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General Reserves Talk

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Afro Mugo

Active Member
Told you all Omari is great. Look at his dribbling, skills and technique.
Chelsea has Hudson odoi but our academy hasn’t been producing that level of talent since Gnabry.
Nelson, Saka are good but not even close.

Do you really think our Chelsea rejects tap in merchant (who doesn’t contribute in build up play), can match with Abraham’s football skills and physical strength (which is useful in the team’s tactical play and in the building up phase)?
Only good with finishing and tap in? so where is he for the rest of 85 mins when our team needs help to progress up the pitch?
Overhyping our own player is disgusting. Fact is our academy is not as great as Chelsea or City. To restructure our academy staff is the right step to take, so well done Arsenal.
I'll do a thread some time on how Chelsea's academy became so good at identifying and developing talent because it comes up a lot in this forum but in summary it's the same reason their first team became so good. Money + proper planning/administration. Abramovich's Investment wasn't solely on the first team but across all areas similarly to cities. They were able to acquire the best coaches and scouts around London and keep a large pool of staff on their paycheque. Aside from that it is not said openly but agents and parents benefit a lot from young players signed up by these academies. The game changed across London and all over sudden Chelsea was able to offer insane amounts of cash to get hold and keep these players and as usual Arsenal was slow to react. Former academy director Liam Brady even admitted it when he left. It's actually the reason he left he was a bit like Wenger and couldn't keep up with the changing times where ten year olds have agents etc. Their first golden generation is that born 97 who were signed as scholars in 2005/2006. So it'll take time before you see the effect of Arsenal stepping up and yes they are very deliberate on recruitment of pure athletes. Because of Wenger's influence Arsenal are more technical in their recruitment approach which isn't a bad thing there's a place for every kind of player in the game
 

jmsmtthw28

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
so similar to his chelsea run, but this time they made him go inside and the rest is history.
Looks like a real talent.
 

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
so similar to his chelsea run, but this time they made him go inside and the rest is history.
Looks like a real talent.
Yeah, he's started the season pretty quiet but looks to be coming to the fore with his recent performances. They needed one of the wide men to step up since Taylor-Hart's injury (not sure when he'll be back). Can see he's an excellent athlete aswell which is a plus. I've seen that Dennis can play as both RW and RB aswell which should be interesting in terms of his development, but if he keeps going on dribbles like the ones we've just seen, he'll have many eyes on him.
 

Afro Mugo

Active Member
Was looking at the current U23/U18 team and thinking of who would be useful to Arteta in the mid-term - as in who could impress on a tour in pre-season and work his way into cameo/bench status. Of the U23s, we're in a bit of a transitional period IMO. There's some promising talent there who I think could work their way into being squad guys at least - John-Jules, Balogun and Matt Smith would be the ones I look at. I think Harry Clarke is talented but would need to see more. I think Robbie Burton definitely has a case - I prefer Smith but I like Burton aswell, he has that little bit of aggression to his game that will help him. Can see him becoming a very solid PL-level player.

I think John-Jules and Smith of the U23 team are players who will really impress if given the opportunity though. Matt Smith has fast become one of my favorite prospects at the club. An amazing passer of the ball at his best, his lack of physical strength seems to have been somewhat remedied. Meanwhile John-Jules to me is the quintessential modern #9 stylistically. How good he actually becomes is up in the air but I think he has the all-round game, the physical attributes and the mentality to go very far. He needs to be a tad more clinical at times - something Balogun has no issue with. Greenwood needs a bit more time with the U23s IMO. I almost forgot Ben Cottrell aswell - I think he needs a bit more time with U23s aswell but he's very promising aswell.



From the U18s, there's a LOT of potential there but only one name I could call close enough to contention: Miguel Azeez. By the end of the season, the likes of Cirjan and Patino could also be talked about, as well as a few of the defenders who've been called promising, but Azeez is the clear star of the team and I think he should be playing U23 football already right now. He may even bypass it. He's that good IMO. Perfect CM, great technician and passer, can dribble out of trouble, good shot, combative defender aswell. I think if he has a weakness, it's that he could perhaps play with a bit more intensity - when he plays with purpose he's beastly.
On this actually Ken Gillard talked about it in his post match interview that he hopes more can move up to allow some of the u16s to integrate. In academy circles there's a lot of talk on the negatives of the PL2 ; mainly that there are too many squad fillers maintained who aren't viewed as future of the club. We are in a weird position defensively whereby we are fully stacked in terms of numbers . Olowu Omole and Bola's presence as part of the squad has prevented the likes of Ogungbo from moving up a level to free up space in the u18. We have Clarke Medley McGuiness trying to seek gametime in the same position . Mavropanos seriously limited Medleys gametime and Ballard is back from injury . Seriously interested in knowing what are the plans.
 

Country: Iceland
That's pretty big news, that must mean he possibly could entertain it. As huge a talent as he is, he's got a LOT of competition in and around him. Auba, Laca, Nketiah, John-Jules and Balogun. That's some array of CFs. He may look for first team football sooner rather than later.

Hopefully we can tie him to good contract before the summer and find him then a good loan next season!

Not sure where Arteta is post to find a time to give him his debut this season given all that is happening but if he shakes off injuries I think he is sure to come with us in pre-season!
 

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
Bad day for the academy sides so far.

U23s losing 2-0 to Liverpool while the U18s with a team of schoolboys and 1st years got thrashed 5-1 at home by West Ham. One positive - Miguel Azeez back from injury as a substitute.
 

Afro Mugo

Active Member
Bad day for the academy sides so far.

U23s losing 2-0 to Liverpool while the U18s with a team of schoolboys and 1st years got thrashed 5-1 at home by West Ham. One positive - Miguel Azeez back from injury as a substitute.
It was a bad day. Though interesting thing the U16s qualified for the u16 PL cup after beating Newcastle 3-0 via penalties. This was a team without Monlouis Awe Patino Edwards who all started for the u18s today and Flores who's out playing for Mexico. The u18s may be having a terrible season which I think has been severely affected by injuries to players at different points in the season especially Taylor Hart and Azeez plus departure of Musah and Cottrell's elevation to u23s . Last season's team played consistently throughout. The U16s beat Blackburn Chelsea and wolves to top their group before facing Newcastle.
 

Afro Mugo

Active Member
In other news Omari Hutchinson and James Lannin-Sweet called up to the England u17s who are giving a chance to new faces. They will join Oyegoke Monlouis Patino Graczyk and Levi Laing as part of the 03 youth internationals who are being compared to the 00 England group for the sheer number of top talents . Once we're done trying to fit in Saka, TJJ Balogun Reiss ESR. We will have another problem as this group of u16s are really good.
 

Geofranco

Would let Saka date his daughter

Player:Saka
In other news Omari Hutchinson and James Lannin-Sweet called up to the England u17s who are giving a chance to new faces. They will join Oyegoke Monlouis Patino Graczyk and Levi Laing as part of the 03 youth internationals who are being compared to the 00 England group for the sheer number of top talents . Once we're done trying to fit in Saka, TJJ Balogun Reiss ESR. We will have another problem as this group of u16s are really good.

I'm really excited for what the current U16 can do next season in U18 level.

This current group of U18 are talented, but not enough dominant players. Like Balogun, Nelson, Saka and Nketiah.

They all thoroughly dominated U18 football once they got comfortable at that level.

Even Matt Smith was so consistent last season there.

I think a combination of injuries and first year scholars have made this U18 season tough. Last season they had so many second years.

Really miss the John Jules, Amaechi, Saka and Smith Rowe group. They were so dynamic to watch.
 

Afro Mugo

Active Member
What actually impresses me with the current u16s is the defensive talents are more than usual.
I believe the current u18s suffered from the abundance of talent of the 2001s which meant there was a fewer intake last season. It was more or less a team of second years and school boys with Lopez Cottrell and Greenwood as the sole first years who played regularly and now Cottrell is with the u23s . Infact Lopez was the only first year defender in that intake. Alebiosu who never played and Dennis who played a bit part are wingers. Musah Azeez and Ogungbo were key players last season and Musah left and Azeez has been injured .Flaherty and Josh Martin left midway into their scholarships.
 

Afro Mugo

Active Member
Not watching the game and we're still leading In the youth cup by a goal and by reports online we are just surviving. Don't like commenting too much on results but some of our coaches decisions are weird we're leading by a goal and Azeez Cirjan Cottrell Mathews Plange Greenwood are on the pitch . That's no wingers no defensive midfielder
 

Afro Mugo

Active Member
The u18s survive and have a great chance to reach the semis with their opponents being Blackburn/ Preston. The draw is interesting as Arsenal United City Chelsea avoid each other until possibly the semis.
 

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