I dont think any of us know the financial situation or difference between playing all the extra FA cup home ties we have had, playing at Wembley for the League cup with all the extra ties and possibly the FA Cup and finishing 4th and playing a C.L. qualifier that there is no guarantee of winning. Unless we have John Henry's books on hand none of us know.
I think Man City fielded the best team they had at hand for the league cup games we played them in. They are top of the table and the league cup was very important to them.
Lot's of people are young; that is NOT an attribute or an excuse for being massively ineffective. There isn't a midfielder in the premier league that couldn't easily stand in for henderson permanently. He's just a bloke in a kit - nothing more, nothing less.
I wish i had your confidence because, regardless of position, i don't see anything in him at all. It's not so much that he does things wrong......he just doesn't seem to do anything at all so i find it impossible to comment on his potential.