You only have to look at Manchester United to see that a lot can change in the space of half a season. Very few would have predicted them to be so settled under their new manager as they are now, and it is a testament to Erik ten Hag that failure to qualify for the Champions League would now feel like an abject failure.
Sometimes, all you need is a little time to settle in first, and that is a particularly pertinent point with regard to the youngsters looking to make their names at the club.
Last summer, Zidane Iqbal and Charlie Savage were the two hottest names on the academy conveyor belt, having shone in pre-season. But the ruthless nature of the perpetual pipeline of promising youngsters means that you don't need to wait long before another comes along.
