The last time our youth team lost a match was back in December. For most of the season they have sauntered through the opposition, usually on open fields in front of a handful of respectful parents and the club’s coaches. And they won the league.
So stunning is this youth team some of the names are getting known. Some of the players are already trotting around the world playing internationals, some play in the reserves regularly and a whole bunch are on the edge of the first team.
And tonight they might it to the big time in the Youth Cup Final – which (if you can’t make it) is live on Banana TV*.
There are names you will know already like Henri Lansbury,Emmanuel Frimpong (whom the Guardian described as looking like Essien’s younger brother), Jay Emmanuel-Thomas. If you read my rambling about the young team you will know my past raving over Rhys Murphy, Gilles Sunu and Francis Coquelin.
Coquelin is a particularly interesting character – he looks as if he is shambling around – his gait is just seemingly all wrong, and yet, and yet…. He popped up in the pre-season last year and has been slogging his way through the ranks.
And there is Jack Wilshere.
The team is mostly English (could be 8 out of 11 English tonight – which doesn’t affect me but gets some people all hot and worked up) and according to the Lord Wenger, “There are plenty of players in there who could very quickly be in our first-team squad.”
“I’d say this is the best group of young English players in my time here,” said Liam “Would you like me to score from 40 yards against Tottenham in front of the Shed?” Brady.
Actually Our Liam made a great point in an interview recently, saying that the biggest problem was with egos – that some of the kids just can’t handle the talent and start thinking themselves to be more than they are. I would refer the reader most respectfully to my last article on this site.
As part of that interview Liam presented a photograph of the under-11s of six years ago – to reveal that seven of that squad will be involved against Liverpool tonight.
Lansbury is one of the few to have done the loan thing so far – others may follow – but that fact just reminds us that in addition to this group coming through we have all those players who have been on loan this past year. I appreciate of course that some will have fallen by the wayside, but not all.
This is looking rather good.
(* Sorry Sultana TV. No, Current TV. Or is it Raison? Anyway, some silly TV channel that has a twirp called MAKKA doing comments in an accent I can’t understand is showing the game. Or you can go there). 8pm.
(c) Tony Attwood on the eve of the cup final.
PS If you see this article or a bit of it turn up on another web site please do let me know. We are working with other blog owners on the theft issue. The actual URL of the other site is really helpful.
I’m going tonight and taking a few Liverpool fans, and my dad with me.
JET, Coquelin and Frimpong are mature and all three physical. If the first team lacks a little spine this could be where Wenger see’s it coming.
I wouldn’t mess with any of them.
Thanks so much for the tip. I just love watching the Arsenal – whichever team – so this is a bonus to know it’s available on the idiot lantern tonight. I truly believe we have some scary talent coming through. We’ve seen glimpses already this season and if they can handle that difficult psychological step up to the ‘big time’ us Gooners are in for a few wonderful years. Ah how lucky to be living through these times.
4-1 in front of 30,000 fans!
These kids have a taste for the big time!
Well done to the crowd and the platers who both turned out in style.
my guts tell me that Steve Bould would replace Arsene one day when the latter retires. of course I want that day to be delayed as long as possible. but this game tells me that Steve has what it takes, especially because we are having generation after generation of players educated under him who respect him and for whom he is the image of the club.
wasn’t it once said that Mr. Bould has the most important job at the club?