what's the point in the academy?

Missing the point if that's what you think it's about - I see clubs around us getting reinforcements, getting subs that can make a difference, having options. Will they for sure make a difference.. who knows, but they are betting on them for that reason.

We are standing still... those two signings... a loan and an unproven at this level.. I doubt they will have an impact..

This was once a quality forum....

I think the standard in the Premier League is now so high you are talking about only the best of the best are now making it into the playing squads. I've read some articles today about the other major European leagues complaining they are now just becoming feeder clubs to the EPL and only surviving from the large sums of players transferred to the league. They are no longer in competition with the EPL clubs.
Developing a player who is going to successfully play at this level is now going to be harder than ever. Having said that the cost of the players are now so high it literally will only take the 1 gem every few years to cover the acadamy costs - think AWB. Chelsea who brought all the best young kids a few years back have had a lot of high level players come through and make it but they have not maximised their investment frequently letting them go cheaply and then buying them back at a higher price.
Realistically if we can produce a decent amount of at least Div 1 and even Championship players over time these will still attract decent fees even if they don't end up playing for Palace.
Hopefully the odd gem will still come along and be the icing on the cake and help boost the playing squad.

The academy is what it is, it's not a new invention, many clubs are in the category one status list:-

Category One Academy List
The following clubs have the elite Category One status under the Premier League’s Elite Players Performance Plan (EPPP).

Arsenal FC Academy
Aston Villa FC Academy
Blackburn Rovers FC Academy
Brighton FC Academy
Crystal Palace FC Academy
Chelsea FC Academy
Derby County FC Academy
Everton FC Academy
Fulham FC Academy
Leicester City FC Academy
Liverpool FC Academy
Newcastle United FC Academy
Manchester City FC Academy Manchester United FC Academy
Middlesbrough FC Academy
Norwich City FC Academy
Reading FC Academy
Southampton FC Academy
Stoke City FC Academy
Sunderland Athletic FC Academy
Swansea City AFC Academy
Tottenham Hotspurs FC Academy
West Bromwich Albion FC Academy
West Ham United Academy
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC Academy

None of the teams above have been able to survive on the output of the academy alone and the future will be no different the likes of AWB are few and far between, that is confirmed when you look at how teams, at all levels of professional football these days rely a lot on overseas players when compared to home grown talent.I'm afraid the future is a blend of both and sadly high transfer fees will always have to be part of a clubs budget if they want to survive at the highest level.

And so it starts. Dyche has already changed Everton, that didn’t take long. So they are probably one to discount going down!

Inauspicious start to today's fixtures. Everton win, Wolves up 2 early against Liverpool, Villa gives up ridiculous goal and we give up early penalty.

It appears the bottom half will become even tighter unless things take a quick turn.

You bought up the academy, when that was never in question regarding what other clubs are doing.

I look around and see clubs bringing in players that will help their cause short term, presumably long term too.

You would rather recall kids from barnet.
Sure you would rather blood them in, I get that... but a relegation scrap is never the time to do that when there is a perfectly good transfer window to do that.

This window, yet again, we dropped the ball.

We get what we deserve.

This was once a quality forum....