Parky must have read that post by the guy who didn't rate Jonjo because since it was posted (and removed) we haven't seen the young man. Is he injured? In the Sin Bin? Out of favour? Being rested because he's young and still growing? Being protected so that we can get a better price for him? I can't imagine it's a ploy to make him love the club more. And if it's not because he's injured, I can't imagine that it will make him want to hang around.
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But you are right, Nadou. Tonight's omission shows that is not the reason and it's puzzling. Has Parky decided there is no room for ZZ and JonJo in the same squad - or is it just coincidence that the return of one has synchronised with the absence of the other?
He played poorly against Doncaster and consequently was rested for the next home match and with ZZ coming back from injury back Parky opted for his greater experience on the bench against Watford. On that I recall the conspiracy theorists saying that ZZ was never going to play for the club again/was faking an injury etc etc.
As to why he didn't feature tonight, again perhaps Parky preferred to go with experience rather than youth in what promised to be a tough away match agaist a promotion chasing team. It isn't that we are lacking in central midfielders, or even good quality central midfielders.
It's also possible that Parky is picking and choosing the matches for him, so he doesn't burn out with a succession of injuries, he's only 17 and experience shows that over-playing kids at that age leads to them missing too many games.
He has one bad game v Doncaster and gets banished from the 16? That seems exceptionally harsh on a young talent.
I don't think anyone wants or expects him to play every game. But he's not going to learn anything or improve by being left out of the squad completely.
It is next season we want him ready for with all the other youngsters
My thoughts exactly.
pre-season friendlies are NO subsitute for the real thing. Playing Welling and Dulwich Hamlet ain't gonna help other than with fitness. Ok, rest him occasionally but he should have at least been on the bench. At the moment the tougher it is out there the better imo as we need him to toughen up and quickly. Unless of course we have aleady done a deal and are protecting him.
Mine too! It's not like Moyes played Rooney every game or every other game when he was the next big thing!
Cast your minds back a decade or so when Parker was coming through the ranks - the temptation was to overplay him, more so as we didn't have a strong squad. Bringing Parker on gradually worked perfectly and we developed one of the best players the club has ever had. I trust the club's judgement in the way they are handling Jonjo and that is probably one of the reasons why he chose to sign full time with us and not one of the premiership clubs chasing his signature.
The bench at best for me, use him sparingly, he is our biggest asset currently, some mad fecker lunges at him and wrecks him for 12 months, how would we all feel then?
I see your point but i do think we should be giving him more experience as he's still only played a handful of games. Not saying he should start week in week out but we should at least be giving him 10-15 minutes here and there. What is the point in us playing the likes of Soares and ZZ who won't be here next season? Plus there's nothing to say he won't get an injury in a pre-season game or even in training.
lol
You've just backed up my point, bench at best, 10-15-20 minutes here & there.
Most pre season games will be nowhere near as physical or tough as some of the games we have left this season, yes, there is always the outside chance of a nasty or freak accident, but the risk is far far less, due to the nature of the games themselves.
Although we lose the parachute money we have a number of players whose contracts expire this season and with several of the higher earners off the books maybe the financial situation won't be as dire as we expect.
JonJo is now a professional footballer, albeit a young one. If he's currently among the best 11 players at the club, he should be playing fairly regularly, with obvious safeguards and checks concerning his strength and development etc.
If he's not amomg the best XI but is among the best 16, he should be on the bench.
If he's not currently among the best 16 players at the club, then he shouldn't be in the squad. As he hasn't been since he had a bad game v Doncaster.
Personally, I think he's good enough to start fairly often - and when he doesn't play, should be on the bench. I rather think that would be his preference , too.
It clearly isn't the view of Phil Parkinson, who at present prefers the likes of Spring, Soares and Ambrose.
Not only does he have to consider the physical development of a boy of barely 17 but there is also the mental side.
Three games in 7 days is mentally as well as physically exhausting for an honest lad like Jonjo who only knows one way of playing which is to give 100% at all times. Confidence is also an integral part of being a successful professional and Parky wants to guard against flak from say the Doncaster game destroying that confidence. Hence the reason he is in and out.
Curbs, arguably our greatest manager of all time, handled Parker and Konchesky carefully selecting matches and then dropping them and in Parker's case sending him out on loan.
However from a fans viewpoint it is easy to look at, say, Spring's contribution (or lack thereof) against Watford and question why Jonjo wasn't in the squad.
Rather like being a married man Parky will always be in the wrong!
Also spring is a waste of space and gave the ball away last night that lead to their 2nd goal A midfield of Bailey, Racon & Shelvey looks tasty to me.
If so, why?
He is a right-footed centre-midfielder. Why is he being played out on the left to accommodate the lightweight and ineffective Spring?