Youth vs Youth

[The King]

Am surprised that no one has started a thread on who has a better youth set up, the arse or Utd. After the arse's thumping of Wolves and us losing to a Div 1 outfit, i bet comparisons appear.

So what do the lot think? You reckon arse has a better team for the future than us?

 

[kkcbl]

Am surprised that no one has started a thread on who has a better youth set up, the arse or Utd. After the arse's thumping of Wolves and us losing to a Div 1 outfit, i bet comparisons appear.

So what do the lot think? You reckon arse has a better team for the future than us?

I didn't see Arsenal's performance against Wolves but based on last night's match against WBA & having seen some of our present 2nd stringers b4 as well, most of them won't cut it or are potentially capable of replacement our present first teamers!

O'Shea was the only one who had a very good game ( but then again, he's already a first teamer ), Bellion was decent & full of effort, Kleberson didn't play as if he was a WC winner, Fletcher & Ronaldo had stinkers, & Richardson & Pugh won't make it!

 

[jayjay]

It was a good performance from them, but their players were a lot older on average than ours. Most of them were reserves, but mostly 20+. And the extra couple of years makes a lot of difference with youngsters.

They also had Vieira, Wiltord and Kanu playing for them.

 

[kkcbl]

It was a good performance from them, but their players were a lot older on average than ours. Most of them were reserves, but mostly 20+. And the extra couple of years makes a lot of difference with youngsters.

They also had Vieira, Wiltord and Kanu playing for them.

Good point about our players last night being young but quality is something one can see in a player regardless of age - when Giggs exploded onto the scene at the ripe young age of 17 - everyone held their breath - same with Owen & Rooney - I can't say the same thing about our present lot of 2nd stringers.

Perhaps with the revamp of our youth system last season, we'll see the younger ones having more potential!

 

[Arsenal]

It was a good performance from them, but their players were a lot older on average than ours. Most of them were reserves, but mostly 20+. And the extra couple of years makes a lot of difference with youngsters.

They also had Vieira, Wiltord and Kanu playing for them.

We played 7 players under 20 (two of them were subs), a 16 year old played the whole game. Vieira and Wiltord were both coming back from injuries.

 

[Cal?]

We played 7 players under 20 (two of them were subs), a 16 year old played the whole game. Vieira and Wiltord were both coming back from injuries.

Fine, not only do Arsenal have ze best team in ze Vorld ever ever, you also have ze best youth team in ze Vorld ever ever. Happy?

 

[Jopub the Gooner]

Fine, not only do Arsenal have ze best team in ze Vorld ever ever, you also have ze best youth team in ze Vorld ever ever. Happy?

Oh dear surely that should be finished off with a nice big smug smirk Calstrodamus!

 

[The King]

We played 7 players under 20 (two of them were subs), a 16 year old played the whole game. Vieira and Wiltord were both coming back from injuries.

I guess alot of the lads r prob from the U 19 or reserve squad, just to add...Utd 19 whipped the Arse U 19 squad 4 - 0, in August! Now maybe that will tell a astory!

 

[Gutsy]

Lets not take anything away from WBA as i thought they played very well, they knew they had a good chance against our youngsters and they took full advantage of it. Also it was a very physical game and other than O'Shea everyone else was a little "light-weight" but all things considered i think some of them did very well last night. Comparing Arsenals youth to ours over the 2 matches doesnt work. Arsenal were at home, we were away and that always makes a difference. Arsenals captain was playing when our most senior player was O'Shea. Wolves are a premier league team on the way back to the first div (imo) and WBA are a first div team on their way upto the premiership. Arsenals was a good result for them but i doubt too much can be read into it (although it probably wont stop a few of them trying)


Positives from the match were a good performance from Kleberson, i think he is starting to get to grips with the English game with every match he plays. Ronaldo covered alot of ground, worked hard and looked dangerous. Bellion is improving for me also, he looked pacey, made some good passes and generally did ok. For me Pugh, Richardson and Fletcher were dissapointing though.

 

[kkcbl]

Gutsy, apart from the fact that both Butt & Carroll are more senior than O'Shea, I agree with your sentiment that our team was lightweight.

It seems the reserves are clones of our first team which is also very lightweight & small - we don't really have hardmen apart from Keane, O'Shea & Silvestre & it's the same as our youngsters.

I was asking awhile back whether we have any old-fashioned big striker in our junior ranks ( we've actually not produced a home-grown striker of first team quality since the days of Hughes & Whiteside, I reckon ) & I gather we have none!

 

[MelvinYeo]

I was asking awhile back whether we have any old-fashioned big striker in our junior ranks ( we've actually not produced a home-grown striker of first team quality since the days of Hughes & Whiteside, I reckon ) & I gather we have none!

Old fashioned big striker?

Don't look further than Eddie Johnson

 

[Gutsy]

Gutsy, apart from the fact that both Butt & Carroll are more senior than O'Shea, I agree with your sentiment that our team was lightweight.

In age, yes, Butt and Carroll are more senior. but how many first team matches has the two of them had in the last year?

 

[Arsenal]

I guess alot of the lads r prob from the U 19 or reserve squad, just to add...Utd 19 whipped the Arse U 19 squad 4 - 0, in August! Now maybe that will tell a astory!

That may be, but the finest of our crop were missing then: David Bentley was out with a broken leg, Aliadiere is 20, Gael Clichy doesn't play in U19 games (although he's 18) and neither does Justin Hoyte, Cesc Fabregas hadn't joined then, Philippe Senderos was injured. Those are the ones to watch for in the future. The things being reported about Cesc indicate that he's one of the biggest prospects to come along in years, so it will be really exciting to watch him in the future.

 

[Keilyn27]

most of the youngsters playing against west brom were from last year's batch. (not very highly rated) i think the more promising ones are those moving from the youth sides into the reserve team this season so next year should be more interesting.

 

[Gillespie]

most of the youngsters playing against west brom were from last year's batch. (not very highly rated) i think the more promising ones are those moving from the youth sides into the reserve team this season so next year should be more interesting.

Looking at the game last night,I was not especially impressed with your 'youngsters' (Pugh,Richardson etc)....whereas I genuinely believe our current crop of Aliadiere/Cesc/Senderos/Clichy and Bentley etc are exceptional talents and are likely to become first team squad members sooner rather than later.

 

[An Extremely Boring Man]

Our most promising youngsters are younger than the ones like Pugh, Richardson, Bardsley etc.

 

[An Extremely Boring Man]

It is worth mentioning that in the previous round, our kids beat Leeds, while Arsenal's only managed a draw against Rotherham, so I would draw conclusions from one game only.

 

[Davo]

You played a more experienced team against Leeds..

 

[An Extremely Boring Man]

You played a more experienced team against Leeds..

It was a bit more experienced - just like Arsenal's team on Tuesday was more experienced than our team yesterday

 

[Davo]

What was your team against Leeds?

 

[mu77]

whereas I genuinely believe our current crop of Aliadiere/Cesc/Senderos/Clichy and Bentley etc are exceptional talents and are likely to become first team squad members sooner rather than later.

with who?

 

[spinoza]

What was your team against Leeds?

I thought you knew. After all they were clearly more experienced

Interesting to note that of the lot that won the FA Youth Cup and the Milk Cup, only Richardson, Bardsley and Eagles featured.

It was a reserve team rather than a youth team, but at the same time knowing that our reserves are not as good as a 1 Div side worries me a little.

Bardsley to break through? Thoughts?

 

[Davo]

I thought you knew. After all they were clearly more experienced

Interesting to note that of the lot that won the FA Youth Cup and the Milk Cup, only Richardson, Bardsley and Eagles featured.

It was a reserve team rather than a youth team, but at the same time knowing that our reserves are not as good as a 1 Div side worries me a little.

Bardsley to break through? Thoughts?

I can't remember it exactly...just remember that it contained more first team players / squad members as opposed to loads of unknowns ( to me anyway). Therefore saying that "your kids beat Leeds" is wrong....

Having seen Richardson a few times now, whats all the fuss about? He's had loads of glowing reports on here, and I've never seen him play well...

 

[An Extremely Boring Man]

I can't remember it exactly...just remember that it contained more first team players / squad members as opposed to loads of unknowns ( to me anyway). Therefore saying that "your kids beat Leeds" is wrong....

Having seen Richardson a few times now, whats all the fuss about? He's had loads of glowing reports on here, and I've never seen him play well...

In young players, I include the likes of Fletcher, O'Shea, Ronaldo etc. Whethe or not they are first teamers or not is irrelevant.

Richardson, as I've always said, won't make it at United.

 

[Davo]

In young players, I include the likes of Fletcher, O'Shea, Ronaldo etc. Whethe or not they are first teamers or not is irrelevant.

Right

Thats hardly the same as the kids Arsenal played vs Wolves then...

 

[An Extremely Boring Man]

Right

Thats hardly the same as the kids Arsenal played vs Wolves then...

I didn't say it was the same - I just said that the Arsenal team on Tuesday was more experienced than the team we were playing yesterday.

 

[Davo]

I didn't say it was the same - I just said that the Arsenal team on Tuesday was more experienced than the team we were playing yesterday.

Yeah they had more experience...Mind you, to my knowledge they had 3 experienced players, 2 of which were returning from injury.....and another being their fourth choice striker.

But the "kids" you claim to have beaten Leeds is a far cry from the the Arse side that beat Wolves...your "kids" included loads of full internationals

 

[MelvinYeo]

UPSON WARNS ARSENAL KIDS


Birmingham City defender Matthew Upson has warned Arsenal's young players against waiting too long for their senior chance.
"To this day I don't know why Arsene Wenger changed his mind over me," Upson told BBC Sport Online.

"That is a question you would have to ask him.

"He obviously saw something that made him believe I wasn't going to be a success at Arsenal."

He continued, "I genuinely believe that he wanted me to progress on a personal level and I think he could see from the experience he has with young players that I needed to play football.

"And if he wasn't going to give me that opportunity, I don't think he wanted to hold my career back any longer than it already had been due to injury and not playing.

"I don't think luck went my way at Arsenal. Sometimes I guess things just aren't meant to be.

"At times it did feel like that. I had two very bad injuries and I was very unlucky, but I don't think his heart was fully in me and I picked up on that vibe.

"I made a decision that I needed to get out. It was difficult for him but I don't think he fully believed I was good enough to succeed there, which is why he sold me."

 

[Keilyn27]

we shall see who's better in a few years time. the value of hindsight...

 

[Arsenal]

UPSON WARNS ARSENAL KIDS


Birmingham City defender Matthew Upson has warned Arsenal's young players against waiting too long for their senior chance.
"To this day I don't know why Arsene Wenger changed his mind over me," Upson told BBC Sport Online.

"That is a question you would have to ask him.

"He obviously saw something that made him believe I wasn't going to be a success at Arsenal."

He continued, "I genuinely believe that he wanted me to progress on a personal level and I think he could see from the experience he has with young players that I needed to play football.

"And if he wasn't going to give me that opportunity, I don't think he wanted to hold my career back any longer than it already had been due to injury and not playing.

"I don't think luck went my way at Arsenal. Sometimes I guess things just aren't meant to be.

"At times it did feel like that. I had two very bad injuries and I was very unlucky, but I don't think his heart was fully in me and I picked up on that vibe.

"I made a decision that I needed to get out. It was difficult for him but I don't think he fully believed I was good enough to succeed there, which is why he sold me."

That isn't a warning to Arsenal's youngsters, that's just Upson rueing his misfortune. He's a good player but give me Kolo Toure any day.

 

[DJH]

What was your team against Leeds?

Carroll, G. Neville, P. Neville, O'Shea, Fletcher, Richardson, Butt, Djemba-Djemba, Fortune, Bellion, Forlan

Subs: Eagles 64 min; Johnson 112 min; Pugh, Howard, Lynch

 

[Davo]

Carroll, G. Neville, P. Neville, O'Shea, Fletcher, Richardson, Butt, Djemba-Djemba, Fortune, Bellion, Forlan

Subs: Eagles 64 min; Johnson 112 min; Pugh, Howard, Lynch

not kids then

 

[DJH]

not kids then

Half a starting line-up of kids, aswell as a bench full of them.

 

[Davo]

Half a starting line-up of kids, aswell as a bench full of them.

Or to look at it another way...9 full internationals

 

[DJH]

Or to look at it another way...9 full internationals

We could look at it that way. But then you were refering to whether it was a team of kids, so that's what I addressed.

 

[Davo]

We could look at it that way. But then you were refering to whether it was a team of kids, so that's what I addressed.

Yes thank you.

It quite clearly wasn't a team of kids....

 

[An Extremely Boring Man]

not kids then

Carroll, G. Neville, P. Neville, O'Shea, Fletcher, Richardson, Butt, Djemba-Djemba, Fortune, Bellion, Forlan

Subs: Eagles 64 min; Johnson 112 min; Pugh, Howard, Lynch

You're right - only 9 of those players are 22 or younger...

 

[An Extremely Boring Man]

Or to look at it another way...9 full internationals

Can't a youngster be a full International?

 

[Davo]

Calling a 22 year old a kid is pushing it..

and in this context, the comparison between your "kids" and Arsenals bonafide kids - one of whom was 16 and who have little or no first team action is bizarre.

Your only starters re Leeds similar to the Arse kids who thrashed Wolves are the poor Richardson, and arguably Bellion

 

[An Extremely Boring Man]

Calling a 22 year old a kid is pushing it..

and in this context, the comparison between your "kids" and Arsenals bonafide kids - one of whom was 16 and who have little or no first team action is bizarre.

Your only starters re Leeds similar to the Arse kids who thrashed Wolves are the poor Richardson, and arguably Bellion

A 22 year old is a young footballer....Whether or not he's a kid, I couldn't care less.

So you don't see Fletcher as a kid then?