Arsenal have one of the best football academies in the world and continues to develop top players who can eventually establish themselves in the first team.
When the Gunners go on a pre-season tour, several academy players are allowed to travel with the senior squad. These young players can use the experience to show their development and demonstrate that they are ready for the challenge of competing at the highest level.
They often push the regular first team players during these tours and can earn opportunities to become part of the senior squad. For some, these chances can represent the beginning of their journey into regular first-team football.
Bukayo Saka and Myles Lewis-Skelly were both developed through Arsenal’s academy and have performed well for the first team. Their progress demonstrates that the Gunners can successfully promote academy players, although earning a regular place remains difficult.
Arsenal continue to promote academy talent
Breaking into the senior team is never easy for a young player, which means anyone who graduates from the academy and becomes a regular deserves significant credit. Saka is a strong example of what an academy graduate can achieve after making that difficult step into senior football.
The attacker will also be able to watch as other young players are given opportunities to follow a similar path. Arsenal’s academy continues to provide players with chances to demonstrate that they can compete for places within the first team.
However, there is no single formula for deciding when an academy player is ready. The quality of the individual is important, but the timing and needs of the first team can also determine whether a youngster gets the opportunity to make the step up.
Arteta explains promotion process
Arteta explained how Arsenal decide when academy players are ready to be promoted. He told Arsenal Media:
“It comes, I think, with the quality you have in the academy, and some days it’s just a generation that can fit in at the right moment. It’s about timing as well, the needs that you have. And I think as a club we want to provide the opportunity to our academy players to shine and to be at the level that we believe they can be. And so far, obviously, they’ve been really, really good.”
Arteta’s comments highlight the importance of both talent and opportunity. Arsenal will continue to hope their academy can produce more players capable of making the same successful transition as Saka and Lewis Skelly.
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On the subject of young Arsenal players, i was impressed by Ismeal Kabia who is currently on loan to St.Mirren, with his display against Celtic last night. A very direct, speedy left winger who caused Celtic a lot of problems and was the main threat for St Mirren.It’s always difficult to judge a player on one game against a side who, quite frankly would struggle in the Premier League, but the twenty year old certainly looks like a very good prospect.
Most of the “padawans” on the books seem to be attackers. Two of the three “Wonderkids” joining next summer are left forwards.
20 is actually a bit old for a wonderkid.
Remember to invert or not invert is just one answer to the squad depth graphic on left wing, the imaginary “the gamble of being short” some are pushing, suffers because there is also youngsters with zero first team minutes, and we’ve seen in previous years youngsters stepping up and making a splash.
Youngsters with zero minutes making a difference to your season, is not only working everywhere, it’s how it’s supposed to work everywhere.
The way academy to first team works is on basis every world class player today was a youngster once, who came in and made a splash. The problem with “wonderkids” it expires when they are 20, if they havn’t splashed yet, is it going to happen? Skelly virtually became an old maid before married to so much first team football.
How do “wonderkids” end up playing for Basildon, not Barcelona?
Through age groups coaches can analyse physicality and technique, but with less idea of the mentality of a player when at 21+. Personality and psychology plays as huge part in football, just like it does in the lives we lead in general.
By that I mean, having been with them for so long, did you ever imagine or suspect your partner was having a steamy secret affair with a completely volcanic and crazy individual so unlike yourself?
Did you completely miss your partners growing dependence on a certain pill, the dispenser sellotaped underneath the top of the console table? Then how are coaches supposed to spot and know everything?
As long as a dark lord doesn’t make them an early target and does what must be done. Wait, this is a football discussion, my bad.
Yes Banana, this a football blog, try to stick to the topic of football.
I’ll continue on why personality makes a difference in football. You have two players exactly the same physically, exactly the same in their skill sets, but one has the supreme confidence of Cherki – ignoring the fact that is impossible, as no one on earth is so sure of their own magnificence as Cherki – whilst the other player, same physical build, same skills, has about as much confidence in himself being the big beast of the jungle as the Lion in the Wizard of Oz. Cherki and the Scaredy Cat will each make very different decisions.
As Dumbledore said, it’s not your skills or talents that matter in this world, Pottah, but the choices you make.
Kai Havertz was a big strong very gifted young player once. He was still full of untapped promise when we bought him. There were moments yesterday when Havertz wasn’t taking the shot on.
As manager – which you should prepare for soon, as I have Cherki levels of confidence to manage Arsenal – how would I manage a player like Kai?
I read a lot of history and biography. I remember reading Michael Palin on his time co – starring in a Fish Called Wanda. Actual fish died on set, which is all very sad, but we recall Palin in the background of a van with the two most vicious and snarling and barking and jumping up Alsatian Dogs you have ever seen. Palin’s bts had them turning up as the two sweetest acting dogs ever, friendly, cuddly, licking and guarding. But just before the director shouted action – the director reached into van, and viciously squeezed and twisted the two dogs Crown Jewels as hard as he could.