Drying out? More likely he went there for the challenge/money/experience.
Youth team development
No most Muslim countries do not have alcohol everywhere but in select stores, outside of tourist places at least. Azerbaijan is very liberal when it comes to alcohol, there's barely any difference to Christian countries.
Shame about all the human rights and freedom of speech.
You can take the discussion about Azerbaijan into the appropriate sub-forum, if you wish to do so.
Let's keep this thread about everything related to the youth team. Thank you.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36725310
Our academy side, not sure on the age group but I assume U21, is going to compete in the Football League Trophy next season (Johnston's Paint Trophy as it's been known for a while), against League 1 and League 2 sides and 15 other tier 1 academy teams.
There's going to be an initial group stage consisting of 16 groups of 4 teams, each group containing an academy side, with the top two of each group going through to a 32 team knockout competition.
Not sure how well it'll work or how it'll affect what we choose to do with some of our promising young players this season, but could be a step toward academy sides being allowed to join the Football League. At the very least it'll make for some good experience for the kids away at proper grounds with passionate fans and with something important at stake. Think there's a TV deal in place (and prize money) too so we should be able to keep an eye on it.
Brilliant. I want youth teams to have more at stake.
Great news, been wanting something like this for ages.
We've turned down the invite apparently, as have a few others.
Is there any valid reason that youth teams can't play in the the Championship or League 1 like they can in other leagues?
Any idea why we turned it down? The article didn't clarify.
MistaT wrote:Is there any valid reason that youth teams can't play in the the Championship or League 1 like they can in other leagues?
like most things wrong with the world: tradition.
Apparently Thierry will leave the club and no longer be the assistant manager of the U18s. It's suggested that the position was initially offered on the basis that he quits his TV punditry, a condition which he's rejected. Reports suggest that Tony Adams will take over the role instead.
www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/thierry-henry-leaves-arsenal-club-legend-no-longer-part-of-arsene-wenger-s-staff-after-refusing-to-a3293646.html%3famp?client=safari#
Toral has gone on loan to Granada. He has only a year left IIRC, so this is probably the end of his Arsenal career given that we didn't extend his contract before sending him out on loan. Shame.
Toral doesn't have enough for Arsenal in my view, good player though he is.
14 days later
Sad news
Guillain Barre Syndrome – a rare disease which causes the body’s immune system attacks the nervous system.
Fuck. That sounds very bad.
Although the article says it's a 'mild case'. Hopefully it means it can be treated/contained? Speedy where you at?
est wrote:Guillain Barre Syndrome – a rare disease which causes the body’s immune system attacks the nervous system.
Fuck. That sounds very bad.
It is. John Guidetti contracted the exact same thing after eating an undercooked chicken. It kept him out from all competitive football for two years and almost turned him into a cripple. Initially the doctors told him that he would have to retire because he needed several hours of exercise in a machine each day just to get out of a chair on his own. Apparently GBS causes the muscles to wither. His right leg was literally down to half its normal size.
I think Guidetti had a particularly bad variance of the disease though. It doesn't sound like Ebecilio will be that bad off.
It's one of the worst diseases out their, reasonable chance of death, he'll probably look like a bad stroke victim for the next 2 years.
I've never heard of a mild case of this disease. I'd be shocked if he's not in hospital for the next 6 months at least.
It was a string of bad news reading that article.
Hope Kyle recovers well. Unfortunate when these things happen, and even more so to a kid.
Meatwad wrote:MistaT wrote:Is there any valid reason that youth teams can't play in the the Championship or League 1 like they can in other leagues?
like most things wrong with the world: tradition.
No. The reason is their matches play during international breaks, which also involve our U21s. Teams that pulled out all have players in similar situations.
banduan wrote:Meatwad wrote:like most things wrong with the world: tradition.
No. The reason is their matches play during international breaks, which also involve our U21s. Teams that pulled out all have players in similar situations.
that has nothing to do with the post i was responding to. that's an answer to why we rejected the football league trophy invitation. i was responding to youth/reserve teams playing in the championship or lower like they do in spain and germany.
The Arsenal Instagram page has just posted that Jeff is officially a first team player.
Meatwad wrote:banduan wrote:No. The reason is their matches play during international breaks, which also involve our U21s. Teams that pulled out all have players in similar situations.
that has nothing to do with the post i was responding to. that's an answer to why we rejected the football league trophy invitation. i was responding to youth/reserve teams playing in the championship or lower like they do in spain and germany.
Fair cop guv, my bad.
Tbf on that front I don't think it's tradition either. More like whingy lower div teams.
5 days later
http://www.arsenal.com/news/features/20160728/andries-jonker
Good in-depth interview with the guy in charge of our academy, Andries Jonker. About whom it seems the stories of demise were greatly exaggerated. He covers a lot of topics here.
And a good interview with young Krystian Bielik in Four Four Two. I suspected Wenger and his coaches saw him as a centreback and not a midfielder and Bielik confirms it here. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and that goes along with stuff I've heard previously about him turning down friendly games for Poland to stay at Colney and work like a dog to learn his new position.
He started to look fantastic for the Reserves toward the end of last season in that centreback position. Majestic how he intercepted and read the play, and he's definitely got the quality of a good midfielder on the ball too. One to keep a very close eye on.
I liked what i saw against old man Drogba and i'm slowly getting won over.
Gannet scores in the Olympics vs Mexico
That's a well taken goal
Dat pass tho.
Always has great composure in the box.
If it was at Arsenal he won't even make that run. He will come short for the ball and pass around.
Rex wrote:Dat pass tho.
Pass is made by the run (and dreadful defending).
Only one who really makes that sort of run consistently, or at least used to, is Theo.
MistaT wrote:Gannet scores in the Olympics vs Mexico
speedy wrote:Always has great composure in the box.
Haha, I didn't even watch the goal until I ready speedy's post and I started wondering who is this Gannet that is always composed in the box.
Don't you know who Gannet is?! How dare you call yourself an Arsenal fan!
Haha, just assumed it was another 14 year old who'd never amount to anything here under Wenger.
Well, if you take away the bit about him being 14, then you aren't wrong, are you? 
we did have hopes he'd make it after his bright start a few years back.
However you learn to know better after seeing so many youngsters over the years who looked nailed on to make it ruined by Wenger.
Wenger hasn't ruined any youngsters! Not a single player has come through the academy that had the quality to make it and subsequently hasn't.
Well, can't change it now (an odd autocorrect from posting on my phone)