Quote Originally Posted by Loramski View Post
Over the past 10 years or so the full back position is probably the one where we've differed most from the views of the first team manager. The Academy and under-21s have had a succession of enterprising and pacy players in that position while the seniors have usually had someone more prosaic playing there. To be fair, while we've been pushing the claims of a few adventurous types, not much has become of them. Even Drameh.

They're eye-catching though and Kpakio certainly comes into that category. I'd say he had enough issues against Reading and Bristol Rovers to suggest he's not quite ready for Championhip football yet but he's come out in credit both times for me and those two games were probably much more beneficial to him than Penybont was.

Southampton will be another good test for him. Giles too. I tend not to notice Giles so much, he's less flamboyant than Kpakio but that might favour him here in the long run. The ball in for Robinson against Reading was quality and it was interesting to see he got the nod for the free kick outside the box against Wigan. He's obviously a talented lad.

It looked like front foot football at Wigan, yes. A bit off topic but I like the way Reindorf wants to make things happen rather than waiting for the action to come to him, which is a bit like waiting for Godot if you're a City centre forward. The last half hour of the Rovers cup-tie was a good watch as him, Tanner, Evans, Colwill and the full backs were on the front foot and pushed for a second rather than settle for a 1-0 win. Fagan Walcott spraying out some nice passes from the back too. It was refreshing but I guess that's how young players want to play it in that situation. It was funny to see Rinomhota trying to calm them down a bit at times like he was their dad.
All I’ll say is that at many other clubs in circumstances like ours, the time when a decision needs to be made as to whether to stick with the same old, failing, senior pros or start considering utilising what is widely regarded as the best crop of youngsters in recent years would be getting pretty close.

The catalyst for the most enjoyable, attacking we’ve seen so far this season was when the youngsters started running things against Bristol Rovers and, although you can’t read too much into what happens in friendlies, I thought there were occasions in our pre season programme when the attacking play stepped up a gear when the younger players came on.

In saying that, I think things would have to get a lot worse yet before this manager would make such a change, but, especially at home, I think an injection of youthful energy and positivity in one or two areas could well reap dividends.