Ayden Heaven image 26

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2025-26 Performances

View full 2025-26 profile

5.5 Season Average Rating
Appearances
12
Clean sheets
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
Yellow cards
1
Cutch said:
Looks excellent on the ball and generally defended well but thought he was weak on the second goal, but wasn't the only one
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Yeah, the ball should have been launched. If it was on his other side it would have. He needs to work on his right peg.
 
There’s clearly a player there. The bottom line is we are having to start 2 kids who aren’t even a combined 40 years old as our main central defenders and even though both are very talented, they’re going to make mistakes.

I love how he is on the ball and he’s quite athletic as well.
 
Good performance, he's improved game on game. I'd put him to the left if de Ligt goes centre, to push Shaw out of the team.
 
I don’t think he’s a CB at all. He plays like a midfielder who’s having to play CB.
 
Did well today. I think he could be a revelation in the modern centre back at left back sort of role. Not that I want us to play that cause it's crap but he'd be really good at it.
 
I think he's a really good prospect. Quick, athletic, very comfortable on the ball and a has a really good reading of the game for his age. Will struggle every now and again in such a physical league at his age but he looked really good before that injury he got last season and is finding his feet again now he's back in the team a few games.
 
Bwuk said:
I don’t think he’s a CB at all. He plays like a midfielder who’s having to play CB.
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There was a lot of talk about this when he came in from Arsenal, that he was being played at CB but preferred CM, or vice versa, can't remember which.

Either way you're right - he looks like he could slot into midfield very easily if needed.
 
Looked better than the previous game, maybe the best of our weak looking 3 starting CBs. Good progress from him and nice to see him bounce back after a poor one
 
Bwuk said:
I don’t think he’s a CB at all. He plays like a midfielder who’s having to play CB.
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Given some of the touches into space he takes, I don't think he'd last a second at CM.
 
Bondi77 said:
Had Watkins in his back pocket all game.
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Aside from the second goal where Watkins just got a run on him to get to the cross. Everyone was so slow to react to that ball in, like they weren't expecting a ball to come in, they should know by now to expect the worst if Dalot is trying to defend.
 
Big performance from him, showing a lot of character.

Young players make mistakes, it's how they learn.
 
Has more character than Yoro it seems. Still happy to have them both but Heaven has a bit more swagger, agression and confidence.

I think these things make a huge difference.
 
The thing with him and Yoro is that they are young. Most young defenders make mistakes every other game; they simply lack the experience that is vital for defenders. However, they are clearly the most talented defenders in our squad. Even with Maguire and de Ligt both fit, we won't win the league any time soon, so I still think we should give the kids games to give them the experience they need, even if it costs us games. Hummels and Subotic are the perfect example of why this is vital. When they first started playing for Dortmund, they made lots of mistakes and cost the team games. Three years later, they won the league and were the best defender pairing in the Bundesliga. They won another league title and even reached the Champions League final. Of course, that's no guarantee that it'll be the same for Heaven and Yoro, but they're clearly both very talented players, so I hope we keep giving them the playing time they need.
 
NoLogo said:
The thing with him and Yoro is that they are young. Most young defenders make mistakes every other game; they simply lack the experience that is vital for defenders. However, they are clearly the most talented defenders in our squad. Even with Maguire and de Ligt both fit, we won't win the league any time soon, so I still think we should give the kids games to give them the experience they need, even if it costs us games. Hummels and Subotic are the perfect example of why this is vital. When they first started playing for Dortmund, they made lots of mistakes and cost the team games. Three years later, they won the league and were the best defender pairing in the Bundesliga. They won another league title and even reached the Champions League final. Of course, that's no guarantee that it'll be the same for Heaven and Yoro, but they're clearly both very talented players, so I hope we keep giving them the playing time they need.
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Are they though? I sometimes think there's a tendency to confuse 'young' with 'talented'. They're both obviously talented - wouldn't be playing top level footie if not - but I don't think they've yet shown anything to give the impression that they're the most talented defenders in the squad. Hopefully they kick on and I agree they should be given games, but we shouldn't be playing them just because they're young and we're taking a punt on them turning out to be worldbeaters.
 
Just remembered that block after Lammens save from McGinn, he flew across to defend that. Was brilliant defending.
 
Maybe it was one off but looked very good last night. Looks powerful, fast, good on the ball.

He might become an important player in a team that has no quick centre backs and plays 3 of them.
 
Oranges038 said:
Just remembered that block after Lammens save from McGinn, he flew across to defend that. Was brilliant defending.
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Yeah he had a good moment I think just before that too, those probably did his confidence the world of good. Good game.
 
OverratedOpinion said:
Did well today. I think he could be a revelation in the modern centre back at left back sort of role. Not that I want us to play that cause it's crap but he'd be really good at it.
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Kind of agree. If he stayed at Arsenal I think he’d have been a good Calafiori backup
 
Looked good from the 1st minute yesterday which was great to see after the Bournemouth game and I liked what I saw from both the box defending and in-possession side of his game.


NoLogo said:
The thing with him and Yoro is that they are young. Most young defenders make mistakes every other game; they simply lack the experience that is vital for defenders. However, they are clearly the most talented defenders in our squad. Even with Maguire and de Ligt both fit, we won't win the league any time soon, so I still think we should give the kids games to give them the experience they need, even if it costs us games. Hummels and Subotic are the perfect example of why this is vital. When they first started playing for Dortmund, they made lots of mistakes and cost the team games. Three years later, they won the league and were the best defender pairing in the Bundesliga. They won another league title and even reached the Champions League final. Of course, that's no guarantee that it'll be the same for Heaven and Yoro, but they're clearly both very talented players, so I hope we keep giving them the playing time they need.
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I agree both Heaven and Yoro need time and we should give them as many opportunities as we can, however I do feel like having two out of the 3 CBs learning their trade is risky given our ambitions to at least be in the top 4.
 
Personally think that Heaven has the higher ceiling out of him and yoro. I think that comes from mentality. I really admire this kids character, obviously from what I can see through interviews and performances. Glad he is getting minutes now. When de ligt is back, id like to see him instead of yoro at the back, based on performances this season. Heaven in the last few games is really progressing, clearly not fully match fit, but as each game goes on, he looks better. Great block from him against Villa, saved Yoro a lot of blushes.
 
MrBest said:
Personally think that Heaven has the higher ceiling out of him and yoro. I think that comes from mentality. I really admire this kids character, obviously from what I can see through interviews and performances. Glad he is getting minutes now. When de ligt is back, id like to see him instead of yoro at the back, based on performances this season. Heaven in the last few games is really progressing, clearly not fully match fit, but as each game goes on, he looks better. Great block from him against Villa, saved Yoro a lot of blushes.
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Agree but these young players will be up and down. Yoro not a great night or a great season but all part of his education. I'd keep playing them until De Ligt returns as they are the future

Good test against Gordon and Woltemade coming up
 
Unfortunately Yoro’s price tag is the problem. As of right now, Heaven looks like he’s the one who costs $50 mill and not 1 mill!
 
Him and Yoro have all the tools to be great future partnership, it’s not fair on either they’ve been thrown into a struggling team with no leadership at the back and left to figure it out. Hopefully it doesn’t ruin their confidence and instead builds character
 
MrBest said:
Personally think that Heaven has the higher ceiling out of him and yoro. I think that comes from mentality. I really admire this kids character, obviously from what I can see through interviews and performances. Glad he is getting minutes now. When de ligt is back, id like to see him instead of yoro at the back, based on performances this season. Heaven in the last few games is really progressing, clearly not fully match fit, but as each game goes on, he looks better. Great block from him against Villa, saved Yoro a lot of blushes.
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I don't know about the ceiling but I would start him over Yoro at the level both are showing currently. He is also better in the air over Yoro which is a big advantage in the PL.
 
Amazing tonight. This kid is going to be special
 
I think I'm ready to get on the hype train.

It could be the best bit of business the club had done in years.
 
Didn’t put a foot wrong. Dorgu had his best game for the club but this lad was still motm for me
 
Always said he needed some experience alongside him. Martinez brought the calm, Heaven mopped everything up. Excellent clean sheet.
 
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