Peter Crouch is a columnist for Sportsmail
Some people don’t see a problem. Six substitutes? You can only use three, so what harm did Pep Guardiola do at Burnley last Saturday?
But then there is the other side of the argument. There were six substitutes but one big missed opportunity. Even now, a week on, I cannot understand why Manchester City’s manager did not fill up his bench with a seventh player from the club’s Academy.
When I heard what Guardiola had done at Turf Moor, I tried to put myself back to how I would have felt when I was a young lad at Tottenham, doing all I could to try to get my first real experience of being around the first team.
Of course you want to play as early as possible but one of the big milestones for a young footballer is that moment when you get to go into the senior dressing room or be on the coach to the stadium with the men you want to emulate. It is a huge moment.
It sticks in my mind what it was like in our particular group when players such as Ledley King, Rory Allen and Paul McVeigh all got the nod to be involved. We were all buzzing for them and they gave us inspiration that, one day, we could get there too. That is all you want at that stage of your career — hope.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola only named six substitutes against Burnley last week
Danilo (right) is congratulated by his team-mates after opening the scoring at Turf Moor
So you can imagine what a day with the first team does for your confidence. Sitting on the bench for a Premier League game? Being in there, listening to team talks and tactics? The only thing better is to make your debut.
I’ve got huge admiration for Guardiola. I’ve written several times in my column about how his team are one of the best the Premier League has seen and they are playing a style of football we have not seen before. They are a joy to watch.
But I cannot work out why he picked six substitutes. I know people who have kids at Manchester City’s Academy and they say the same things that Gareth Jennings, who is Stoke’s Academy director, has talked to me about: City have got the best youth set-up in the country.
They have pumped a lot of money into it and some of the kids who have not kicked a ball for the first team yet are being well rewarded. I watched them play last season in the FA Youth Cup final against Chelsea and was really impressed.
Crouch left Tottenham and joined QPR in 2000 in the search for regular first-team football
Guardiola sits alongside assistant coaches Domenec Torrent and Mikel Arteta (left to right)
So why would they not put a kid on the bench? I know Guardiola gave the reason he did not want to deprive a young lad of the chance to play 90 minutes for a development team, who played on Friday night at home to Swansea, by making them sit on the bench and do nothing.
Trust me, when you are that age you would play two games in a day if you had a chance. To be asked to travel with the first team the morning after a game the night before? I’m pretty sure every one of those lads would have bitten a hand off if they had been asked.
And imagine if City had been three or four up? I know they brought on Brahim Diaz, the 18-year-old Spanish midfielder, but what if they had been leading 3-0 or 4-0 and someone else, a young lad, had got on for the last 10 minutes? The impact of doing that is enormous.
Squads are so big these days and carry so many senior players that it is rare for kids to get this kind of promotion. And let’s be honest, it is not as if they could not find one player with the resources they have. I do not know how it is possible for them to overlook one.
City are doing so much right with their Academy players. Darren Fletcher’s kids are there and he tells me how good it is; Stephen Ireland’s son had a spell there and he raved about it. They are clearly doing such positive work and it would have been great to see a name on the bench to keep an eye on for the future.
Instead, we got a story about six substitutes. Whatever point Guardiola was trying to make, it is beyond me.
Young midfielder Brahim Diaz replaced Raheem Sterling during the second half at Burnley
These are the games that count. These are the ones you lock yourself away for, so that nobody can disturb you. The Champions League returns this week and it feels like a completely different competition after the Christmas break.
Yes, the group stages are good but it goes up several levels for drama and intensity when it becomes straight knockout.
I played in some magnificent games earlier in my career. The semi-final for Liverpool against Chelsea in May 2007 was like nothing I’ve ever experienced — the pressure that comes with knowing you are one slip away from being eliminated is almost intolerable. You experience every emotion.
Crouch and his Liverpool team-mates celebrate during their win against Chelsea in May, 2007
We won that game on penalties and the roar that met the one Dirk Kuyt scored to put us through to the final was unreal. Equally, I will never forget scoring for Tottenham against AC Milan in the San Siro to put us through to the quarter-finals in 2011.
My old clubs are in action for the Premier League’s five representatives this week — Tottenham at Juventus on Tuesday and Liverpool at Porto the following day — and many people believe this will be the year when England strikes back and gets its first Champions League winner since 2012.
I’ll be watching with great interest, particularly Wednesday’s game between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, which would be worthy of the final.
But my idea of the likeliest winners are Barcelona. Nobody seems to be talking about them and I cannot understand why. Underrate them at your peril.
Lionel Messi and Barcelona are the likeliest winners of the Champions League this season
Kane’s turned into our Roy of the Rovers!
Welcome to the 100 club, Harry. What took you so long to join us?
A year after I had got to a century of Premier League goals when scoring against Everton, I was delighted to see Harry Kane hit the same landmark in slightly more dramatic circumstances at Liverpool with an injury-time penalty in front of The Kop to end a magnificent game.
He was never going to miss, was he? Even though he had missed from 12 yards a few minutes earlier, there was never any doubt where the next one was going. The strength of character that enabled him to smash that home is the reason why he got to 100 goals in 141 games.
Harry Kane scored his 100th Premier League goal from the penalty spot against Liverpool
His ratio is awesome but it actually made me think of the man who sets the standard for modern strikers. Alan Shearer got to the same landmark in 124 appearances — 124! When you think of players who burst on to the scene, you would say Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler, not Shearer.
They built a statue for Shearer outside St James’ Park and a lot of people are wondering whether there will be a point in the future when they do the same for Kane outside White Hart Lane, provided he stays at Tottenham.
Harry looks like ‘Roy of the Rovers’ with his blond hair and plays like him, too. He is a modern-day hero and a bit of a throwback as there is no fuss around anything that he does.
Kane looks like ‘Roy of the Rovers’ (right) with his blond hair and he plays like him, too
He is single-minded and the rate at which the quiet teenager who I used to train with has developed is staggering.
I have no doubt that Harry would be a huge success if he ever went to Real Madrid but the reassuring thing for Tottenham fans at the minute is that he is shown no sign of wanting to leave.
He is a down-to-earth lad who is just focused on improving. Long may that continue.
Kane poses with Mauricio Pochettino and a pair of commemorative Nike boots at Anfield
Arsenal need a new Vieira… but they keep buying forwards
The performance of last weekend came at the Emirates Stadium. When it all comes together for Arsenal from now on, they are going to be unstoppable.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan formed an instant connection against Everton and the outcome was spectacular but I wouldn’t be too quick to say the same thing will happen in the north London derby today. If Arsenal leave spaces, Tottenham have the players to do damage.
I do think Arsenal have the look of a team that is about to go on a run and, regardless of what happens at Wembley, they are going to be involved in the fight to reach the top four but they must be such a frustrating team to support.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his first Arsenal goal in the 5-1 victory over Everton
A few weeks ago, I wrote that Sevilla’s Steven Nzonzi would be a great January signing for Arsenal. The one thing they need is the middle of their team stiffening. So what does Arsene Wenger do? He goes out and buys two more forwards…
I have so much respect for Wenger but the one thing he has never done is properly replace Patrick Vieira.
It feels like Arsenal’s team has been crying out for that kind of player for such a long time but Wenger’s thinking is clear: he will always go for a Mkhitaryan over an Nzonzi.
Arsene Wenger has never managed to properly replace Patrick Vieira in his midfield
MY WEEK
WHAT I’VE BEEN UP TO…
It has not been the best week, to be honest. I haven’t been able to train due to an infection in my ankle that we are continuing to monitor.
It’s been frustrating as all I have wanted to do is be on the training pitch with the lads after last Saturday’s defeat at Bournemouth. It’s nothing serious but it’s touch and go whether I’ll be involved against Brighton.
WHO’S CAUGHT MY EYE…
Fousseni Diabate
Diabate cost Leicester £1.7million. I had to double check that, as it’s usually £17m these days.
From what I have seen he looks an absolute bargain and has given the club a lift while all this stuff with Riyad Mahrez is going on. If he keeps this form up, he will be a player.
Fousseni Diabate has impressed for Leicester since arriving for just £1.7m last month
WHAT I’M LISTENING TO…
The Streets have a couple of new tunes out and are making a comeback. When they tour, I will be going! Nothing beats Blinded By The Lights.
The latest release from The Wombats — Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life — is out this weekend. I’ll be getting that one, too.
NEXT UP FOR ME…
Whether I’m involved or not, Saturday afternoon’s game at home to Brighton is massive and we are looking for three points.
After that, we have a quiet week, so we will look to recharge before the final push to the end of the season.