I'm guessing that McEveley will be on the left wing and Gamst up front. Jay on the wing would make sense (in a way) because apparently he was quite good going forward against Nancy but worrying defensively. It's a bold move by Hughes - whatever that move may be. Mokoena injured? Matteo makes the bench, one for the scrap-book.

Tottenham beat them quite easily, didn't they? Although, we are not as good as tottenham at the mo, obviously.

The thing that people are not considering, imo, is that first team football is part of the development of a youngster. The game yesterday will improve Nolan, Derbs and Peter - so that they'll be more equipped next time to make of an impact - even if it's just a case of getting the nerves over and done with and freeing their game. However, they need another bite of the cherry quickly, otherwise anything they learnt from this game will evaporate. Gamst was unimpressive on his first showings but grew with games. Same with Reidy. Imo, if Hughes believes that these guys have potential, then he should give them games to allow them to develop. I don't see why new signings are afforded 'time to settle'. Aren't the youth players just as new to playing the Premiership? Only the exceptional talents - eg Rooney, are 'ready' for the Premiership from day one. Most don't hit the heights first but develop with games and confidence. Look at Jamie Carragher - one-time jack of all trades, now superb centre back. Now, you can't go giving every youngster first team chances to develop. That's why Hughes should cut his losses with Jay McEveley - taking into account all the factrors. His errors, his difficulty with coping with decent wingers - even Champ wingers whilst at Gillingham and Ipswich and let him go. He is whole-hearted and quite good on the ball but defensively suspect.

We know Peter can do better. We know that from the Millwall tie and the impact he's made in sub appearances - especially last season. The circumstances were difficult. Ideally, if you want to integrate a player into team to see how good they are, you need the regulars around him to give him a platform.

Strange that. Hughes has implied we were the better team but it sounds like we played downright awful.

Sorry but McEveley and Mokoena are embarrassments. I've said it before but there's got to be a time when Hughes realises it.

Can I just remind people that Reid was not exactly playing well at the start of this season. A few of his showings for Ireland were very disappointing. I think it'll take a while for him to get back in the groove.

Curbishley is bad news for West Ham imo. The guy has proven himself as a decent enough manager but whenever it came to moving on from 'decent' to 'excellent' his team always choked. Charlton fans were at the end of their collective tether with the regularity with which their seasons in the Premiership capitulated whenever they got within a sniff of UEFA footy. And their cup form was pretty dire. Curbs is perfect for a low-profile club with small ambitions and a large capacity for appreciation. West Ham fans will be expecting too much. Curbs will fail at West Ham. You heard it here...

To be honest, I think Reading are just having one of those seasons that newly promoted clubs have - taking everyone, including themselves, by surprise and finishing high. Next season they'll be in the relegation mire. That's not to say the fact they have so many home nations players is not admirable. (Although it'd seem none are products of their youth system).

No more portentous Cockney tones...woo wait, Arry Redknapp's still there. I'm surprised he's gone to be honest. Many a manager has managed to live off a cup final appearance for much longer and get away with worse...

David McGoldrick, Southampton's striker who is considered their 'next big thing' came on trial at Rovers and I believe that he turned down Rovers (rather than Rovers rejecting him) in favour of Southampton. If I'm not mistaken, he went for Southampton because he believed that he was more likely to get first team opportunities. I'm sure some youngsters have been discouraged from joining Rovers because of the perceived reluctance to give home-grown guys chances.

Thanks for making me feel a little better. The current disappointments are nothing compared to the days of regularly donating the first half to the opposition before 'correcting' the line-up at half-time. Good ol' Souey! BTW - I think it's unfair to be critical of Derbyshire. He was playing in an unfamiliar position in difficult circumstances. I don't think even the player himself would claim to a midfielder. Bearing in mind some of our first team luminaries, eg, Ooijer and Gamst were pretty dire in their first few games - there's more than a little hope that Derbs will get better with games. Finally - I wish we had signed Milner when Newcastle were stupid enough to be looking to offload him in the summer. Something tells me they won't be selling now. Then again, they refused to sell him in the end when he was all but out - so maybe it wasn't realistic.

Inferior technique has a lot to do with it. Watch virtually any youth international match between England and a decent continental side. One side will keep the ball, playing passing football - and the other will pursue a more direct, rudimentary game. Wenger takes a lot of criticism for his aversion to English players but you can see why - to an extent. With football being the national sport and so many lads playing, we will continue to produce good players but not to the same technique levels as on the continent where ball retention is drummed into them from an early age. Having said that, imo there's a lot of mediocre foreign players keeping out equally talented or even more talented home nations players in the Premiership imo. Gab Agbonlahor is now arguably Aston Villa's best offensive player. It beggars belief that this is the first season the Villa have actually been using him regularly despite him scoring for fun in the reserves for a couple of years.

I hope Hughes bringing on Derbyshire at HT is a sign of things to come. It's about time that some of these complacent first team 'untouchables' got their due treatment and were axed. BUT please - no recourse to 4-5-1. Our defence isn't strong enough to play such a cagey 1-0 aspiring game. Even with the 'great' Mokoena patrolling in front of them.

That's the spirit, Hughes. Dump the passengers and let's see how good Derbyshire is.

Guys who were worrying about a lack of pace at the back are being vindicated.

The Geordies are shaking at the prospect of Mokoena limbering up for action.

Throw on Peter and Derbyshire and let's have silver lining to this black and white cloud.

Conversely, when a youngster comes into the team and does well - what a lift it gives to the fans. FLB, the reason you have such a situation is because the well-established but failing first teamer is likely to be a purchase of the manager - or if not, favoured by the manager. A youth player is considered a throw of the dice by the manager. To go all out for a experienced player under-performing is too much like going all out for the manager's judgement, something to be avoided at almost all costs. To damn a youngster casts no such aspersion on a bold manager simply testing his luck.

FLB, that is my stance. I have no idea about the standard of coaching/management at the academy (but I do remember that a number of fans were pointing the finger at Bowyer's bungling of substitutions in the disappointing Youth Cup exit against Brighton last year) - however, the academy system is not in want of effort. We're even importing guys from Germany, France, Italy to Rovers. (although, admittedly, the French guys flopped and have now left and the only Italian is Raff De Vita). Imo, if we are criticising the lack of academy graduates in the first team squad, we should be pointing the finger at the lack of opportunities. Why shouldn't guys like Peter, Derbyshire, Taylor get games if the first team regulars are failing? After all, they are our best youth players - so when will their chance come, bearing in mind Taylor is already 20. Now, if we hadn't suffered the infamous left back injury crisis, prior to the MAn U Carling Cup tie, which propelled seventeen year old Jay McEveley into the first team - would he now, have a single first team start to his name? It's a hypothetical question, which a few will find distasteful, I know, but think about it? If you consider that he previously hadn't been on the first team radar and I'm not even sure he was a reserve regular - I would say on the balance of probabilities, no, at this point in time, he would not have had a first team appearance. McEveley may have played consistently well (like Andy Taylor) for the reserves, gone out on loan and done quite well - but he'd still be waiting for his first team appearance - let alone start. Therein lies the problem.

I was so eager to respond that I didn't even notice that. Den, my point is, the academies can only do so much. After that it's up to the club manager to give the best players real opportunities to take their development to the next level. If the academy graduates don't get that, they won't ever make it. As to whether the academies are an improvement - they've been successful in France, which is why England is belatedly following suit. In the end - i kind of agree with you. It's all very well pumping in money to the grass-roots but without the two most important factors - good coaching and desire to succeed in the players, not even the most luxurious academy will get anywhere.

Man U's academy has famously been relatively barren for a while - which is why Ferguson regularly moans about that rule we have in England restricting footy clubs from far-flung parts of the country from up-rooting a boy from his family. The academy system will only work as a conveyor belt for talent IF that belt is connected to the first team. It's the age-old question. Will the cream rise to the top? Or does it need assistance? I believe in the latter. It's been said in other threads but it's no surprise that clubs like Leeds (Lennon, Carson, Walton, Kilgallon, Milner, Robinson, McPhail) Derby (Giles Barnes, Huddlestone, Holmes, Riggot, Christie), Wimbledon (Nigel Reo-Coker, Jobi McAnuff, Leigertwood, Martin, Damien Francis) that have been forced to field youngsters by dint of financial trouble, have produced the most youngsters. (And think about it, Wimbledon being in London have a lot of competition, so to produce those players is an achievement). Playing first team football is part of the development of youngsters. An exceptional few - the Rooneys etc - will be at home in the premiership before they make their debut. That's down to their exceptional talent and self-belief. However, the majority aren't and will only maximise their potential by playing games with the first team. However, it is the custom for clubs with money not to freely give youngsters first team action - instead caution induces the manager to send them on loan, leave them in the reserves - until finally the spark fades and the hope of the player ever making it are extinguished. Some bounce back - others don't. The lack of decent English goalies is not, imo, down to a great shortage of talent. It is because clubs like Rovers would rather have Peter Enckelman as third choice keeper, Chelsea would rather have Magnus Hedman as fourth choice than risk a youngster. Academies aren't the problem. It's the firmly fixed mentality that is.

Derbyshire and Peter would add pace to the team. Certainly, Peter deserves a start soon, with Gamst flagging. Derbs will probably have to wait but if Nonda continues with poor performances, he may get his chance. Clearly, Hughes doesn't want to let Derbyshire go out on loan.

At least we have options at RB. Bentley will no doubt return to right midfield after his sojourn in-field.

I would like to see Savage play a more controlled games, especially away from home. Forget the rushing around like a mad man stuff - wherever and anywhere, sit deep and anticipate passes and cut them out - as well as harrying the opposition when they get in dangerous areas. Also, who else is in favour of Emerton back at right back. It was going so well. I know he hasn't been bad in the past few games back in midfield, but we've already established over a number of tediously frustrating seasons that he isn't all that good at right mid. At RB he not only offers a useful attacking outlet but defensively he's looked sound. Our Liverpool-lusting skipper can sit on the bench.