceding an unfortunate deflected goal just before halftime the team needed to weather the Leicester storm in the opening stages of the second half. They did that and eventually were able to cruise their way to a comfortable victory.

Like most games at this level the match was played in a good spirit, ably refereed by a female official, J Simms.

That all said, we should bring in a better manager who can execute this vision. I have no doubts Martinez has the vision. He just hasn't got the ability or flexibility to set up a team to focus for 90 minutes. I have doubts over his defensive tactics, his man management and his fitness regime. It's no good having players with such ability if you don't know how to get the best out of them in the 1st team.

I think we need a manager who will get the most out of this young talent and continue Martinez's plans for the academy and that means going Dutch, with either Ronald Koeman or Frank De Boar becoming our new boss.

Anyone watching Rom, Ross, Del and Stones can see that Martinez is anathema to progressing young footballers.

Rom still has the touch of a lamp-post albeit his goals have been vital in keeping us up. He is idle when not in possession though, and once he announced he was destined for better things he's basically downed tools, such as they were.

Barkley now resembles, as another TW'er said last week, "a gormless child". He looks overweight and is also idle when not in possession, which increasingly occurs under our present manager (respects to Harold).

Del is the only early 20's footballer I've ever seen who is spent after 60 minutes. That in itself is not good enough.

Stones is, in terms of professionalism in a successful team, a liability. I'm no fan of Shearer as a pundit but in the derby he said what's bog-standard; "professional footballers make mistakes but professional footballers don't make the same mistake twice".........unless Martinez is the gaffer, obviously.

I hope we get a competent manager this week so that these guys lads get the leadership and coaching they and we deserve.

In that way they may decide to stay, as I would wish.

While Martinez has put more emphasis on youth development than his predecessor, and is more likely to blood this young talent. I don't believe he will get the most of these players because of the reasons I stated in #18.

We have the playing talent but they're not being coached properly.

Barkley and Lukaku both look half a stone too heavy while we have lots of lesser players not fit.

Keeping players super fit should be the minimum right?

I'd happily see this team against Bournemouth:

Robles

Connolly Stones Pennington Baines
Davies Gibson/Barry
Deulofeu Dowell Lennon
Evans/Lukaku

Won't happen but at least it'd give us something to get interested about.

We have some potentially some very good youngsters. The best for me is young Walsh currently on loan at Yeovil. I've been following his progress. He had been man of the match in several occasions. One blip when he got sent off. This lad has got skill pace and loves a tackle. Definitely one for the not to distant future.

I think a few lads will play on Saturdayor be on the bench,it will be one way of getting the fans to go, there is little interest in the team as the season finished last Saturday.

The richest clubs will probably throw on a few younger players at the end of the season when there's nothing to play for, everyone else will try to climb a position until it's impossible to do so, as there's big prize money at stake.

Is it not the case that a manager will pick the team based on what is likely to win him the game? If a 16 year old forward like Rooney is available then he'll be picked.

The only other reason I can see not to play a young player that's good enough, is to protect him from whatever the manager thinks he needs to be protected from e.g too many games too young, the media spotlight etc.

Every time I see a report on U21 games I hope that it's the next Rooney etc but I always have the niggling doubt that they look great against other poorer young players and that they are not as good as we all hope they will be.

Sweet left foot and fingers crossed he gets his chance and progresses.

In regards to Martinez giving youth a chance....Fuck off!

Sweet left foot the kid has. I fear that he would get kicked, pulled and shoved way more in the PL than the U-21s and that would need some getting used to. Once he adjusts to that, he should be a source of many goals for us.

Thant being said, other than the clear 1st teamers of Barkley, Lukaku and Stones, Martinez hasn't really give youth a chance. Only in extreme circumstances has he called upon young players to the side. Galloway only played as Baines and Oviedo were out, and another promising youth player was out on loan. As we have a small squad you would expect a few young players to make the bench, but again it is filled with Martinez favourites, who quite often aren't fully fit.

Dowell was terrific last night and his last 4 goals have all come from strikes outside the box. He won't get that room when he moves up.

Galloway. Will come back in before long. Agree with the views about exposed playing with Kone.

Browning. Hope the lad returns fit. I want to be wrong about this but I don't expect him to be a fixture at CB. More of a Championship player like Shane Duffy.

He must be on the pitch at Goodison before the end of this season - please!

Walter Smith wanted to play Rooney in the first team when Wayne was 15; he couldn't because Rooney was still at school.

James Vaughn came in when there was an injury crisis, came off the bench to score that goal. I liked him but he was unfortunate with injuries. Anichebe... well the lad never improved from when he was 18 and we were amazingly lucky to get the price we did for him.

Rodwell looked like he was going to be a very good player but injuries and not improving his game put a stop to that. Gosling looked a good signing, cost a million, was allowed to escape Goodison on a free and is only now starting to show the promise he had here. James McFadden was inconsistent; Vellios didn't seem to have the desire to be a footballer.

Ross Barkley was dropped at an early age for giving a penalty away at Blackburn; Moyes didn't appear to give him much encouragement after that.

All-in-all, any manager who had Rooney, Rodwell and Barkley would have played them at an early age, they were outstanding. Jose Baxter was given a start at 16 but was never a regular player and, at the age of 20, he was offered a 2-year contract by Moyes at half the wage he was already on.