As the winter transfer window approaches with Arsenal playing today to leapfrog Liverpool into the Top Four where we belong, Arsene Wenger has already confirmed “90%” that he will not be bringing in new players to improve the squad.
He maintains that he intends to stick to his “philosophy” of promoting youngsters that have come through our youth system and taught to play “the Arsenal Way”. Wenger told Arsenal.com: “On Saturday, we played with four players who have been educated here: Iwobi, Wilshere, Maitland-Niles and Bellerin,”
“So, you look at the other teams who played at the top and you tell me who has played with four players who have been educated in their academy? We do that every time we can but overall I believe it remains the basis of our philosophy.
“I agree with you it doesn’t always come off as we would like but we still are one of the teams who, if you look at the last 20 years, puts more players out than anybody else.”
Other than Maitland-Niles, who looks like he is already being integrated into the Gunners first team, Wenger also gave some game-time against West Ham on Tuesday to Joe Willock (who started in central midfield), with Reiss Nelson, Ben Sheaf and Josh Dasilva who came off the bench. We also saw Eddie Nketiah in the previous round of the League Cup, come on and score twice against Norwich, so it looks like Le Prof is really trying to fast track more youngsters into the side.
This philosophy looks even more sensible in the modern age when the TV money has inflated transfer fees massively, and even ordinary players can cost absolute fortunes to bring to the club. Isn’t it better to promote our own youngsters, who will cost practically nothing comparatively and will not need any time to settle in, than it is to pay other clubs for their own produce?
Maybe Wenger’s philosophy is looking like the right approach right now?
Sam P
In the near future, I think most football clubs would be forced to use their own homegrown players, because of the player price bubble. The bubble will eventually explode, like what happened in the property market, but currently this is very good for the youth development, which finally benefit the football world.
Maitland-Niles and Nelson look very good currently, but Arsenal should give them more chances and better guidance, so they will not end up like Walcott. Walcott used to be able to dribble past four opponents in a quick counter-attack (too bad it did not lead to a goal), but he does not have that guts anymore now.
I hope our old “wonderkids” like Wilshere, Walcott and Bellerin could finally shift their gear up and fulfill their potential. They must have that courage in the tonight’s game.
Why you call those players former wonder kids is beyond my understanding. There might be no potential to fullfill as the brits tend to overrate their own to much with false expectations
We have been told that we have signed a lot of “wonderkids” at Arsenal and none of them have had anything more than a journeyman career.
Off the top of my head:
Reyes
Penant
Vela
Campbell
Wilshire
Bentley
Actually just remembered Fabregas was once with us and he has had a good career.
So next time I hear the phrase wonderkid next to a young player I’ll take a very large pinch of salt.
I would be grateful to know exactly when Walcott last showed those mythical “guts” you write about? I have not seen any at all in his twelve year wasted career here. And while we are on that dread subject of Walcott, how many more decades will this wastrel be encouraged by the club to keep picking up huge wages for nothing in return. Til he is eighty perhaps? Wenger will then be 120 and still managing. Oh, what a nightmare. Wakes up screaming and calls for Mum!
If we have academy players that are good enough, there is no problem with pushing them up. However, it will not necessarily guaranty success now. We need finished product to take us back to the top where we belong before mixing with these upcoming guys.
Fine by me…its not like we can win the league now. Best to keep that money for the new manager to spend when Wenger leaves.
If the Emperor can pull this off.. I will bow my head to him and join the
AKBs brigade
Emperor? Fuhrer more like!
If Wenger is going to drop some of his bang average signings and promote from are youth set up I will support him.
Players to drop:
Cech
Xhaka
Sanchez
Youth players in:
Macey
Maitland-Niles
Nelson
Nketia (Bench)
Wenger’s philosophy hasn’t worked, and won’t work in the future. I want to see academy players come through, but they HAVE to play with quality players, and learn from them. Buying players will always be a huge part of football, but hopefully it will start to calm down now after the Neymar transfer.
The problem with that is that the english teams would fail, as other nations will always produce better players then the brits, so its good that the premier leuage has money to spend
The french and the germans currently do not know how to stop producing good players, kinda amazing
You are right. I am not sure where it goes wrong in the coaching but it is at all clubs in England, not just Arsenal. And you are right English players have been way overhyped in England by our pundits and supporters for as long as I can remember.
Idiot comment. England u17s and 21s won the world cup. The problem is rich olygarchs laundering their money through football clubs by buying French and German players. They have proved they are better than the current foreign youth. Get a grip.
@Rich your aggressive comment is unnecessarily insulting so I’ll be insulting back.
The junior teams have won things before but when did England senior team last win anything or even get to a final?
Before we sold our clubs to foreign owners and had foreign managers we failed miserably.
The golden generation of Beckham, Lampard and Gerard did erm…………nothing?
The 1980’s or 90’s players Lineaker and Shearer? I don’t think so.
The 70’s players (Keegan etc)? Couldn’t even qualify for a World Cup or European Championship.
The only time we have won thing was 1966 and prior to that nothing.
Face facts only complete morons like you see our players as better than they are the rest of us are realistic.
Nigeria hold the record number of world cups in u17 level and they don’t think they are the best, england wins this year and they are the best…Smh
Prescisely.
Love that Arsenal in the past and present tries to integrate academy players!
Where we have failed is recruiting the proper match winners over the last decade with exception of Sanchez and move on when players are not making the grade – Walcott, Gibbs, Djourou, Coquelin, Jenkinson, Penant, Fabianski, etc.
Now we are in a mess with Sanchez and Ozil!
We need a little of toughness and bold decision to bring us forward!!!
Can we expect this with Wenger at the helm?
I agree. Decisions made alittle quicker.