Youth team development: Page 66 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Youth team development

lorddulaarsenal

I think it's fair to say Maitland Hayes > Deli Alli

HomeSteak

http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/16/arsenal-loanee-chuba-akpom-reacts-angrily-when-subbed-off-for-hull-v-reading-5570489/

I really don't like his attitude.

Klaus

I don't really care about what he does, he's never going to be good enough for this club. The big question is whether we'll get 2 million or 5 million when we sell him. It looks like the former based on this story.

est

HomeSteak wrote:
http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/16/arsenal-loanee-chuba-akpom-reacts-angrily-when-subbed-off-for-hull-v-reading-5570489/

I really don't like his attitude.

I could live with the attitude if he scored goals. 3 goals in 19 games is poor.

jones

est wrote:
HomeSteak wrote:
http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/16/arsenal-loanee-chuba-akpom-reacts-angrily-when-subbed-off-for-hull-v-reading-5570489/

I really don't like his attitude.

I could live with the attitude if he scored goals. 3 goals in 19 games is poor.

It's beyond poor. When he was at the club he reminded me of Sturridge or Defoe in how he's not interested in anything but going for glory himself. There are strikers who can get away with having a barren spell because they have a well rounded overall game but with Akpom I struggle to think of anything he could be doing if he's not scoring.

Clrnc

Had high hopes for Akpom actually, but it was pretty obvious after this summer that he isn't good enough and we have better young options than him.

Ricky1985

Akpom's problem is that he can't put the ball in the net well enough. It's not his attitude; he has a great attitude on the pitch and it's not his selfishness; he runs all day for his team mates and has decent link-up play - purely and simply, he doesn't have a good enough first touch in the box, he doesn't have good enough composure and, most importantly, he isn't able to hit the ball well enough to score goals regularly.

Big Willie

I think the reason most of us were keen on him was less due to his talent and more a kind of defense mechanism against the thought of having to endure any more of Sanogo when Giroud wasn't available. Sanogo would make Chamakh look like prime old school Ronaldo.

goon

The striking positions is one of the hardest to break through in too, you need to be a top level talent otherwise you'll be swallowed up sooner or later.

Ricky1985

Akpom will become a good player, I don't have a shred of doubt, just very unlikely to be here. He'll score goals in his career though, come what may, because his movement in the box is very good and he is going to be an oustanding athlete when he's fully developed physically.

Clrnc

It is interesting that at one point Akpom is considered a great talent and Afobe a lesser one, and now their fortunes has changed completely.

Ricky1985

Akpom has more ability than Afobe and will be a better player by a fair margin.

Ricky1985

U21s lost at home to Villa 2-1 today. 16 year old Donyell Malen tucked away a penalty but Villa scored a late winner. Most notably though, Reiss Nelson made his debut at this level. He started the game and by all accounts played really well before coming off at half time with a slight injury. He turned 16 only 10 days or so ago - practically a whole year younger than the aforementioned Malen - he's doing things on a similar schedule to Jack Wilshere, and he's easily the biggest talent we've had come through since Jack, in my opinion.

yuv

You watched him in person, Rick?

Bold Tone

Ricky only has to look through his back window, at home, to watch the youth team.

yuv

Hence the question. Don't know if Rick's had time to have a look in the last couple of weeks (since the boy was born).

Ricky1985

No, not seen him in the flesh yet. I've seen a few 90 minutes from him though and he's easy to spot as something special.
I'd go as far as saying I'll be very surprised if he hasn't made his first team début by the end of next season.

Ricky1985

https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/2015/12/22/wenger-shows-faith-in-chris-willock-with-first-team-recognition/

Jorge Bird talking about Wenger's faith in 17 year old Chris Willock; he was the designated '19th man' for us against City the other night - less impressive when you consider that Jeff and Iwobi actually made the bench. He's certainly way ahead of Crowley right now, though, and Wenger does appear to have plans for him moving forward. Think he's a long way off at the moment though and not sure he'll ever be good enough to play on the wing for us. I like him; beats people for fun and is developing into a good athlete, but his game is lacking in some key areas.

Interested to see how Wenger develops Willock and the likes of Hayden, Zelalem, Toral, Maitland-Niles, Crowley, Iwobi, Jeff, Akpom. We've never used loans well, in my opinion, but I think if any of those kids are to have a chance they need really good loans to the right managers in the next couple of seasons. Don't think we're in a place where minutes can realistically come here.

Rex

If all goes well, we won't ever see that again. There should be only a few places in our squad for not fully developed players going forward IMO. Kids need to prove themselves on loan, and they should only come back to the first team if they have proven themselves during their loan spells. Not necessarily that they are ready to go right into the first XI like Courtois at Chelsea, but that they have something about them worth keeping.

Burnwinter

Alright Anzac.

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