by bodacious benny » Tue Feb 12, 2019 5:08 pm
Remember Colo wrote: ↑Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:41 pm
Bodacious Benny wrote: ↑Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:21 pm
He looks every ounce a PL player, I’d go as far as to say that he’s the first CM on our team sheet at the moment (even when everyone else is fit). The others are vying for a place alongside him. Neves is touted as one of the best young midfielders around and Longstaff outshone him today so hopefully he can maintain and carry on doing what he’s doing. Got a great attitude too.
I'm glad he got a proper opportunity to prove himself. This isn't a shot at Rafa, because it goes back farther than him, but I feel like Longstaff is the first academy player (besides Dummett) to have gotten a consistent run-out in the senior side, in his true position, in a long time. Maybe he showed more on his loans and in the reserves to separate himself from others, but it just proves that given the right opportunity an unheralded youngster can exceed expectations.
I agree. Part of it is probably down to circumstance and literally having no other CM options available for a sustained period of time and Longstaff has grabbed that opportunity. Chances are, had Longstaff played one game (even playing well) then Shelvey, Ki or Diame were available the next game then they'd be back in the team over him. So our midfield injury crisis was in a way just what we needed as it turned out!
Rafa has given some youngsters a go in the past but it's typically for one game then they're not seen again for ages. Wasn't Mbabu sold by Rafa? He had a couple of good games then disappeared, presumably because whoever was LB at that time returned from suspension or injury.
[quote="Remember Colo" post_id=855558 time=1549986107 user_id=108]
[quote="Bodacious Benny" post_id=855524 time=1549927273 user_id=140]
He looks every ounce a PL player, I’d go as far as to say that he’s the first CM on our team sheet at the moment (even when everyone else is fit). The others are vying for a place alongside him. Neves is touted as one of the best young midfielders around and Longstaff outshone him today so hopefully he can maintain and carry on doing what he’s doing. Got a great attitude too.
[/quote]
I'm glad he got a proper opportunity to prove himself. This isn't a shot at Rafa, because it goes back farther than him, but I feel like Longstaff is the first academy player (besides Dummett) to have gotten a consistent run-out in the senior side, in his true position, in a long time. Maybe he showed more on his loans and in the reserves to separate himself from others, but it just proves that given the right opportunity an unheralded youngster can exceed expectations.
[/quote]
I agree. Part of it is probably down to circumstance and literally having no other CM options available for a sustained period of time and Longstaff has grabbed that opportunity. Chances are, had Longstaff played one game (even playing well) then Shelvey, Ki or Diame were available the next game then they'd be back in the team over him. So our midfield injury crisis was in a way just what we needed as it turned out!
Rafa has given some youngsters a go in the past but it's typically for one game then they're not seen again for ages. Wasn't Mbabu sold by Rafa? He had a couple of good games then disappeared, presumably because whoever was LB at that time returned from suspension or injury.
