[Archived] Let's Have Fun!

[Billy Castell]

I reckon we should start to have fun, chuck in the odd youngster and try to play attacking football. Relegation is impossible, Europe unlikely, so I think we should let our hair down and stop worrying. Who knows, there may be a hidden gem in our reserves, who needs the big stage to shine. Whilst the 'big 4' bitch and snipe about each other, we should just enjoy ourselves on the pitch, in the stands and in the pubs. Surely there are other people who see our position in a fairly positive, stress free way?

[LeftWinger]

I demand this thread is closed instantly. We can't be having any positivity on this board!

[gumboots]

Like the suggestion but the problem is that places bring money and we need it so we need to pick up every possible point.

[Billy Castell]

Stuff the money! A positive attitude may actually help achieve results, and thus get more money. And I don't suggest replacing the spine of the team with our 18 year olds, just perhaps put Tony Kane, Mr. Keita or whoever in the 16, and give them a chance.

[LeChuck]

Mr. Keita or whoever in the 16, and give them a chance.

Unfortunately I believe Keita has left, so we can't find out if he was any good.

I agree with the overall sentiment though. West Ham fans had been asking for Sears (and a couple of other youngsters) to be given a chance using the exact same logic as yours (can't go lower than mid-table, Europe out of reach) and they may just have unearthed a talent.

I really think we should try giving a few players a try, it could save us millions in the summer if we can find someone from the academy who is capable of stepping up to the first team.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Perhaps we could give Vogel/Fortune and the likes of Treacy a try. There really isn't much to play for so we might as well just stick some fringe players in and see if anyone can surprise us.

[Fife Rover]

I am all for this. Like the other posters I think we have nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying something along these lines. Just so long as we dont drop all the experienced players at once; I would think try no more than two youngsters at any given time and see how we go. We won't have to expect miracles though, and accept that it may mean dropping anything up to 5 or 6 places in the table, but if we turn up with 2 or 3 more young stars in the making it will be well worth it.

[den]

So no-one's bothered about winning any more games this season?

[Billy Castell]

Like I said, it'll be a place on the bench, or 1 place on the pitch. It's not like the whole academy team will be in. You'll still have 9 or 10 players with 1st team experience. Typical negativity.

[thenodrog]

Den you should really have locked this rubbish after gumboots post.

[den]

Den you should really have locked this rubbish after gumboots post.

Ah well The, - you know me, freedom of speech and all that.

[ABBEY]

THATS a first for you den

youngsters maybe in a couple of games but i want to win games and end the season on a good run

[den]

THATS a first for you den

youngsters maybe in a couple of games but i want to win games and end the season on a good run

Don't know how you can say that Abbs.

Anyhow, the thread title is "let's have fun". What's enjoyable about being slaughtered?

[ABBEY]

nothing den thats what i mean maybe young uns in the last two games but not before ....im enjoying a couple glases of jack as we speak ,neat with 2 lumps of ice

[rover6]

So no-one's bothered about winning any more games this season?

This is the negative attitude that is damaging youth prospects, imo.

People seem to envision a dichotomy between LOSING points by blooding youngsters OR GAINING points playing the regulars. It seems, to many, that gaining points and blooding youngsters is an impossible scenario. As is losing points playing the regulars.

It doesn't have to be like that. We will lose every game if we field a U21 side for the rest of the season. But if we play the odd youngster from the start and give cameo roles to others, their youthful exuberance, surprise factor, positivity etc. etc. can help us get more points. They will gain experience, develop their confidences and, hopefully, be set for a greater impact next season.

Aaron Mokoena is sitting on the bench but hasn't got on for the last two games. It seems that Hughes has finally seen the light with him. Why not give his place to someone else? Unfortunately, Hughes doesn't have a lot of young attacking talent to call upon. Apparently, Peter, Treacy and Olsson are all injured. So by my reckoning Alan Judge, Aaron Doran (only 16...!) and Maceo Rigters are realistically the only attacking player who could get the call. (Raffa De Vita is heading for the exits, Jamie Clarke hasn't scored many for reserves). Defensively, Eddie Nolan and Tony Kane are hanging around having served their time as loanees.

We do not have a wealth - or even a piggybank of great youth talent. But there's some with promise and it'd be nice if Hughes could give them some belief.

[ABBEY]

This is the negative attitude that is damaging youth prospects, imo.

People seem to envision a dichotomy between LOSING points by blooding youngsters OR GAINING points playing the regulars. It seems, to many, that gaining points and blooding youngsters is an impossible scenario. As is losing points playing the regulars.

It doesn't have to be like that. We will lose every game if we field a U21 side for the rest of the season. But if we play the odd youngster from the start and give cameo roles to others, their youthful exuberance, surprise factor, positivity etc. etc. can help us get more points. They will gain experience, develop their confidences and, hopefully, be set for a greater impact next season.

Aaron Mokoena is sitting on the bench but hasn't got on for the last two games. It seems that Hughes has finally seen the light with him. Why not give his place to someone else? Unfortunately, Hughes doesn't have a lot of young attacking talent to call upon. Apparently, Peter, Treacy and Olsson are all injured. So by my reckoning Alan Judge, Aaron Doran (only 16...!) and Maceo Rigters are realistically the only attacking player who could get the call. (Raffa De Vita is heading for the exits, Jamie Clarke hasn't scored many for reserves). Defensively, Eddie Nolan and Tony Kane are hanging around having served their time as loanees.

We do not have a wealth - or even a piggybank of great youth talent. But there's some with promise and it'd be nice if Hughes could give them some belief.

bull poop r6.....when treacy played in the cov game he got slaughterd by the fans thats negative,if there good enough they will come thru if there not they wont

[rover6]

Peter Crouch got slaughtered by ENgland fans for being tall. It probably hurt his confidence. However, he is where he is now because his various managers had the balls and the belief in him to continue to pick him. Why let the idiotic fans win. And besides, others were saying that Treacy wasn't being targetted, it was just an outpouring of general frustration with the team against Cov.

[Claytons Left Boot]

How on earth would we be slaughtered if, for example, we played Wigan at the weekend and had a youngster either sat on the bench or in the starting eleven? Fair enough if we blooded two or three against the likes of United or Chelsea away. Using the 'slaughtered logic' we should have hammered (I love puns) West Ham given that they had a young debutant in their side. Not only did West Ham win the game but the young debutant even got the winner. How did that happen?

[ABBEY]

treacy wasnt being targeted? where you there ? i was and he was slaughtered!!!

[Fife Rover]

We were heading for at least a draw at WHam until what happened? A youngster made his first team debut and scored the winner for them! Would that have happened if Curbishley had not taken the risk and stuck with the old tried and tested? We will never know the answer to that, but we do know his gamble cost us 3 points.

But hey, we are the stuffy old safe conservative Rovers. Don't whatever you do take any risks, not even when you might discover a player you never knew you already had, and saved yourself a few million along the way.

[den]

Which youngster should we play Fife/Rover6 and why?

[Claytons Left Boot]

How come West Ham weren't slaughtered given that they gave a debut to a young lad?

[Alan75]

Anyone who'd seen the reserves, would'nt even have considered starting this topic.

[Fife Rover]

Which youngster should we play Fife/Rover6 and why?

Not being familiar with the Rovers reserves set-up these days I am not in a position to answer that one Den, but I am sure judging by the amount of moaning and groaning that regularly goes on from a great variety of posters on here as to the various failings of almost all our first team squad, I would have thought that there would be no shortage of advice forthcoming along those lines.

[ABBEY]

fife if we hadnt taken risks in the cup we could have been at wembley