General Reserves Talk

[Pepe LeFrits]

He can forge a career here but he'll need to have a LOT of patience. As Ricky said, there's a wealth of similarly crafted midfield talents at the club and he won't have a convenient path to regular football with us. I do reckon that by the age of around 23 he'll be developing into a class player though.

 

[Armor for Sleep]

He's been at the club since he was 8 years old and grown up with the likes of Kieran and Jack, the thought of having a squad full of local kids who have grown up together and who bleed Arsenal is something a bit special for me, and I'm sure for a lot of supporters. It would be pretty unique in this day and age and keeping hold of players like Henri is a big part of that.

It would be fantastic wouldn't it. After last nights win we should see a bit more of Henri, and hopefully some of the other academy boys like JET and Eastmond.

 

[DK Gooner]

I think Henri can have a good career here. He is versatile and has that battling quality added to his technique which works in his favour. He is a bit more direct than some of our other midfield maestros and his willingness to shoot from range is definitely positive for our options. Some CC and FA cup ties with some CL group action should be his aim. I would rather he stayed here this season and gets used to the tempo of our game as I think it makes him look a far better player and useful option than what was witnessed at Watford last season.

 

[Clrnc]

He need to up his quality though. At the moment he is a very nothing player with no fixed position. Its like a better version of Randall only.

Give him more loan spell and we shall see how

 

[DK Gooner]

He need to up his quality though. At the moment he is a very nothing player with no fixed position. Its like a better version of Randall only.

Give him more loan spell and we shall see how

I think Randall is better technically in a few ways, while Lansbury has the better physique. The other thing going for him is confidence whereas Randall seems to have lost most of his and as such looks less assured than the player who first burst onto the scene 3 seasons ago.

With our perennial injury list, Lanbury is closer to first team action than ever before and we may require him in our usual hectic January to May stretch. As such I am loathe to send him out on loan. Also we should not contemplate loaning him out to a Championship team. I always worry that they suffer playing in an environment which is not conducive to developing their technical ability. We know he can cut it physically, but we now need him to be able to fit in to the style and tempo of our play, which unfortunately, he is unlikely to find replicated elsewhere. If he needs games then a short 3-month loan spell may suffice.

You are right about his lack of position, but I get the impression that he will play as a deep lying DM/CM - a bit like Alex Song. He can do a job in lesser games and is pretty disciplined positionally. Given a few games, I think he will improve markedly.

Eastmond is the player who should probably look to go out on loan this season. His position is more or less set, but the more experience he can gain and the more he can bulk up the better. He is behind Lansbury and as I think we need one of them to stay at the club as cover, Eastmond for me should be the one to go out on loan.

 

[Chass]

I agree about Eastmond. There's aspects of his game which I really like such as his constant forward passing and positional sense, but then he is also less technically astute than Coquelin and less physical and tenacious as Frimpong. These two have more features than Craig which would greater suit our style of play and the league we play in.

This makes me question whether he has a future here. A good season on loan in the championship would give me a much clearer idea.

 

[Yaya]

ARSENAL: Shea; Eastmond, Nordtveit, Hoyte, Miquel; Aneke, Henderson, Meade; Deacon, Afobe, Emmanuel-Thomas

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Jamie Edge signs professional terms with the club: http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/jamie-edge-signs-professional-terms-with-club

 

[Kenyonhater]

Gilles Sunu came back from injury in the 3-0 win against an experienced Blackpool side on Monday night. He came off the bench in the second half with the game still at 0-0 and changed the game, scoring a well-deserved goal. Looked full of powerful running and very neat footwork.

Afobe played well but couldn't finish so he's got some serious competition now. Very exciting young reserve team we have this year and I love the fact that a lot of them are big, powerful and athletic as well as possessing great skill and technical ability. Once these boys come through we won't be getting bullied anymore.

 

[Timleaf]

ARSENAL: Shea; Eastmond, Nordtveit, Hoyte, Miquel; Aneke, Henderson, Meade; Deacon, Afobe, Emmanuel-Thomas

Has he been moved back to right-back now then? He seems to have stagnated a touch since he made his first team break through last season. Lack of opportunities and a mediocre pre-season.

 

[Timleaf]

Just out of interest, and for those of us who aren't completey clued up on this stuff, now that Gibbs and Wilshere are fully established in the first team squad, who are the next 2 or 3 biggest talents in the reserve/youth teams? Which ones are most likely to step up to consistant first team option in the next 18 months or so?

I guess the likely lads would be out of this lot; Frimpong, JET, Lansbury, Coquelin, Eastmond and Nordtveit?

Oh, and do we have any really 'special' talents in the youth teams/reserves? Special like a Wilshere? Someone that's just a cut above? Maybe Aneke?

 

[DK Gooner]

Gilles Sunu rumoured to be on the verge of a 1-month loan deal to Derby in his bid to return to full fitness.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Tim: Szczesny.

I think Kyle Bartley, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Francis Coquelin are most likely to still be here in a few years out of the lot you mentioned, but it's hard to tell. Sanchez Watt and Emmanuel Frimpong may turn out two really good players too.

Looking at the age brackets beneath them I'm not so sure. I haven't been able to follow the development of those players as much as I'd have liked to, ever since ATVO cancelled their live streams, but I've seen a fair share of Aneke and he looks like the real deal to me. Yennaris looks extremely promising too. You can't write off people like Benik Afobe either, even though he's better suited to a 4-4-2.

 

[Zinc]

Just out of interest, and for those of us who aren't completey clued up on this stuff, now that Gibbs and Wilshere are fully established in the first team squad, who are the next 2 or 3 biggest talents in the reserve/youth teams? Which ones are most likely to step up to consistant first team option in the next 18 months or so?

I guess the likely lads would be out of this lot; Frimpong, JET, Lansbury, Coquelin, Eastmond and Nordtveit?

Oh, and do we have any really 'special' talents in the youth teams/reserves? Special like a Wilshere? Someone that's just a cut above? Maybe Aneke?

In the next 18months i dont think we shall have a break through like Wilshere or Gibbs, where they are fighting for a starting place rather then a squad/bench place. But I think all those you mentioned are already close to fighting for bench spots and with a couple injury's we could likely see them, as with Eastmond last season.

But I would say the single biggest talent coming through is Aneke, this guy is immense, big and powerful hugely creative midfielder who has even been scoring in the reserves. And having just made the step up to reserve football recently after dominating the u18's at 17 and not appearing his age atall then eventually i think he take prem in his stride too.

I also absoutly love Nicholas Yennaris. A tough but cultured CM, I think he has a real chance. and i also think we will see Henderson get a shot too, he went out with 1st team in pre season but picked up a knock.

Lower down the age group i hear alot about how great Rees is but have never seen him play.

 

[Eirico]

Just out of interest, and for those of us who aren't completey clued up on this stuff, now that Gibbs and Wilshere are fully established in the first team squad, who are the next 2 or 3 biggest talents in the reserve/youth teams? Which ones are most likely to step up to consistant first team option in the next 18 months or so?

I guess the likely lads would be out of this lot; Frimpong, JET, Lansbury, Coquelin, Eastmond and Nordtveit?

Oh, and do we have any really 'special' talents in the youth teams/reserves? Special like a Wilshere? Someone that's just a cut above? Maybe Aneke?

Yup Aneke. He has it all. Maybe lacks a little workrate and dicipline but thats it imo.

 

[Arshavinslittlelegs]

Thing is with youth you can never tell who'll show the guts and confidence + crucially consistency to transfer their u-18/reserve talent and ability into the 1st team. Wilshere has done it easily but he is head and shoulders above the rest.

One that definitely catches the eyes is Aneke. He defo stands out from the pack. He has everything plus that special something that you need to make it.

Don't think the likes of Eastmond/JET/Watt will make it in all honesty.

Frimpong is another curious case. Wenger gave him an extended run at pre-season and there must be something that Wenger likes. He is an immensely strong kid..very good tackler but needs to work on his tactical/positional play.

 

[ricky1985]

Good article on Benik Afobe. Some good info on the kid, and a 8 minute long video showing him scoring goals in the red and white when he was just a little kid.

 

[Nela]

Aneke is taking inspiration from Vieira.

“He was such a winner and I want to take that from the book and put it into my game. I want to be a winner like him,” Aneke told Arsenal.com.

“I’ve learnt a lot [from reading the book]. To try and win at everything I do on and off the pitch. To try and lead and be more of a presence on the pitch because he was such a presence when he was on the field.

“I look up to him very much. He was the captain of this Club and he won titles. That’s something I aspire to. He was one of my idols as a kid."

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/aneke-i-m-taking-inspiration-from-vieira

 

[dbig]

Winning 4-0 at WHU. JET hat-trick. Time's almost up.

http://www.whufc.com/articles/20101019/arsenal-4-0-reserves-live_2236884_2188647

 

[Tramdriver]

Interesting to read what the west ham fans are saying about how good JET is. He really needs some game time