Chelsea 0 Arsenal 3 – that’s more like it « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News, supporting the club, the players and the manager
By Tony Attwood
It was gruesome for the start of the season. Played four, won one, lost two, drawn one. Worst of all a horrible 2-5 defeat to Manchester City (not their Elite – that’s the reserves – but their under 18s).
We are used to dominating the under 18. Only team ever to retain the championship. All that sort of stuff. So one win in four????
But now, consider the second four games. Played four (logically) won three, lost none, drawn one. Scored nine, let in three.
Best of all a 3-0 away win against the Junior KGB in Fulham. And the names of the future are…
- Damian Martinez
- Ben Glasgow
- James Campbell
- Jamie Edge
- Martin Angha (c)
- Elton Monteiro
- Jeffery Monakana
- Kyle Ebecilio
- Philip Roberts
- Alban Bunjaku
- Nigel Neita
8 played and we are up to third, four points off the leaders. All is far from being lost. Chelsea yoof are 9th.
The reserves meanwhile are top, playing four, won three, drawn one. And the big players in the last game were…
I have left in the links to the Arsenal site in the hope that they work, in case you want to read up on anyone. But let me, if I may draw your attention to Hardvard Nordtveit, not away on loan anywhere despite doing rather well in pre-season. And Ignasi Miquel really impressing in the centre as captain.
Or perchance, Craig Eastmond, who has already made his breakthrough into the first team and is just waiting for his next chance, Benik Afobe and Chuks Aneke of whom volumes are already being written, and then finally…
Gilles Sunu.
I wrote a lot of my usual waffle about him following the fabuloso Euro Championship final that France won with a wonder goal from him this summer. And then he vanished. Where is he, I asked. No one knew. Talk of loans, talk of not signing a new contract. No help from Arsenal.com which is still hugely out of date on the topic.
None of it stacked up. Would we really let a youth international of the under 17s and under 18s just vanish after he had captained France and equalised for France in their victory over Spain in the U-19 European Championship Final.
Have a read of this from the official Arsenal web site
“Meade picked up a loose ball in midfield before playing a great through-ball into substitute Sunu who was brought down inside the box by Mark Halstead. Emmanuel-Thomas stepped up and calmly placed the ball into the roof of the net past the keeper’s outstretched left hand.
“Sunu sealed the win in injury time when he rounded the keeper and slotted into the empty net after being played in by Emmanuel-Thomas.”
So back to business as usual. Top of the reserve league as you would expect with a youth system like ours, and a lovely 3-0 youth win over Chelsea.
It is getting going.