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Arsenal’s Amazing 30: the Golden Youth System

Updated 25 March

A couple of articles have appeared debating which of the many players in our reserve and youth team will get through – and when.

Each time many readers have kindly come back with their comments and suggestions, and these have been incorporated.

If you have any update please write to me directly – Tony@hamilton-house.com

The next stage will be to bring the list back as an article again, and have a vote on which ones will make it next season.

Meanwhile here is the list as it stands.  The comments are taken from many different people – so there are often contradictions and repeats – but I have tried to keep as close to what each commentator has said, and use as little editorial cutting as possible.

1. Afobe, who I regard as almost good enough to make 1st team.   Along with Aneke reckoned to be ready to step up at least to the League Cup squad. His scoring records at all levels speak for themselves. Young English striker.  Same age as Freeman and only a year younger than Wilshere.
2. Aneke – Young English central midfielder currently playing outstandingly well at U18 level.
3. Ayling – Yeovil – certain for bigger things.  England.  After his impressive match Barnet game early this year, I thought he was going to break in the first team too but he got injured. Loan for him next year. Ayling is the Laurent Blanc type CB, using skill and brain rather than power.  Ayling needs to bulk up, otherwise as a centre half he will be pushed over by striker. Technically and positionally he may need an extra year to be ready for the Carling Cup.
4. Barazite. One season too early I think.  Had a bad injury for a while, now battling back.  Holland.
5. Bartley – Sheffield Utd – in the squad for next year, been doing really well at Sheffield United recently; back up CB Carling team.  Developing like a young Tony Adams. Next year he will be part of the Carling Cup team, and will play in the Champion league dead rubber game. England.
6. Botelho.. Celta Vigo (I don’t think is quiet good enough – or not good enough yet). Brazil – on loan in Spain to get Spanish passport.  Unlikely to make it at Arsenal. He is very good going forward but he cannot defend. With two really good left backs Clichy (slowly coming back to his best), Gibbs with Traore as an understudy of the understudy, his only realistic position is left midfield. He will then be facing Arshavin, Nasri, Merida (if he does not leave).
7. Coquelin. I thought he could come through this year, but he didn’t.   I really think he is a talent – it just depends how long it takes to finally make it to the top level.  I hope he stays. As a right back he  is doing really well in the reserves. He is likely to get on loan next year to gain more experience. He has the energy and drive of Eboue but with the tackling ability of Song. He needs just to learn the positioning from Sagna and we will get the perfect right back.  France.
8. Cruise. Too early for him, but in the Diddly Cup team for sure.  England
9. Deacon had a good start to the season to not sure where he will be next year probably reserves maybe a loan move?  Striker, England
10. Eastmond. I sure didn’t see his promotion to the first team come through.  But there he is, and building his strength all the time.   A few more games next season I imagine.  England.
11. Freeman who is improving in every game.  England. Freeman is closer to first team chance than Afobe, Freeman don’t just score ,he provide more on the attacking side of his game (KEEPING BALL,ASSIST…)he is the most improve striker in our youth squad.
12. Frimpong.. he needs as many chances as Eastmond.  England.
13. Galindo (don’t know if he will need to go on loan to Spain next season though to get his EU passport).  Bolivia.
14. Henderson. Irish Under 21
15. JET – Doncaster.   Oh yes – he really ought to be breaking through somewhere – not least because he can play every position under the sun.  He is getting great reviews. Doncaster is the sort of club that sounds like it should be in the obscurity of league 2 but with JET playing well they are surging up towards the Championship play-offs.  English.  Loan extended to end of season.
16. Lansbury..Watford on loan.  Maybe another loan.  England.
17. Mannone – we saw how good he was when he stepped in
18. Merida. So what’s he doing?  Going to the Athletico Madhouse, or staying with sanity.   That goal he scored against Liverpool (I think) was something special.  Maybe we could play one team at the weekend and the other midweek.  Just to give everyone a chance.  Spain
19. Miguel is not stolen from Barca – They released him and we bought him when he was playing in the lower Spanish league
20. Murphy, England Under 18 international – with a long term injury.   A real prospect if only he could manage to avoid injury.
21. Nordtveit, I know that he’s not doing really good in Nurnberg, because he doesn’t get the chances.  Another loan.   Holland. But we should be aware that the guy is just 19… and there are not many players that AW would loan out for the whole season to a Bundesliga club (I mean, it is the Bundesliga, not the Championship). This should show how highly Nordtveit is rated and that he is supposed to have a strong character.   By the way, making 16 appearances (12 starts) in the Bundesliga at 19 is not that bad for a defender (who can actually play as center back, full back or DM), is it? It looks like he was injured as a new manager was appointed and it doesn’t help. But for the last game, he was reported to be back on the bench. When compared to other defensive prospects (except Djourou who for me is an established first team member), he is actually the most experienced there with almost 50 first team appearances in the elite of different countries.    Nordveit is not doing too bad at Nurnberg, he’s been played out of position, which should do him some good, a la Song.  Norwegian.
22. Oguzhan Ozakhup Dutch international 20
23. Simpson. Is he turning out to be not quite good enough?  I am not sure.  Problem is he has got so many other people blocking his way through at the moment.  England.  If we get 1-2mill that will be a good price. There is always someone willing to pay that kind of money for a good player.   I just dont think Simpson has developed in the 16 months since he signed his new contract. Lack of development is the one cardinal sin when it comes to young players.    Jay Simpson – was never good enough. His Englishness fooled people for a short time. Will be a very good Championship or lower level PL player though.
24. Sunu is way too young to break through.. if you throw him in now he’ll find it hard to adapt to the physicality.. but surely in the diddly cup. Currently at Derby. 4 Appearances; 2 as sub; 1 goal – not too bad. I really liked what I saw when he came on in the champions league. France.
25. Szczesny. Brentford.   I really think Szczesny might be taking over from him soon, maybe as soon as next season. He looks like one of those rare goalkeeping early-developers like Buffon, Akinfaev, Cech or Lloris.  Poland.
26. Watt. Been on loan at Southend for a month where he got four games.  Just returned – and now off to Leeds.
27. Wellington Silva. Young Brazilian striker who is currently playing for Fuminense in Brazil.  Joins Arsenal in January 2011.  Brazil.
28. Wilshere. the time out doing his stuff in the lower part of the league will have done him no harm.  And if he has learned that he just has to come on and play, then that will be fine.  No fancy tricks, no Bergkamp finishes, just play the game, and you are there.  England.