Youth team development: Page 21 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Youth team development

Gunner89

Rohit wrote:
Gunner89 wrote:
This was before the Milwall loan. An academy coach at Arsenal who has since moved on to a lower division club said this on another forum. Simpson was rated higher than Walcott coming through the ranks. I suspect he knows a bit more than your average AM member.

Ofcourse he does and he disseminates all he knows on a football forum. Average, respected AM member, regular match goer and reserve team watcher, a poster just like you, must be average certainly.

Anyways, I know little and just based it on what I had read just like you. No need to be so crude.

Also, Walcott didn't come through Arsenal ranks.

Coming through the ranks in english football in general.

He didn't disseminate everything but a few tidbits here and there. It's actually one of the oldest forums out there and also probably has the oldest members among football forums I've seen. Many of them range from 40-60. I don't recall his name as I don't go there that often now.

Rohit

Fair enough, I just don't remember many seeing it like that though.

Ivansen

He was a decent prospect, but nowhere near Walcotts level at any point. We bought Walcott for a lot of money and he played regularly for us from the age of 17.

Jay Simpson excited people mostly because he was English and our own product, rather than being a spectacular talent. In that regard he's similart to a lot of other youngsters like Mark Randall or Henri Lansbury. And I suspect it will go the same way with kids like Aneke and Akpom. Making it to the Arsenal first team is reserved for a tiny elite, and we shouldn't expect more than one home-grown English prospect to do so every 4-5 years.

Klaus

ludovic van zis wrote:
Who were the players that Wenger said a few years ago were techincally perfect?

Jack Wilshere and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.

Rex

Pretty sure Chuks Aneke was one of them.

Tam

I think they were both of that similar age group Rex. I'm pretty sure the Wenger's comments about two youngsters were after Wilshere ha broken through and he was referring you younger kids.

invisibleman18

Yeah I thought it was after Wilshere came through. General consensus after a quick google seems to be that it was Aneke and Ansah (or possibly Akpom). Wasn't Ansah the one who supported United and celebrated the 8-2 on Facebook or something?

Clrnc

Klaus wrote:
ludovic van zis wrote:
Who were the players that Wenger said a few years ago were techincally perfect?

Jack Wilshere and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.

Benik Afobe too

Ricky1985

Akpom vs Barcelona

I love his pace and mobility, he can pass and dribble, too, and he knows where to move to get in behind defences and has that knack in the box of getting on the end of things. He has to work like a demon on his ball striking, so that he's reliable with both feet. If he does that I really think he's got a chance of becoming a top striker.

kamikaze

afobe and aneke were the most hyped of that age group.

akpom should have a career, but he won't make it at arsenal. seems pretty obvious to me.

Rex

What makes you say that, Kami? He is 19 years old, is a big, strong guy with pace. Those traits alone are promising. On top of that though, he has good technique, a knack for being in the right place, and moves very well on the pitch. He shows very good vision on the pitch too.

Making the step up to the seniors is a big one obviously, and you really never know. I think he has a good chance of making it here though.

ludovicvanzis

I get the same impression as kami simply because of how Akpom is being treated. Apart from taking him on the pre season tour there's been no sign that he's viewed as an option for the future. Gnabry is only a few months older and we've seen plenty of him already.

Ricky1985

He's 18 not 19, Rex. Still plenty of time to make improvements.

There were always glaring weaknesses in Afobe's game, Kami. I, for one, was always underwhelmed by him and never thought he'd make it here. He doesn't have anything like the touch or technique that Akpom has. Aneke can't run, outstanding touch and technique, but he can't run. Another one that most never thought would make it here. Or only had a slim chance at best.

Akpom's got a chance.

lorddulaarsenal

Do you rate olsson tricks?

goon

If Akpom is going to have a chance he needs to turn into a beast physically.

Rex

Olsson seems to have put on quite a bit of muscle mass since we saw him in the CC. He was very good against Barcelona the other day. At least in the second half that I actually watched. 🙂

GUNNER91

I've also been much more impressed with Akpom, in contrast with Afobe, who was always going to be out of his depth at Arsenal.

Personally, I think it's testament to Akpom that even though he is on loan he's been recalled by Arsenal solely for the FA youth cup/ UEFA youth cup games. Also, I can't help feel that Gnarbry has missed out on potential match experience, seeing as he's been used sparingly since Ox-Chamberlain has returned from injury. But I guess you could say Gnarbry is gaining much more than match experience, by training with the first team etc.

Ricky1985

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:
Do you rate olsson tricks?

He's got a top midfielder's touch and technique, and he's clever - sees the game very well. What has impressed me about him in the last 12 moths is how well he's adapted to playing deeper as a proper midfielder. The likes of Zelalem, Toral and Gnabry have played the more creative roles ahead of him and he's been shunted back, but he's showed a really good attitude and work rate. And he has improved physically a lot in that time, too.

Gut feeling is he won't quite make it here because of the of embarrassment of riches we have in the first team ahead of him and in Zelalem alongside him. Just not sure he's gonna get the opportunities to make it here. I reckon even if he doesn't make it big here, and fingers crossed he can, that he'll make it big somewhere.

Irishgunner

Is Toral any good? He's the guy we nabbed from Barca a while back iirc.

Ricky1985

otfgoon wrote:
If Akpom is going to have a chance he needs to turn into a beast physically.

He's already on his way. He's still adjusting to playing as a proper striker, it's only his second season playing there - he's getting better at working the centrebacks. After growing from about 5'10 to about 6'1, he's finally looking like the skilful, agile, fluid player that I first saw when he was 15. And he's got great running power; even in that match comp above, look how eats up the ground for his late goal. That's after chasing the ball on his own up front for the whole match, a big chunk of it with only 10 men. He's going to be a proper athlete when he's fully developed, and strong with it.

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