McAleny still has Goodison future

The experience will do him good, toughen him up and we'll see. We have a number of players leaving in the summer so a spot may open up for him.

Forgive me, I'm not sure on the names, but did we not bring in an Argentinian... a young lad from the Swiss league... and a young Belgian player.

I cannot see were McAleny will fit in. But again, who knows what might happen if he keeps scoring goals.

Would he have done better than Kone or Mirallas – yes.

This Summer will surely see a long overdue overhaul with lots of older players and probably one or two of the jewels heading off. If Conor can excel on his loan and in pre-season then perhaps he can get in or around the first team. Will be a tall order for him but best of luck.

I dunno if he'll make it at Goodison or not but it's good to see that at 23, he applies himself well and seems a down-to-earth lad.

I also agree with David #4. I think he's a victim of being a short man in a modern game that seems to favour a big man playing as a single striker. I know McAleny can play in other positions but I think that might also hinder him because we don't even know what the lad's best position is.

Would be great to see some of the younger players get a chance. It's the only way to find out.

Villa's U21s beat a 'strong' (okay, I know) Villa first team 3-0. I expect the U21s will take up some of the first team places in their game vs us.

He has been at the club since he was 11. He had a brilliant pre-season. So I don't know what a player has to do to at least be in the squad.

I think RM demoralises young players.

Mind you, I suppose if your face doesn't fit under this guy, you're fucked.

And pre-season he was brilliant. So how does Kone get in, in front of him?

Not much value in the market there then - all basket cases after RM's man-management techniques ...

Well we saw what happened with Robles v Howard and I've still no idea how Martinez kept picking Howard.

I would rather see Dowell and McAleny than Osman and Kone.

McAleny has come on a ton in the last few months. Now looks a class above when he plays for the U21s and clubs will want him.

His pre-season warranted first team selection... but failing that I think a loan was a decent move.

However, it's very frustrating... surely we should be getting these talented youngsters on the bench rather than players who are coming to the end of their careers.

I agree we could see more youth this season but Barkley, Deulofeu, Robles, Besic, Lukaku & Stones aren't exactly old.

McAleny was probably our best player pre-season and Martinez rewarded him by completely freezing him out. The same goes with Robles when he came in, did great, only to be dropped.

Every manager's most desired scenario is competition for places. It ensures no First Team player rests on their laurels and gives every other player hope that their hard work and application will pay off, regardless of the name on the back of their shirt.

Why would any manager toss that away?

Having said that, this season will probably be the last for Howard, Hibbert, Osman, Pienaar, and Gibson, possibly with Mirallas on his way out? Who knows about Lukaku and Barkley?

Maybe, next season will be when guys like McAleny, Henen, Ledson, Garbutt, Browning, Holgate, Galloway (again) etc get their chance to show what they can do?

For all those abusing Martinez for not playing McAleny, how would the same lot have reacted if the club had come out with an announcement in January like "The Club made a £10.5 million bid for the highest scorer in the Russian League, but having realised that we have McAleny in the books, decided to call off the deal"? You can't have it both ways.

By the way, I rate McAleny very highly, I think he has been unlucky with injuries – he can strike the football.

Foolish to move him on as he could still have a future, it's just how he fits into the squad with there being so much competition.

Let's hope he stays fit, and he can still be a useful player for us.

Not all young men grow to their full potential at the same time and the club have been guilty on several occasions of letting personnel go before they mature (Mustafi, Jagielka, McManaman, Baines).

I hope this lad makes it, he could be a Vardy or a Harry Kane.

Therefore, all it would take would be one significant injury for McAleny to get his chance next season.

Garbutt, on loan.
Galloway, dropped as soon as he was NOT the only option.
Oviedo, not a young player and fuck all to do with Martinez.
Stones, fuck all to do with Martinez but my late gran would pick him.
Barkley, likewise.
Deulofeu, currently being demoralized.

Lukaku, yes you got that one right. Martinez has stuck his neck out by selecting a £28 million striker.

The notion that Martinez gives youth a chance is an utter fucking myth. Name one player from the youth team that he has given a chance to? One player that he had anything to do with bringing forward?

Loan History:

2011-2012 – 3 appearances for Scunthorpe before he injured a knee.

2013-2014 – 4 appearances for Brentford then broke his leg.

2015 – Went on loan to Cardiff in February and made 8 appearances.

September 2015 Charlton – 6 appearances – loan ended.

2016 – 3 appearances at Wigan – reported to be playing well.

Forwards – Only 1 forward in the Premier League is in the top ten in minutes played compared to other U-21 forwards in the 5 Euro leagues. (Martial)

Attacking Midfielders – Only 1 in the Premier League (Alli)

Defensive Midfielders – 0 players, none in the Premier League

Full-Backs – 5 in the Premier League (including Galloway)

Centre-Backs – 0

Goalies – 0

The nature of the Premier League is that players are older when they do finally make it and I would not be surprised if there are actually less home-grown players who graduate to first teams in this league than the other top 4 Euro leagues.

http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/b5wp/2015/138/en/

Not by Martinez, he's not. Lennon has clearly been our best player since the first of the year, and he has legitimately beaten Geri out of his spot. If you're suggesting Roberto should leave out the better player just to boost the kid's morale, you're talking rot.

As for Galloway being left out, he was injured around the time Oviedo and Baines were ready to return. Bad break for the lad, but would you put him back in now?

And as for Garbutt being on loan, thank god he is. We've not had to watch his career come apart, just hear about it. He was pulled after 52 minutes against Leeds on Tuesday after his humiliating 34-minute pulloff against Rovers last week and a reportedly adequate 90 minutes on Saturday. Guess somebody is "demoralizing" him too... or just exposing his inadequacies.

Just a whisper but funny how things fall into place...

I'd like to see Galloway go out on loan now. He needs to be playing and to build his experience.

Andy Crooks. What do expect? That RM should change nappies, bottle feed them, and rear them all the way through to the first team? He gave Barkley a chance to make his mistakes and grow on the pitch, same with Deulofeu and Lukaku... and Stones too. He has taken Galloway out of the limelight for now. Perhaps that was harsh or perhaps that was wise but in any case he is not a left back.

Lennon is playing in place of Deulofeu on merit. Same as Robles, Mori and perhaps Oviedo too. I can't remember us ever having a bench as strong as the one we had vs Bournemouth last Saturday. Credit where it's due I think. Of course his treatment this year of Mirallas and our home record is mystifying (makes me angry). My patience has been wearing thin with RM and our young but maturing team have a bit of making up to do. An FA Cup win and not losing another home game will be start.

Difficult for Premier League managers to play the likes of McAleny though, big risk in the League, I suppose games in the Cup matches are possibles, but then again they're probably our only chance of success!

Kone is almost at the end of his career, so if Conor continues to improve and shine on loan, he has a chance to come in.