Youth team development: Page 117 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Youth team development

Jed

Mavropanos is an animal. Sven's find.

Ricky1985

Matt Macey also had a very good game today. Made a great double save in the second half:

QuincyAbeyie

It's not very hard to like this guy.

Anfield1884

Where's Beilik, heard he was a top youngster.

Similar to how Chelsea have pushed Christensen recently, can Beilik be pushed forward soon?

Ricky1985

Hes had a lot of injury problems in his time here. In terms of talent there's no question about it.

[Twitter]
It seems he's about to go on loan back to his old club Legia Warsaw. Not sure I see the point but is guess the club can't get a good enough English team to bite after spending nearly 6 months out injured.

Quincy Abeyie wrote:
It's not very hard to like this guy.

Great line from young Eddie AKA Marlo Stnafield.

lorddulaarsenal

We’ve got the best crop of youngsters we’ve had in years

lorddulaarsenal

Trae Coyle FTW

Ricky1985

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:
We’ve got the best crop of youngsters we’ve had in years

Without question. The U18s are absolute mint right now. Trae Coyle, Xavier Amaechi, John-Jules, Robbie Burton, Emile Smith-Rowe, Saka... talent everywhere.

Coyle is probably the pick - unreal touch and technique - but Smith-Rowe and Amaechi are extremely exciting too.

Ricky1985

Ricky1985 wrote:
@lorddulaarsenal wrote:
Forts on Sheaf Tricks? Seems highly rated but I’m not sure he has the X factor

He was very good tonight. I never rated him as having enough to make it here when he played centre midfield - had some very good parts to his game; superb ball striking, good composure and passing range - but he has taken very well to playing centreback in a 3.

He's much more aggressive than I thought he'd be and he reads the play very well. And obviously his technique is outrageously good when judged by the standards of a centreback. He's also got a good frame and is plenty mobile.

I still don't think he will quite make it here but I wouldn't rule it out all together. He's had a genuinely good 12 months or so playing as a defender. Have to see how he copes with proper players when he gets his chance in the first team or out on loan.

Sheaf's performance the other night. If this boy can cut it defensively when he faces Premier League forwards then he could be some player for us. Obviously a big 'if' at this point. More than his technique, it's his aggression and relish for a tackle that has really impressed me.

Ricky1985

Thing Is, it's great having all this talent coming through, but we have to give them a pathway to the first team and stop putting bang average players in their way. If we're gonna make the club work with the financial disadvantage we have and the excellent academy then we need to move toward smaller squads full of as much high end quality as our money can buy and supplemented by the best that make it through the academy.

Reiss Nelson, for example, has less than 18 months on his contract and is reportedly stalling on a new contract. PSG and Real Madrid are sniffing around. If we lose him because we've dicked around with Walcott and Welbeck in his position all season...

goon

Sheaf always looks super on the ball when I've seen him. Really good technically and has a super pass on him. I don't know about him as a centre back but I can see him being pretty good in that Xhaka/Arteta role.

I completely agree with getting the average players out the door and giving these guys a chance. Elneny should go too so that the likes of Niles, Willock and Sheaf can get some good game time in midfield.

Don't think Nelson can complain much, getting any game time as a 17 yr old is impressive, especially if it's followed up by a Cup semi final appearance against Chelsea. If he thinks he'll get a better run out elsewhere he's in for a nasty surprise.

lorddulaarsenal

Yep I hope the shifting of deadwood like Coquelin, Theo and Alexis is recognition of the need for that

Ricky1985

😆 Wenger: "Alexis had to go, we have Nelson and he needs a chance".

goon wrote:
Don't think Nelson can complain much, getting any game time as a 17 yr old is impressive, especially if it's followed up by a Cup semi final appearance against Chelsea. If he thinks he'll get a better run out elsewhere he's in for a nasty surprise.

You're right and he's not ready, but it's got to be difficult however old you are watching players that are clearly struggling, or are just plain rubbish, keep getting picked ahead of you. And it's looking ahead that is the part that does it because if those players are still there next season and they have spent this season playing ahead of you not on merit but because of some bullshit hierarchy Wenger abides by then what changes next season? Nelson may think he might as well go and play for PSG or Real Madrid's Reserves and try his luck there.

Clrnc

Sheaf is very impressive. His first touch is always spot on even under pressure, a clear indicator of a good player.

goon

Ricky1985 wrote:
😆 Wenger: "Alexis had to go, we have Nelson and he needs a chance".

goon wrote:
Don't think Nelson can complain much, getting any game time as a 17 yr old is impressive, especially if it's followed up by a Cup semi final appearance against Chelsea. If he thinks he'll get a better run out elsewhere he's in for a nasty surprise.

You're right and he's not ready, but it's got to be difficult however old you are watching players that are clearly struggling, or are just plain rubbish, keep getting picked ahead of you. And it's looking ahead that is the part that does it because if those players are still there next season and they have spent this season playing ahead of you not on merit but because of some bullshit hierarchy Wenger abides by then what changes next season? Nelson may think he might as well go and play for PSG or Real Madrid's Reserves and try his luck there.

Yeah I completely agree in principle. There's players in the team who should either be replaced with better quality or removed to give the youth a chance because they provide little value of their own.

But I don't think these kids will have it any better anywhere else. Despite the loyalty to senior players Wenger has never been afraid to promote young players ahead of the more senior ones once they've shown they're worth it. AMN over Kolasinac is one example, Iwobi is another and there's plenty more. A kid like Nelson has plenty of time and if he has any sense about him he'll sign another 2 year extension and see how things play out. Theo has gone, Welbz will be gone in 18 months if not sooner while the guys we're bringing in (Mkhi and Auba) are old too. It's paving the way for a more prominent spot for him.

BWoolley

Btw, for Ricky and Dules - the general consensus seems to be that Liam Brady left our academy in terrible shape and I have heard opinions (mostly on this board) that Jonker wasn't quite up to scratch either. However, we seem to have a better crop of youngsters than at most times in the last decade or so with Nelson, Maitland-Niles, etc. Is it that, looking back, Brady and Jonker weren't as bad as originally thought or have we just gotten lucky?

lorddulaarsenal

I’m not sure. We seem to have seen a lot of churn

lorddulaarsenal

Any highlight vids for Mav?

Rohit

Nelson stalling on a deal?

banduan

BWoolley wrote:
Btw, for Ricky and Dules - the general consensus seems to be that Liam Brady left our academy in terrible shape and I have heard opinions (mostly on this board) that Jonker wasn't quite up to scratch either. However, we seem to have a better crop of youngsters than at most times in the last decade or so with Nelson, Maitland-Niles, etc. Is it that, looking back, Brady and Jonker weren't as bad as originally thought or have we just gotten lucky?

Jonker certainly wasn't bad and did not deserve the brickbats thrown at him. The case against Brady though has a lot more backing.

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