The kid deserves a thread. He looks like a future phenomenon to me. It's like someone sat down with one of those Bethesda character editors and just put in attribute after attrubute that would suit Arsenal. He runs 100 meter in 10.6 seconds, is blessed with technique and vision in abundance and has a mean workrate. He was played on the right side today but still dribbled through Spurs' defence twice before the game was called off due to that very unfortunate incident with Muamba.

The Telegraph had a nice piece about him this morning:

Little has gone right for Tottenham Hotspur since a 2-0 lead at the Emirates resulted in a 5-2 defeat three weeks ago and now, with a Wembley semi-final on the horizon should they defeat Bolton this afternoon, they must nullify the threat of a winger, on loan at the Reebok from Arsenal, whose pace makes Gareth Bale resemble a lorry climbing up a hill.

Ryo Miyaichi recently clocked a time of 10.6 seconds over 100 metres, but while Theo Walcott has been accused of failing to ally his pace with a sense of football awareness, Bolton’s Japanese teenager appears to be developing into the real deal.

Having created seven goalscoring chances and an assist for Bolton’s late winner against Queens Park Rangers last Saturday, Miyaichi clearly knows when to lift his head up and supply the pass, but the chance conversion rate suggests his team-mates at the Reebok are still attempting to connect to his wavelength.

At 19, Miyaichi has yet to make the breakthrough at Arsenal, making just two substitute appearances in the Carling Cup since obtaining a work permit last August.

But an impressive loan spell at Feyenoord last season while he awaited his visa, and his bright start to life at Bolton, have added credence to the perception that Wenger has unearthed a superstar in the making.

“No Japanese player has really made an impact in the Premier League, but everyone is very excited about Miyaichi,” admits Mori Masatoshi, football writer for The Hochi Simbun. “He is the best youngster in Japan and is already second only to Keisuke Honda in terms of being the biggest star.

“When Arsène Wenger talks about him, or if he plays a game for Bolton, he is front and back page news.

“The fact that he has signed for Arsenal is seen as very important in Japan because Wenger still commands huge respect in the country following his time as coach at Grampus Eight.

“But the one thing that makes Miyaichi stand out is his character. Most Japanese players are too modest to succeed in England, but Miyaichi is strong, confident and aggressive.

“He is a pleasant and likeable boy, but he has the determination to succeed that others maybe didn’t have.”

Miyaichi, who rejected the sponsors’ man of the match champagne following the QPR game as he is still too young to drink in Japan – 20 is the legal alcohol age as opposed to 18 in the United Kingdom – is the latest burgeoning talent to be farmed out to Owen Coyle’s finishing school at the Reebok.

Two years ago, Jack Wilshere made 14 appearances for Bolton during a six-month loan spell as an 18-year-old, while Chelsea’s Daniel Sturridge scored eight goals in 12 games while on loan at the club last season.

Gretar Steinsson, Bolton’s Icelandic defender, believes Miyaichi is destined to emulate both Wilshere and Sturridge by exploding onto the scene as a star of the future.

“Miyaichi is a fantastic player,” Steinsson said. “I saw him play a few times for Feyenoord last year and knew he had bags of potential.

“But training with him every day, I would put him in the same category as Jack Wilshere and Daniel Sturridge. He will be one of the Premier League’s big players in the future.

“In training we have big, strong physical players and he just gets on with it. He has real ability, he is so fast and he will definitely be one of the big players.

“All the Arsenal players have been raving about him and I know why.” Nicknamed 'Ryodinho’ at Feyenoord due to his apparent similarity to Brazilian forward Ronaldinho, Miyaichi has the opportunity against Spurs to display his potential to a wider audience with the game being broadcast live this evening.

And Bolton Wanderers manager Coyle expects him to live up to his star billing. “He is special, but he’s got a lot more to offer as well.” Coyle said.

“He’s wiry and takes kicks and he will be black and blue because of the knocks he takes, but he’s so positive when playing against good players.

“He went to Millwall in the last round and scored a wonder goal. He went to Chelsea and frightened the life out of their defenders and he did the same recently at Manchester City.”

Spurs, already feeling the jitters after a dismal recent run, might just become Miyaichi’s latest victims.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/tottenham-hotspur/9149388/Bolton-winger-Ryo-Miyaichi-on-loan-from-Arsenal-has-the-talent-to-topple-their-arch-rivals-Tottenham.html

Gotta say, creating seven goal-scoring opportunities in a single game for a side like Bolton is pretty amazing. His rise to prominence is even more impressive when you keep in mind that he broke his leg shortly before we signed him.