by Tony Attwood
It appears from our old and often misleading friend “reports” that Reiss Nelson is close to signing an extended contract at Arsenal after making his Premier League debut in Sunday’s 3-2 win against Southampton. For any of us who have seen him develop in recent years anything less would have been unthinkable.
Reiss Nelson is exactly the sort of player that most if not all of my friends who actively support Arsenal want to see at the club – the local lad who joined Arsenal as a seven-year-old, and has come up through the ranks. The Charlie George type – the guy who knows the area and is part of north London himself. Hell, he joined the Academy a year younger that Jack Wilshere.
He’s a player identified by Arsene Wenger as having the potential to make it to the top, not least because he can dribble the ball. If he does make it he will be a constant favourite of the crowd because he is part of the essence of the club. And he can dribble the ball (although I think I mentioned that).
This indeed appears to be a rich time for the academy – we’ve also got Eddie Nketiah, Joe Willock and Ainsley Maitland-Niles emerging from therein.
And he says the right stuff too, as with this quote: “Aubameyang is on fire, Lacazette as well and Danny Welbeck scored two on Sunday. The opposition should be scared by the fire-power we have got.”
Reiss Nelson is already a professional at the club as he signed a pro signed contract two years back ago and has this season made an amazing 15 first-team appearances, taking full advantage that the more relaxed approach that the early stages of the Europa League offers us. I am not too sure of the notion that he will start against CSKA Moscow on Thursday – an idea that has been floating around, but his contract signing, if complete by then, could result in him being on the bench and getting a bit of a run out, assuming all goes according to plan. We obviously don’t have Aub and Mk so an extra pair of legs could be welcome.
Reiss also says all the right stuff, such as “The boss is the man in charge and I have just got to do what he says. If I keep training hard. and if I get the opportunity to play, I will play well and we will take it from there.” Yep the PR training is doing its job and he is saying the right things.
“The boss is one of the biggest influences for me,” he added, “he keeps pushing the youngsters – me, Eddie and Joe – I think he has got a bright future planned for us.
“I think a first-team start in the Premier League at a high level like this is a step forward. The Premier League is so much faster. You have to play everything a bit quicker, one and two-touch. We had to do that and I enjoyed that.
“A Premier League start was on the cards but I think I need to score, that is the only one I haven’t achieved so fingers crossed I can get a cheeky goal before the end of the season.”
Yes the PR training department has done its job, and we’ve got another talented player coming through. It’s all good.
- Arsenal transfers that may just be wild flights of fancy
- Germany reveals what the Premier League will be like in six years, and they’ve had enough
- Does the length of player contract equal chances of success? Most certainly not.
Yes, this Reiss Nelson looks to have what it takes to become a top Arsenal player. But whether he’ll finally developed to the top Gunner level for Arsenal and not fallout to the wayside like Chuba Akpom and Benik Afobe did who could not make the grade at senior team level at Arsenal after they were given many opportunities to make the grade. But they couldn’t and have to seek for opportunities elsewhere.
If Reiss Nelson can add the goals scoring edge to his dribbling talent that is missing in his games for Arsenal and be scoring gials on consistent basis for Arsenal, then of course, Arsenal could have another Freddie Lundberg in the rank and file of their first team squad again after Santi Cazorla who stepped in into Freddie shoes at Arsenal when he left is looking not to play for Arsenal again. Nelson could become a great replacement for these 2 great Arsenal players if he can attain greatness height. And I think the midfielder Joe Willock and the free goals scoring but largely at Under21 level, Eddie Nketiah will make the grade at Arsenal sooner or latter to further with good fortunes on their sides to buttress Le Boss beliefs in developing players of high caliber quality potential for Arsenal senior team squad through the Arsenal academy to cut down the cost of signing finish article from the transfer market always. Right now, I think is Jack Wilshere and Ainsley Maitland-Niles that are the only Arsenal academy school graduates who are playing in the current Arsenal 1st team squad.
On what planet was that Sane goal offside?! They showed the replay twice showing that he clearly wasn’t, yet both times the Scouse commentator said that it was the right decision. How blatant can you get?
BT is Scouser TV, even Hoddle sounds like he supports them. I don’t like Stirling’s play acting but that looked a push to me, and they wheel out Foy to say it wasn’t . Joke
The only thing is the keeper was in front of Sane so the defender was the last man instead of the keeper if that makes sense.
Well foy don’t agree apparently
Depends if Milner played the ball deliberately.
But can Reiss dribble the ball? 🙂
I’m looking on French TV, and the discussion about the offside was unbelievable. They literally spend the whole halftime arguing whether Milner touch was intentional or not, like it mattered. It doesn’t!!!
A offside position can only exist at the time when the ball is touched (by a pass, a shoot or an accidental touch) by a teammate. When the ball was crossed (which was the last touch from a City player), Sane was clearly onside. End of story. Now had Sane been in an offside position at the time of the cross, then Milner intention would have come into account…
I don’t know if the BT “analysis” were better (I doubt it), but it tells a lot that pundits don’t even know the basic rules of football
Looking forward to seeing Liverpool get stuffed by either Bayern, Barca or Real Madrid!
Or maybe not Barcelona!
Barca are going out atm.
Want to hear a joke?
In less than 2 years in charge of City, Guardiola spend 291 millions pounds on keepers and defenders. And for the second year in a row, they will go out of CL after conceding 5 or more goals (not even against Real or Bayern, only “second-tier” clubs Monaco and Liverpool)
Imagine if that was Wenger ow the media would crucify him…
Think I’ll be putting money on Real Madrid getting Roma in the next round; we all know how they always get the easiest run of games into the final season after season.
Good news from our U23 team tonight progressing to the final of the Premier League International Cup following a win against Villareal.
We stormed into a two goal lead thanks to Tyreece John-Jules in the 9th minute and a penalty by Charlie Gilmour in the 19th minute.
Villareal responded almost immediately through Vaquer in the 2pth minute and were level just before half time thanks to an own goal by Zech Medley.
Despite the goals in the first half the second was goalless as was extra time so the game proceeded to penalties. The first three from each team were scored. Dayan Iliev then saved the fourth Villareal spot kick to give us the advantage. Neither Joe Willock or Zech Medley made any mistakes with our last two penalties to ensure that we progressed.
The second semi-final is on Thursday evening between Newcastle and Porto (whom we beat in the group stage).
Hmmm. Interesting as both highly rated Man City and Barcelona teams have been knocked out from this season’s Champions League football with Roma edging past Barcelona on away goal rule the surprise on the night. While Liverpool knocking out Man City after holding a 3 goal lead advantage in the first leg at Anfield did not come as a surprise after all despite some questionable referring decisions by the linesman flagging 2 Man It’s goals offiside that opened up a debate by football pundits and football fans.
Nevertheless, with 2 back to back defeats in the PL and Cl suffered by Man City, the question I am asking myself now is, can Pep Guardiola be able to muster confidence to motivate his City side to overcome Tottenham Hotspur in the PL on Saturday this weekend if his City team is not pigmobed by the Pgmo to further give Man Utd advantage in their catching up Man City in the table hopes? Or the match will end in a draw to still give Arsenal hopes to make an unlikely top 4th finish this season?
Vince,
right on. And apart from that can you name me one youngster/academy player Guadriola has groomed and brought into a side ?!?
I see in the news, the Elneny’s red has been rescinded. No mention of the referee issuing that incorrect card being punished.
My guess, is that the referee should serve a 3 game ban for being an idiot.
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But can Reiss dribble the ball? 🙂