In a few days time we will know which of the Academy youngsters we have seen in first team action are to remain at the club and which are to go out of loan.
A few weeks ago when the team was in the bottom three there were regular calls for several of them to be given their first team chances on the basis that “they can’t be any worse than those out there now.”
Hardly the best argument in the world to make but there we are!
Toni Martinez was the first name off most people lips even though a large proportion had probably never seen him play, whilst the likes of Martin Samuelsen, Josh Cullen, Reece Burke and various others were being mentioned.
Three FA Cup matches have shown quite clearly that those who are considered the best of the current bunch really aren’t ready for the first team. The obvious exeption in this discussion of course in the excellent Declan Rice.
By Wednesday the latest, David Moyes needs to have decided what’s 
to become of the youngsters who have been on the fringes of the first team and, with no disrespect to any of them, his job has probably been made easy for him.
It’s hard to see Reece Burke remaining although Josh Cullen may have half a chance whilst Martinez is likely to head out on loan – the latest club mentioned being Dundee.
Reece Oxford, meanwhile, is giving a good impression of a player who would prefer to be back in Germany after a couple of games where his body language was questionable and his performances more so.
I’m personally pleased Moyes has given the kids their chances and I hope we see Rice back in the team very soon – the remainder don’t look ready and a long running discussion appear to have been put to bed.
Hopefully they will come back from their loan spells as better players ready and ready to step up into the first team reckoning next season.
Agree Hugh, Oxford in fairness to him is a centre back not a dm so we shouldn’t worry too much about that, likewise Declan Rice although he is more competent as a DM than Oxford, Burke is maybe two seasons off a first team place but I am sure he will get there, likewise Cullen and Martinez they need experience in the Championship and to play consistently well, for me Quina is a bit of an anomaly he has undoubted skill but looks lost in the first team, I would be tempted to loan him abroad maybe back to Portugal or Spain where he can really improve and get some much needed first team experience. If we didn’t have so many injuries I would say to loan them all out but Cullen and Martinez we probably need to keep because we just don’t have the numbers.
I also agree . The only one with half a chance of remaining is Cullan who at least puts in a fighting and energetic performance. Rice to me is full-time first team now.
i watched oxford play brilliantly as a defensive midfielder for munchen gladbach. i would keep him. that cup game wasnt a true reflection of his talent. man city will be trying to buy him for a hundred mill in a few years. and i would rather have martinez on the bench than a waste of space like sakho. poor old sakho who only earns 30000 a week for sitting on his jacksie. my heart bleeds.
I would rather keep Burke and send out Cullen. Rice is definitely a keeper. Burke looks quite composed either as RB or CM. In the 2/3 games he’s featured in recently there isn’t much getting past him. He doesn’t have the obvious experience of Zab but he can certainly track back and run faster and longer than Zab. He’s our weakest link at the moment. Can do it for 60 minutes but no more.
Martinez would do well being kept around the team. He more than likely won’t start games but he works hard when he comes on and can give Arnie, or whichever striker we are using at the time, a rest for that last 10/15mins of the game. All valuable experience and game time.
Oxford is already i gone i think 🙁
What happened to Nathen Holland who was getting plenty of positive press until recently?