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General Reserves Talk

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MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
The U18s have been having a real tough time closing out games this season. 3rd from bottom, always tough with 1st years but they'll be disappointed results-wise.

It's ironic that despite that, I actually think we have our most promising set of CBs coming through now, with Ogungbo, Monlouis, Kirk, Awe and Foran all touted as highly promising and putting in good performances - particularly Alex Kirk who's surprised me. We also have a very decent pair of full-backs in Lopes and Oyegoke.

It will be interesting when more of the U16s come into this team, as that group has some really interesting midfield+attacking talents in it aswell (Charlie Patino, Marcelo Flores, Omari Hutchinson, Khayon Edwards to name but a few). That group could be similar to the current group in and around the first team now.
 

Geofranco

Would let Saka date his daughter

Player:Saka
The U18s have been having a real tough time closing out games this season. 3rd from bottom, always tough with 1st years but they'll be disappointed results-wise.

It's ironic that despite that, I actually think we have our most promising set of CBs coming through now, with Ogungbo, Monlouis, Kirk, Awe and Foran all touted as highly promising and putting in good performances - particularly Alex Kirk who's surprised me. We also have a very decent pair of full-backs in Lopes and Oyegoke.

It will be interesting when more of the U16s come into this team, as that group has some really interesting midfield+attacking talents in it aswell (Charlie Patino, Marcelo Flores, Omari Hutchinson, Khayon Edwards to name but a few). That group could be similar to the current group in and around the first team now.

Zane Monlouis gotta make it just for that badass name. I watched Zach Awe a bit and like his technique. Dude can be a good DM prospect too.

Don't wanna hype Omari cause he has already been getting lots of hype for years now, but he looks a talent.

Very good technique and balance, but the only concern is his size.

He is so small out there and doesn't seem that quick. Hope he can grow a bit more and improve his explosiveness.

Glides across the pitch like a Nasri, Wilshere and Chris Willock type.
 

Afro Mugo

Active Member
The U16s beat Blackburn 3-1 to reach the final of the U16s PL Cup once again. We lost 5-2 to Chelsea last year in the final. I think we face Man City who are really good. Crazy that both Arsenal and Blackburn were in the same group and Chelsea finished 3rd in that group.
Omari Hutchinson playing as Number 8 was probably man of the match today with a goal and an assist. Khayon Edwards and Mauro Bandeira scored the other. The U16s are really good as Flores and Patino didn't play and they got the result plus Ebiowei was also in this group. I like the balance of talents with different profiles .
 

Afro Mugo

Active Member
Zane Monlouis gotta make it just for that badass name. I watched Zach Awe a bit and like his technique. Dude can be a good DM prospect too.

Don't wanna hype Omari cause he has already been getting lots of hype for years now, but he looks a talent.

Very good technique and balance, but the only concern is his size.

He is so small out there and doesn't seem that quick. Hope he can grow a bit more and improve his explosiveness.

Glides across the pitch like a Nasri, Wilshere and Chris Willock type.
Omari is an interesting player . He's quite tiny which has probably meant his progress will always be slow. He's not built like Saka . But he's really skillful and is a good passer and crosser. He got three assists recently for England. He's played LW RW CAM CM LB which will only help his progress. I think he'll end up being an Iwobi-Nasri kind of player. A wide playmaker .
 

Afro Mugo

Active Member
M
The U16s beat Blackburn 3-1 to reach the final of the U16s PL Cup once again. We lost 5-2 to Chelsea last year in the final. I think we face Man City who are really good. Crazy that both Arsenal and Blackburn were in the same group and Chelsea finished 3rd in that group.
Omari Hutchinson playing as Number 8 was probably man of the match today with a goal and an assist. Khayon Edwards and Mauro Bandeira scored the other. The U16s are really good as Flores and Patino didn't play and they got the result plus Ebiowei was also in this group. I like the balance of talents with different profiles .
My bad Flores actually played and scored the fourth goal.
 

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
This was Flores Free kick today.
This Flores kid looks different gravy. A lot of those U16s do tbh. Will be interesting to see how they adjust to U18 football as a lot of them will be getting their scholarships in the next couple of months.

Bandeira's name has popped up a few times aswell, he looks an interesting prospect from the little I've seen. Tall midfielder but looks hard to get off the ball. Definitely agree on Hutchinson. He looks to have good acceleration but he's very slight. I'd imagine he still has a bit of growing to do in general though (Chris and Joe Willock for example were both tiny until they were about 17). He looks superb technically though, very exciting nonetheless. They may still try to make him a LB at some point though, you never know with these breakthroughs at this level. Never saw AMN playing RB for example!
 

Afro Mugo

Active Member
This Flores kid looks different gravy. A lot of those U16s do tbh. Will be interesting to see how they adjust to U18 football as a lot of them will be getting their scholarships in the next couple of months.

Bandeira's name has popped up a few times aswell, he looks an interesting prospect from the little I've seen. Tall midfielder but looks hard to get off the ball. Definitely agree on Hutchinson. He looks to have good acceleration but he's very slight. I'd imagine he still has a bit of growing to do in general though (Chris and Joe Willock for example were both tiny until they were about 17). He looks superb technically though, very exciting nonetheless. They may still try to make him a LB at some point though, you never know with these breakthroughs at this level. Never saw AMN playing RB for example!
Bandeira' is one to watch out. His progress was stalled at u15 level when he was injured for over a year but he's also really good. Tall , close control , very good dribbler and can score from distance as he did yesterday. There's also James Sweet who has two very good feet and can play wide and centrally. We'll soon have some depth in academy talent and whereas not all will be good for first team level. It'll be interesting to see how we handle their growth. Ever since the loan manager was appointed we've had very good loans.
 

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
Bandeira' is one to watch out. His progress was stalled at u15 level when he was injured for over a year but he's also really good. Tall , close control , very good dribbler and can score from distance as he did yesterday. There's also James Sweet who has two very good feet and can play wide and centrally. We'll soon have some depth in academy talent and whereas not all will be good for first team level. It'll be interesting to see how we handle their growth. Ever since the loan manager was appointed we've had very good loans.
I agree not all will get to Top 6 PL level - that said, we should be trying to get them all to that level, regardless of whether they actually do that or not. We need to use Hale End as a means of creating stars and first teamers IMO, because at least if it doesn't work out we can still get decent value and they also go onto have very strong PL/EFL careers. Take a Matt Smith for example, a player I'm a huge fan of. He's already 19 and it looks tough for him to get in with a shout here, but due to his quality I can easily see him having a good PL career. Same with Robbie Burton.

I think we're on the right track, and creating good depth as you said. And the arrival of Ben Knapper has been excellent in making sure we get the right loans aswell. I'm very happy with TJJs loan to Lincoln, although he seems to be having a tough time in front of goal of late but to get regular first team football at this stage of his career is very beneficial.

I haven't seen much of James Sweet but I've heard he is very promising.
 

Afro Mugo

Active Member
Before I started, Arsenal had told me that we had to build everything from zero,” said the 56-year-old.

“But when I started the job, I told (Academy boss) Per Mertesacker that this information was not correct.
"We were not starting from zero – but from two below zero!”

In an interview with Dutch football magazine Voetbal International, Lucassen said: “In my first month, I asked 20 different people at the club to describe the so-called ‘Arsenal Way.’
“Everybody spoke about it, but no-one could actually answer my question. Three people just said ‘it’s the passing game.’

“I had worked with other clubs where the objective was for a player to pass the ball to someone else in the same colour shirt, so what was unique about this Arsenal philosophy?

“They had all kind of academy plans, but nothing was based on a proper football philosophy, a playing style, or certain principles.”

Lucassen added: “There was a lack of quality in certain age groups and I saw very few players with the potential of Champions League level.

“When I compared what they have in Germany and what I found at Arsenal, it was a big shock. The problem we are dealing with is that the philosophy after the Wenger (above) era has not been developed.

“You can see this in the passing. Players make passes just because they think they have to pass the ball.
“Another problem was that youth teams had lots of technically gifted midfielders and no wingers – and that will take time to change.”
 

GunnerBP

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
Anyone know much about Charlie Patino? Looks like he keeps on training with the first team, but I haven't really heard anything about him.
 
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