General Reserves Talk

[MutableEarth]

<a class="postlink" href="http://player.arsenal.com/player/5053-under-18s-v-west-ham-a" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://player.arsenal.com/player/5053-u ... west-ham-a</a>

finished 1-1 this game. Scored by Ainsley Maitland-Niles and assisted by Dan Crowley (great ball and good finish too).

I'm liking Maitland-Niles to be honest - he's come from nowhere and become one of the most promising players in the batch. Clever, tricky and good vision, he's pretty quick too. Seems to be a good finisher aswell. Will be interesting to see his development.

 

[a_fourteen]

Crowley is a real talent. At the rate he's going he will be in the first team in record time. How old is he anyways?

 

[MutableEarth]

Crowley is a real talent. At the rate he's going he will be in the first team in record time. How old is he anyways?

He's 16. Lad's had a tough time with injuries this season. But his awareness, dribbling and passing is like none other. Similar to Wilshere, although I have to say I remember seeing Wilshere at 16 for the first time and he was unreal. I'd say Crowley is just as good as he was, if not better. He seems to be more agile, trickier and more clinical in the final third - he just needs to avoid injuries.

I'm a big fan of what we're doing with our youth wide-players though. Very multidynamic - big fan of Iwobi and Maitland-Niles. I think the latter has more chance to make it though.

 

[a_fourteen]

Crowley is a real talent. At the rate he's going he will be in the first team in record time. How old is he anyways?

He's 16. Lad's had a tough time with injuries this season. But his awareness, dribbling and passing is like none other. Similar to Wilshere, although I have to say I remember seeing Wilshere at 16 for the first time and he was unreal. I'd say Crowley is just as good as he was, if not better. He seems to be more agile, trickier and more clinical in the final third - he just needs to avoid injuries.

I'm a big fan of what we're doing with our youth wide-players though. Very multidynamic - big fan of Iwobi and Maitland-Niles. I think the latter has more chance to make it though.

In terms of development how do you rate Crowley compared to Zelalem? He seems ahead of Zelalem to me (more impact on the game) but Zelalem seems to be getting more opportunities. Will be interesting to see whether Wenger includes him for pre season.

 

[MutableEarth]

In terms of development how do you rate Crowley compared to Zelalem? He seems ahead of Zelalem to me (more impact on the game) but Zelalem seems to be getting more opportunities. Will be interesting to see whether Wenger includes him for pre season.

Crowley does impact games more, but he is being favored for the AM spot over Zelalem, who is being groomed for the deeper midfield role. Zelalem is raw enough to be molded IMO, but it will take time for him to get used to the role.

Crowley excels with his clever dribbling and operates high up the field with ease. Zelalem finds his range just a little further back, but his dribbling is an underrated asset. Where Zelalem shines over just about everyone, including Crowley, is his passing and vision. What he sees and where he passes the ball is extremely good, and I think only Crowley and Olsson match it at the level he's at.

They both have similar weakness in terms of physicality. Zelalem has a bigger build and therefore seems like a deeper midfield role could be the making of him as a more all-rounded player. So I think from that standpoint, Wenger may see Zelalem as being ahead in those terms. Crowley however is more of an impact player and does the damage. Zelalem, despite his lack of form and his rawness, has the potential to be a dictator if he adapts to his role. He's already providing competition for Olsson, who should be making his way slowly towards contention.

We'll see what happens next season, but the way I see it, there isn't THAT much between Crowley and Zelalem.

 

[beck]

16 year old old right back tafari Moore is in the England under 17 squad playing in the euros in Malta. It's being shown live on Eurosport.1st game tomorrow(Friday) 5pm v the hosts

 

[MutableEarth]

16 year old old right back tafari Moore is in the England under 17 squad playing in the euros in Malta. It's being shown live on Eurosport.1st game tomorrow(Friday) 5pm v the hosts

That should be good - like the kid. Promising - a bit rash in terms of decision making but a fighter and very good at recovery defending. Goes forward well too.

 

[a_fourteen]

16 year old old right back tafari Moore is in the England under 17 squad playing in the euros in Malta. It's being shown live on Eurosport.1st game tomorrow(Friday) 5pm v the hosts

That should be good - like the kid. Promising - a bit rash in terms of decision making but a fighter and very good at recovery defending. Goes forward well too.

he's tiny isn't he?

 

[musicmonkey]

I've seen the odd complaint about how many players we produce and how they're never good enough to go above the lower leagues so i thought i'd post this from the Dyke report. We rank 7th in the world.

<a class="postlink" href="https://twitter.com/SamWallaceIndy/status/464428961473515520/photo/1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">https://twitter.com/SamWallaceIndy/stat ... 20/photo/1</a>

 

[MutableEarth]

Who is everyone's prediction to be the best performing youth player next season and who is likeliest to step up?

There were a couple of darkhorses this season, and I think that Jon Toral and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are going to be the big performers next season. Obviously we know about Zelalem, Crowley, Gnabry and Akpom.....

Iwobi got a pro deal aswell, so I think he will also step up in his performances.

 

[Swallow]

Isaac Hayden and Kris Olsson, a great deep-lying playmaker in the making.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roMtuLG8eEA

 

[MutableEarth]

Olsson has a shot at first team football, but I think he will go on loan. He needs that in my opinion.

He's starting to improve his physical strength and athleticism, his reading of the game has served him well in a defensive sense. He's a bit like Arteta in that sense, but there's a touch of Rosicky in the way he dribbles and passes the ball. I reckon if he impresses on loan, he could be added to the squad.

As for Hayden, he's continuing to quietly impress. His passing has improved immeasurably and his intelligence is only matched by his determination. Occasionally undoes his good work with rash moments, but as a young defensive player with little first team experience that is to be expected (tackle v West Brom comes to mind). Like Olsson, a shot at the first team isn't out of the question in the future but needs a loan aswell to gauge where he is.

I can personally see Toral making an impression next season. He has such a complete style of play that you wonder if he can't become CM backup soon - passes well, dribbles well, makes runs off the ball, scores goals, can tackle.....he can do it all IMO. A loan isn't out of the question either but he might stay.

I'm a massive fan of Maitland-Niles at the moment. He's been the biggest surprise for me - has been one of the most consistent performers in the U21/U18 setup despite being one of the youngest. His pace and power has looked genuinely threatening and technically he is one of the best in our academy in terms of his touch, dribbling and overall use of the ball. If he has a spike in end product next season, surely he will start to push himself into the reckoning for Carling Cup matches or a spot on the bench. We've got some pretty promising wide players in our system, creative and direct simultaneously. Maitland-Niles should look to Ox for encouragement as I see similarities, albeit Ox has more strength.

 

[ArsenesNO1Fan]

Welcome to Arsenal, Elias Chatzitheodoridis

<a class="postlink" href="http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/06/arsenal-make-their-first-summer-signing-17-year-old-defender-elias-chatzitheodoridis-4752276/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/06/arsenal-m ... s-4752276/</a>

 

[Wrighty4eva]

what a name on that lad ...

 

[MutableEarth]

We'll just call him Elias

2nd Greek trialist to sign this month. Mourgos Savvas, a central midfielder, also signed after impressing in the Ferroli Cup.

 

[SiMamu]

I don't want him to make it just I don't have to learn to spell his name. Szczesny was bad enough. That's on a whole different level.

 

[a_fourteen]

Welcome to Arsenal, Elias Chatzitheodoridis

<a class="postlink" href="http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/06/arsenal-make-their-first-summer-signing-17-year-old-defender-elias-chatzitheodoridis-4752276/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/06/arsenal-m ... s-4752276/</a>" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Admit it, you copied and pasted that name.

 

[yuvken]

A Theo alias .

Is the other greek also from the Arsenal academy in Greece? do these things actually work? other examples?

 

[musicmonkey]

I don't think we've had the camps set up too long so it's good to see us get something out of it. Think they were planning on one for the US soon too iirc.

 

[clockwork orange]

About time we signed a big name.