ABLETT HAILS DEBUT BOY INSUA

Jimmy Rice 14 February 2007 Gary Ablett believes Liverpool have a real talent on their hands in Argentine left-back Emiliano Insua.

The reserve-team manager was delighted with the 17-year-old's debut in a friendly against Preston on Tuesday lunch-time. He said: "Insua has a lot of potential. He's only 17 and is still eligible for our youth team, yet he's already played for Argentina Under-20s. That tells you something about his quality. "To say it was his debut, I was very pleased. The potential is there and we now have to make sure we harness it. "He is a prospect, we have a lot of prospects. You have to be exceptional to get into the Liverpool first team, but we have some very good players who are going in the right direction. Now, they've got to flourish over the next year to 18 months." The game, played at the Academy, also marked the debuts of Jordy Brouwer and Ronald Huth. Ablett went on: "It was always going to be difficult for Huth – he was against Mellor and Dichio, which is a physical challenge. "But he's come from half-way round the world so that's never easy. Again though, the potential is there. "Jordy did okay as well. He has a great physique but perhaps needs to develop himself physically in order to hold-off the centre-halves." Despite losing the game 3-1, Ablett insists there were plenty of positives. "I'm disappointed with the scoreline but, although I wouldn't say we expected it, we knew Preston were a good side with a lot of players who've got Championship experience. "We had two new lads at the back who've never played together. There was confusion at times with the language barriers. That's something we can sort out – they'll have to learn English as soon as they can. "As much as David Martin shouted, they couldn't understand him. "We let in three sloppy goals but we were good with the ball and passed it well at times. The lads showed at times that they're improving tactically and playing the way we want them to play. "We created a lot of chances but again we couldn't score the goals. "Danny Guthrie did well. I think he is really starting to show the benefits of training with the first team now." Ablett added that Francisco Manuel Duran, who sat out with a hamstring injury, could make his debut for the reserves against Bolton next Thursday.