The kids cannot get in
Arsenal academy players having a hard time breaking into the team by Vuyo Mataka
Hale End has had a number of talents through their doors. Players that have become club legends, premier league level talents and stars outside of England. It’s difficult to predict who is capable to becoming a first team player from a fans point of view, YouTube highlights can be misleading. However, there is a gut feeling in us at times that can tell that the player in front of our eyes is a star. There’s a crop of players coming out of the academy now looking like future stars but, somehow they cannot find a way into the team. You have to wonder why they are finding it so difficult?
The current breakout academy players that come to mind are, Ethan Nwaneri, Reuell Walters, Amario Cozier-Duberry and Charles Sagoe Jr. All of them being regulars at the first team training, making plenty of appearances on the bench, however they never come off the bench. The only player to register minutes is Sagoe Jr against West Ham in the EFL Cup. It’s looking less likely for them to get minutes this season with there being so much competition in every position.
Ethan, the most promising out of them all, doing well in the premier league 2 with four goals and two assists in five games. He is a player that is a natural in the final third. Playing as an attacking midfielder or as a winger, he could be an understudy to our Starboy. The same goes for Sagoe Jr, earning his start against West Ham due to his effort at practice. He is also having a good run in the Premier League 2 with a goal and six assists in eight games. Amario is putting up similar numbers as his counterparts with five goals and two assists in eight games. All of these attackers being breakout talents looking to move up to the next level.
Walters is a solid defender in the Premier League 2 playing every minute and being a regular in first team training. Him being more suited to the right back position due to there being less competition. There are other players that could breakthrough, Lino Sousa and Miles Lewis-Skelly look ready for the next level as well.
There is no rush for the players to move up a level but you don’t want to see them stay too long at academy level. These players should start looking at getting minutes at a senior level. They should start looking at new challenges, able to play at a higher level. They need opportunities to prove they are up for it.
January could be an opportunity for them to gain experience elsewhere. You can never know if they are ready for first team football if they never have the chance to play. This is a big season for the club, there’s no chances now. Next season might be an opportunity for them but this season, let them learn elsewhere.
Vuyo Mataka
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Sure, send them all, we have to utilize the loan market more effectively.
Send them abroad. If they get loaned to a lower league team in the UK, they usually land at some square ball playing team or hugging the bench the duration of their loan spell. Jus sayin
Good idea. Maybe they can go to France, where Balogun thrived
Arsenal cannot keep sending excellent talent out on loan, and turn around and buy struggling players that just fill up spaces that should actually be taken by academy players, cost the club millions in wages and show no prospects of adding value.
Only those graduates with potential, but needing further development should be loaned out. Some teams negatively impact young, developing talent.
@MM
RealTalk 👍🏾
Ethan Nwaneri is sixteen so should be staying at Arsenal, he has plenty to learn from our coaches and being around elite players.
Sending a player out on loan is always a gamble. He may get regular game time and develop or he may just spend his time on the bench. The club loaning the player really has no control over the situation. But if the alternative is he remains at his club without ever getting first team action its probably a gamble worth taking. The first question should always be what happens to him if he doesn’t go out on loan ?
I wonder how Balogoun (spelling not correct) is doing at his new club, anyone know?
@sws
So far, 4 goals, 3 assists in 14 matches. Decent enough, I guess…
Ppl might find this interesting:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67749259
It shows how much data analysis is used in football these days and how Arsene Wenger and Arsenal were at the front in the early days.
Now, I think they will be more advanced so they will be looking at data analysis to decide who to keep, who to loan, sell, buy etc.
So its prob not fair to ask forum dwellers to form a subjective view. Except for the fun of discussing it for the sake of discussing it ofc. No harm in that 🙂
PS Interesting where that article says no country with population less than 40 million has won the world cup since Uruguay in 1950?
I guess thats why so many ppl think international football is boring. There is only a few countries that ever win anything.
I mean, Brazil with over 200 mill ppl and not much of an economy to give kids good job prospects. That means a lot of young guys, all trying to be footballers.
I would like to see Patino come back in January.
I wonder if Saka would have gotten a chance if he was still an academy player when we appointed arteta. We haven’t promoted any academy player since we got arteta even rich clubs like city PSG Newcastle has promoted players this season. Man utd just promoted a very talented academy player who produced a man of the match performance against Liverpool. Arteta really need to do better in that regard.
Lenohappy This problem that all top club managers have is an almost impossible one to resolve. If academy players are tried but fail to match the performance of regular older players,we the fans will not stand for it.
Equally, fans still shout to give kids a fair chance.
But ONLY the manager knows WHEN they are ready and with our team doing so very well, do you not agree with me that we all SHOULD STOP MOANING AND LEAVE THE DECISIONS TO THE ONLY ONE QUAIFIED TO KNOW, OUR MANAGER.
As you appear to disagree, do please say why!
Loans so small? In no case, even in the third category on the bench will be which coach would trust in Official match. So I am of the opinion that they should remain in our big school. If at the age of 18-19 they see some talent that can stand in the starting eleven then yes, and with the prospect Loan for one or two years at the most….because you have to make the talent play on time, if not….day…Then, it flies forever …. as the best manager in this specialty, Brian Clough, used to say.