I think honestly that these players won't make it - but I don't particularly think it's their fault. We have lots of great players coming through who are caught in a contradiction - players who aren't good enough YET to play for Liverpool but are 'valued' enough to be kept around. Take Solanke. He is a talented player, but he gets the odd random appearance and obviously doens't set the world on fire and then people say he's not good enough, ship him out. And it's true, he's not good enough yet and lack of game time exaggerates the problem. What we're doing is basically shutting the kid out of the education he needs because he's not smart enough yet - it is circular and the end result is inevitable.
And sure, Alexander-Arnold. But what happened with him (and also with Rashford) is miraculous - you're talking an eighteen year old who is good enough to supplant seasoned pros, getting a chance because of injury to the player they supplant. The sheer odds of that are there to see and send a clear message. You have to be good enough AND you need luck. Otherwise maybe Trent would be in the same circular hole.
This is what Kent (who I rate highly) and Wilson, and Ejaria, and various others are facing when they return - this is what Solanke faces now. It's not about them being good enough. It's about a system that is broken. A system that has Solanke getting no game time and yet being told he's valuable to the club. It's twaddle really isn't it? He's valuable enough to get maybe ten part games a season where he'll lack any sharpness.
And the same will happen to Brewster too. He's been told he's in consideration for the first team - that is blatant nonsense. I don't care how good he is, and he really does look good. It will take a miracle to displace Firminho, or Salah, or Mane, or Sturridge. The club told him he could to get him to sign a new contract - because he might make it, not because he's going to be eased into the team. Honestly, these players should take off - spread their wings and find a club willing to nurture them. Liverpool aren't as bad as they could be in this respect (Trent, Gomez) - but for the majority, we are not the place to grow as a player.
I don't think it's about good enough. It's about a system at the top o English Football that will cause these players to stagnate if they get drawn in. For sure, this is probably a bit of rant. But I don't like the binary discussions we have about youth development - I don't like the good enough/not good enough chatter. Football at the highest level in this country is not a good place for youth development - it pits young talented players against the cream of the crop from worldwide. And inevitably, most of them lose that unfair fight and stagnate. Hopefully, more players will have a chance to take off with the new loans rules rolling at some point.
MIght be talking bollocks, but oh well, thought I'd contribute.
