Arsenal's reserve team and youth players: Page 8 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Arsenal's reserve team and youth players

goon

Ramsey has already made it.

As for Coquelin, Lansbury and Frimpong, I'd say the latter could turn out to be perfect cover for Song, similar build, aggressive, defensive minded and still useful on the ball, but then Coquelin is supposed to be pretty useful in that position too. Lansbury will need Denilson and maybe Diaby to leave to have a shot.

Eastmond wont make it here.

asajoseph

My God, we've signed Diaby's younger brother...

link

Burnwinter

🙂 He does look rather a lot like him.

Probably not many significant Arsenal appearances before someone cracks an "Imbecilio" joke.

asajoseph

Apparently we've just pinched another Barca youth player:

http://younggunsblog.co.uk/2011/02/arsenal-agree-deal-for-barcelonas-toral/

Klaus

Good stuff!

I don't think Barca are outraged by the deal though. They weren't going to offer the guy professional terms anyway according to sources in Spain. His agent is Pep Guardiola's brother, apparently. Can't imagine there are any hard feelings.

Ricky1985

On that basis, I can't imagine he's that great, but who knows?

Klaus

Then again they weren't going to offer Fabregas a professional contract either..

Captain

Cesc said some time ago that his reason for leaving was that they didn't give much importance to providing the local players with contracts. I remember it quite clearly as at the time a few of our prospects had levelled similar accusations at Arsenal.

Ricky1985

Cesc was Golden Boot winner and Player of the Tournament at the 2003 U17 World Cup - Barca knew what an incredible talent he was.

I actually remember saying, thinking, discussing this very same thing on A-M when Merida signed.....How time flies ha?

I'm not writing the kid off, you know me, just from the little I know, I'm not expecting too much.

Klaus

Ricky: They admitted as much in court when they sued Arsenal for poaching him. They had the head of their youth business up in the stand and he basically admitted that they didn't think Cesc would make the cut. I'm sure they changed their mind once they saw him tearing it up in the U-17 tournament, but it was already too late by then. He signed for us the very next month.

Ricky1985

Interesting. I would imagine Cesc has looked special since just about the first time he kicked a ball, so if they couldn't see that at 15 then that does not say much for them.

Personally, I can't believe they couldn't see Cesc's talent. Maybe it was in their interest somehow to spin it in court that way?

Meatwad

no it wouldn't be in their interest to say they didn't think he would make it. that would weaken their case, if they wanted to strengthen their case they could lie and say they thought he was the bee's knees, but just couldn't offer him the same kind of financial terms as arsenal or some other bullshit.

Ricky1985

I meant as an excuse for not offering Cesc a contract instead of the real reason, which imo is probably something similar to what Capi suggested above (local players being taken for granted).

Klaus

Ricky: Maybe, but I can't imagine why. I'm sure Cesc's agent would've called them on it if they were trying to lie in court.

I think Cesc played mainly as a defensive mid for Barca's youth teams, though. Don't know if that has something to do with it. He was pushed back in the field and told to replicate Guardiola. He's an entirely different player today.

Ricky1985

Yeah, but it's impossible for professional football coaches, employed by Barcelona no less, to fail to spot the sort of incredible talent Cesc Fabregas has. Just seems ridiculous to me. Anyway, it's not important.

Mirth

I have a match programme from 2006 the week after Cesc made his debut for Spain and in that he says while at Barcelona the coaching staff were forever saying positive things about him but they didn't back their words with action. His youth team (which boasted the likes of Messi) beat their opponents 12-0 frequently but despite that he never had the opportunity to train with the first team or feel like he would ever get a chance to impress with the first team.

Then Wenger came along and, frankly, who could say no to Arsene? Except Biggus? 😛

Qwiss

I can remember when we signed Cesc, remember reading all about it on Arseweb. Barca didn't give a flying fuck at the time. They happily took Gio and went about their business. Sour grapes now that Wenger realised his talent and they didn't.

Claudius

These fools have taken enough of our stars. They should just be happy we didn't take Messi and Samper

Meatwad

big difference being that they paid €93m to take those 4 players. what they've gotten from us is probably a mil.

asajoseph

Not nil, but peanuts.

That said, Spain has benefitted for years from having much more relaxed work-permit regulations (which is why we can send Wellington and others there), so in the grand scheme of things, it's all swings and roundabouts.

anyway, this kid's got a decent youtube compilation - the next Fran Merida?

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