James Shea
Bacary Sagna, Sead Hajrovic, Ignasi Miquel, Andre Santos
Thomas Eisfeld, Francis Coquelin, Jack Wilshere Emmanuel Frimpong,
Serge Gnabry, Chuba Akpom
- Reice Charles-Cook
- Jernade Meade (80)
- Nico Yennaris (74)
- Kristoffer Olsson
- Hector Bellerin (61)
Akpom, in case you have not tracked him, is an England under-19 forward.
It was Sagna’s first game since his second leg break, and he played 61 minutes. This is where the arrangement of the new league really scores for us, because it allows returning players who are over 21 to get games.
Meanwhile Wilshere and Frimpong came back, Frimpong playing the whole game.
Such was the interest that even the national press have covered the match – the Telegraph for example raving over, “One especially delightful backheel (from Jack) to Thomas Eisfeld also seemed to suggest that he has lost none of his confidence during more than a year on the sidelines….
“Another positive for Arsenal was the performance of Serge Gnabry, a 17 year-old winger in the mould of Walcott or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. With Wenger watching, Gnabry opened the scoring in the 42nd minute following a move that involved both Wilshere and Frimpong. Arsenal’s second goal was scored in the 59th minute by Chuba Akpom.” Arsenal.com have Wenger calling him a “star of the future”.
Arsene Wenger is quoted as saying,
“Jack is doing extremely well, the situation looks very good. We have to be cautious, not crazy, because of his talent you are always pushed in a situation where you would like to rush him back, and we have to resist that.”
So it is just possible that Jack and Bac will play in the league cup match against Reading at the end of the month. There is also talk of Frimpong trotting back to Wolverhampton, where he was on loan when the injury occurred.
- Does Barcelona pay their players to speculate in the transfer market?
- Maybe the money model in football is flawed after all.
- Gun at work – ok. Naughty tweet – a tap on the wrist. John Terry – we’ll think about it. Where is the morality?
- Ref disaster, ESPN laughable, Arsenal magnificent
- West Ham v Arsenal; the ref competency, the slug as manager, Demel, etc
- Ridsdale: disqualified as a director, chairman of football at Preston
- A Champions League debut, statistics, food and Carroll
- National Referee Development Manager’s computer seized by police
- Who really decides which ref will do which game? Mike or …
The name Chuba Akpom sound Nigerian, can anyone tell me if his parent are from Nigeria.
@Dewunni, I cannot find too much info on Akpom but he turned 17 today according to Arsenal.com, so yesterday a 16 year old scoring against Readings reserves. Impressive really.
I can tell you he was first scouted as a 6 year old playing sunday league boys ball in England but do not know if he was born in England or elswhere, but the club has been aware of and training this youngster for 10/11 years.
Dewunmi, he is of Nigeria descent. Parents are emmigrants that have nationalized in England, and I read sometimes ago he is a nephew of the great Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha. He has represented England in the minor age group tournament though.
Dewunmi, Chuba Akpom is a Nigerian. Both names are Igbo names. Happy he is developing fast and adding to the presence of Nigerians developing the Arsenal way. Want to know of others? They are Chuks Aneke, Alex Iwobi who are both Nigerians and Igbos like Chuba. The next person I am not sure of in the Academy is Arinse Uade. By Nigerians, I am about 70% sure he is one. Gunners 4 life.
@Mayowa, Dewumi Chuba Akpom is actually of Nigerian decent but not the nephew of Jay Jay. Alex Iwobi is the nephew of Jay Jay (check it out here http://www.arsenal.com/reserves-youth/players/alex-iwobi)
Selection headaches of the very good kind for Wenger in nearly all positions; very keen competition for starting places all season long…good blend between youth and experience….a new era is berthing in Arsenal right before our eyes.
It seems like the addition of the NextGen series this year is allowing Arsenal to get everyone some games to help with their development (or injury rehab) — between the reserves-U21s, NextGen-U19s, and the academy league-U18s, young players are getting a mix of teammates. So we have someone like Bellerin playing a game in Europe with same-aged players, then coming off the bench to play alongside Santos and Frimpong… then potentially being picked for the league cup? It certainly smooths the development curve.