Re: Arsenal U23s & U18s Thread

[RealGunner]

Not really surprising I guess.

Let's hope one of the remaining two makes it at Arsenal.

[Jay29]

Check out tonight's U21 team:

Iliev; Maitland-Niles, O'Connor, Bielik, Ormonde-Ottewill; Gnabry, Diaby, Arteta, Wilshere, Crowley; Iwobi

dat midfield

[Sri]

So the 'DM' we bought is playing as a CB in U21?

[RealGunner]

Arsenal U21 4-1 Stoke City U21

Iwobi hattrick. Wilshere played 90 minutes. Diaby was very good apparently

match report via mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3029387/Arsenal-U21-4-1-Stoke-City-U21-Jack-Wilshere-moves-step-closer-recovery-90-minutes-Emirates.html

[MJ]

Two quality left foot finishes from Alex Iwobi, Diaby threads him through for the second.

Can be watched here: http://player.arsenal.com/player/6170-under-21s-v-stoke-h

Gnabry with a nice touch and shot at 1:30, also nearly plays Iwobi in for his third (before he got his third, that is) with a backheel at 4:30. He then plays Iwobi in, he makes a delightful run, skipping past a defender to chip the keeper and seal his hat trick.

Wilshere looked bright, energetic.

[Jay29]

U21 team to play Reading U21 tonight:

Macey; Maitland-Niles, Pleguezuelo, O'Connor, Ormonde-Ottewill; Bielik, Diaby; Gnabry, Wilshere, Crowley; Iwobi

Subs: Iliev, Dobson, Kamara, Zelalem, Mavididi

I think that's how they'll line-up. Niles could play CM, with Pleggy going to RB and Bielik playing CB again like he did last time.

Arsenal are streaming the game on Arsenal Player. Kicks off at 19:00 (UK time).

Details:

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150413/team-news-wilshere-captains-under-21s

[Jay29]

Wilshere playing as the deepest lying midfielder, alongside Diaby. Maitland-Niles playing behind Iwobi. Crowley left, Gnabry righ.

[Sri]

Toral contract extended. He's at Brentford on loan iirc.

[MJ]

Toral contract extended. He's at Brentford on loan iirc.

Extended by a year due to an option we have in his contract.

6 goals and 2 assists in 34 apps for Brentford.

[RealGunner]

Arsenal have banned the mother of one of their most promising young players from the club after she appeared to hit Arsène Wenger’s chief negotiator, Dick Law, and allegedly threatened to drag her son off the pitch during an under-21s game.

LMFAO WTF

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/11572420/Arsenal-ban-Ainsley-Maitland-Niless-mother-over-assault.html

[MJ]

Don't know if that actually happened or if Arsenal are trying to prove Dick Law actually exists in the most bizarre fashion possible.

[urbaNRoots]

I hope that incident doesn't make him leave the club but he probably will.

[MJ]

Last week, Chuba Akpom came on as a late substitute to earn England U-20 a point by scoring in a 3-3 draw with Morocco.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3101336/England-U20-3-3-Morocco-U20-Chuba-Akpom-bags-late-point-Aidy-Boothroyd-s-come-10-men-kick-Toulon-campaign-draw.html

Few days ago, Akpom scores again, this time vs Ivory Coast while Isaac Hayden starts, playing 64 minutes.

http://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/495482-england-v-ivory-coast-toulon-tournament.html

[RealGunner]

Nice to see that. Won't be long till he is playing for U21s.

In terms of U21 n U18. We really need an overhaul. Both our youth teams suck atm.

[Jay29]

Watching Akpom against Mexico now. Missed a guilt-edged chance early on, and missed a more difficult chance on the volley later on.

I think he's too good for most youth levels at the moment, and could really do with a loan next season where he can play every week.

[Sina]

Latest youth cull emphasises the difficulties of making the grade


It is always disappointing when players whose progress you have been following for many years are suddenly told that they are no longer needed at the club.

In recent years we have become accustomed to the regular announcement, around this time of year, when it is revealed that a group of youngsters, several of whom have played for Arsenal for a prolonged period of time, will be moving on from July 1st.

The particularly concerning aspect regarding the players let go this year, though, was the fact that none of the youngsters who have been released represented the first-team in a competitive fixture, with the vast majority of them not even coming close to doing so.

Semi Ajayi, Jack Jebb, Austin Lipman, Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill and Josh Vickers have all been released along with scholars Renny Smith and Elliot Wright, who failed to earn professional contracts at the club.

Of those Ajayi was the only player who received a first-team call-up and that was only in a defensive emergency, with the centre-back, who was signed following a successful trial in 2013, standing no realistic chance of making the grade at the club in the long-term.

Smith also joined Arsenal in 2013 after being released by Chelsea and the Austrian youth international, who can operate in most defensive and midfield positions, has been strongly linked with a move to Italian side Carpi.

The other players let go- Jebb, Lipman, Ormonde-Ottewill, Vickers and Wright- had all been with Arsenal for many years, stretching back to when the club was still at Highbury. Ormonde-Ottewill was the only one of the quintet who established himself as a regular for the U21s, but the left-back was allowed to move on after he failed to address long-term concerns about his positioning. He has, though, already secured a deal with League One side Swindon Town for next season.

A few years ago there were very high hopes indeed for Jebb, a central-midfielder with an excellent passing range and superb free-kick taking abilities. However, the former England youth international found his progress hampered both by injuries and the presence of two stellar talents in Gedion Zelalem and Dan Crowley.

Lipman, a hard-working striker, and Vickers, a goalkeeper with good reflexes, have both had loan spells in non-league football and will be seeking to demonstrate that they are capable of playing at a higher level, whilst centre-back Wright will hope to play U21 football elsewhere having been unable to experience that level of the game at Arsenal.

In a way, this year’s departures signify once more just how difficult it is for homegrown players to make the grade at top clubs. Premier League rules, whereby clubs have to name players in their 25-man squads once they are 21 or over, have led to many sides, particularly Arsenal, becoming more ruthless when releasing young players, with some prospects being let go much earlier than they previously would have done.

It is clear, though, that if a player is talented enough then he will be given an opportunity to prove his worth, with Kieran Gibbs, Wojciech Szczesny, Jack Wilshere, Hector Bellerin and Serge Gnabry all part of the first-team squad.

–

http://news.arseblog.com/2015/06/latest-youth-cull-emphasises-the-difficulties-of-making-the-grade/

[Sina]

Arsenal sign Jordi Emmanuel Osei-Tutu from Reading


Arsenal have made another acquisition for their new scholarship intake after completing the signing of Reading youngster Jordi Emmanuel Osei-Tutu.

The prospect has been with Reading for eight years but is excited to be joining up with Arsenal’s new batch of scholars. The 16-year-old is capable of playing as a right-back or a winger.

Arsenal have already signed Romanian midfielder Vlad Dragomir, Cypriot defender Kostas Pileas and French youngsters Yassin Fortune and Jeff Reine-Adelaide.

https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/2015/06/26/arsenal-sign-jordi-emmanuel-from-reading/

[Jay29]

Club confirm that Hugo Keto, Stephy Mavididi and new signing Jeff Reine-Adelaide have signed professional contracts.

Marcus Ageyi-Tabi, Tolaji Bola, Joshua Dasilva, Vlad Dragomir, Yassin Fortune, Charlie Gilmour, Edward Nketiah, Jordi Osei-Tutu, Kostas Pileas, Nathan Tella and Jo Willock join as first year scholars.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150703/arsenal-welcomes-scholars-and-young-pros

[RealGunner]

So many FM regens

[urbaNRoots]

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-plotting-loan-swoop-9609015

Dan Crowley has been linked with a loan move to Birmingham City. This could be a great move.

Maitland-Niles also been loaned out to Ipswich Town.

[RealGunner]

Too early for Crowley to be on loan isn't it?

[Jay29]

He needs to develop a bit more physically before he's ready to a consistent starter, but even a year as a squad player at Birmingham would be a lot better for him than another year in our U21s.

We should be looking to loan out Zelalem as well.

[Sina]

would like to see Zelalem at some decent Portuguese/Belgian/Dutch team on season loan

[El Gunner]

Wilshere started playing in first team at 16. It's time for Crowley.

[MJ]

Wilshere started playing in first team at 16. It's time for Crowley.

Look at the midfield he had to break into vs this one.

[RealGunner]

Both Zelalem and Crowley needs to be loaned

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