Re: Reserves / Youth Thread

by Zaid Derweesh Thu Mar 29, 2012 6:42 am

Has he been 'banging them in'? He's scored, what, 3 or 4 at reserve level? This despite him looking fairly average or poor during those performances, according to some. He's also looked fairly anonymous in the few times he's featured in the first team - although that may be because of his inclusion on the wing. But he has to make at least some sort of impression in training if he wants to challenge RVP to play up top. Sure, it looks like he can finish at least, but he needs more than that to play for Arsenal.

Chamakh and Park need to step up their game. I think it's over for Chamakh; Park still has time, but does he have the skill/willingness to do so? I don't see much which suggests it.

by Mike York Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:26 pm

He scores basically whenever he plays for them so I think Park's impressive goalscoring ratio in the reserves earns him the right to be described as banging them in.

by jason.mandryk Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:20 pm

The position for which Park seems most suited does not exist in Arsenal's 4-3-3. Even if it did, both the word from behind closed doors and what we've seen of him doesn't seem to suggest he is going to make the grade...

by Mike York Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:21 pm

I agree, I think he will be sold in the summer along with Chamakh, or at the least loaned out somewhere with a view of a permenant deal done later like Denilson, Vela etc. Wenger has had a fair few chances to play him in the first team this season and rarely takes them so something isn't right with him.

by Mike York Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:25 pm

Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson, signed from Charlton Athletic last summer, has been speaking about his first season at The Emirates and has given a rather uplifting report in which he admits it started poorly, but now all is going fantastic.

Speaking to the clubs official website Jenkisnon said

“I didn't start how I would have liked to, but an honest assessment would be that as I have progressed, got more minutes under my belt and trained with the boys, I definitely feel like I have improved a lot,”

“It was a very steep learning curve for me. I believed I was capable of playing at the highest level, and sometimes it is about getting seen by the right people at the right time.

“I have had some tough times but I feel like I have come out of it a bigger and better person, and a better player.

“In a football career you are going to have ups and downs and tough times, but people have told me it is about how you respond to those tough times that will make or break you as a footballer.”

Jenkinson also spoke about that now infamous 8-2 loss at Old Trafford,

“It was all a little bit of a blur,” he said. “It was tough day for me and the club and it was very hard to swallow.

“We had played Udinese in midweek and I felt I had done quite well. That was a massive high, so to go from that to Old Trafford was strange. It happened so quickly.

“It was a disappointing day for me and it took me a while to get over. It was my first taste of a tough result, but things like that make you stronger, and build you as a man and a character.”

Since that record loss Arsenal have basically improved and now find themselves in thrid spot in the Premiership, a roller coaster ride that Jenkinson will not forget,

“It has been a real rollercoaster, I have had some tough times and some fantastic times. Chelsea, Spurs and Udinese are games I will never forget.

“It is my first season as an Arsenal player and games like the one at Stamford Bridge were just fantastic. You don’t score five goals there very often so that will stay in the memory for a long time.

“Overall I am relatively pleased [with his first season]. I know I have an awful lot to build on, and a lot to improve on. But I have got more in myself to show people, so that is my aim.”

http://miusoccer.com/newsdetails.php?id=639

by Sami Rockfeller Fri Mar 30, 2012 2:05 am

The Arsenal youth team will participate in the second edition of SecondGen Series. Various news sources have confirmed. Other new entrants to the competition will be AC Milan and Chelsea among others.

by Min Shan Fri Mar 30, 2012 4:40 am

jason.mandryk wrote:The position for which Park seems most suited does not exist in Arsenal's 4-3-3. Even if it did, both the word from behind closed doors and what we've seen of him doesn't seem to suggest he is going to make the grade...

if you do watch how park played for south korea, he usually hang on the shoulder of the last def and plays more of a poacher then a target man and he's known as 'one shot, one kill park' or something similar in korea. all he need is one chance and he'll score. he could be useful and more than chamakh when arsenal are chasing a game or going for the win. i believe all he need is some match fitness and adapt to english football a little.

by Michael Foster Fri Mar 30, 2012 5:23 am

The way I see it is park was only brought in as a standby man.....he won't get a shot at the team..I for one will be amazed if Wenger keeps him for the new season...

He very well maybe a poacher but our system has no place for his role...we almost seam set on this new way and formation I cannot see wenger shuffling it around again...

by **Mario** Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:32 pm

Nicklas Bendtner
Manchester City 3-3 Sunderland
Saturday, March 31
Nicklas Bendtner played the full 90 minutes of Sunderland's entertaining 3-3 draw with Manchester City at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, scoring his fourth goal in his last five Premier League with Sunderland's second of the game.

Carlos Vela
Real Sociedad 4-0 Rayo Vallecano
Sunday, April 1
Carlos Vela played the whole of Real Sociedad's 4-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, wrapping up his side's scoring in the 53rd minute with his seventh goal of the campaign.

Ryo
Wolves 2-3 Bolton
Saturday, March 31
Ryo played 76 minutes of Bolton's 3-2 victory over Wolves at Molineux on Saturday.

Craig Eastmond
Stevenage 1-1 Wycombe
Saturday, March 31
Craig Eastmond helped Wycombe snatch a point against play-off hopefuls Stevenage on Saturday after winning a stoppage-time penalty at the Lamex Stadium. The Arsenal midfielder completed the full 90 minutes in a defensive midfield role and was at the heart of Wycombe’s second-half resurgence.

Nico Yennaris
Notts County 1-0 Oldham
Saturday, March 31
Nico Yennaris played an hour of Notts County's 1-0 win over Oldham at Meadow Lane on Saturday.

Vito Mannone
Hull 0-2 Coventry
Saturday, March 31
Vito Mannone played the whole of Hull's 2-0 defeat to Coventry at the KC Stadium on Saturday.

Benik Afobe
West Ham 2-4 Reading
Saturday, March 31
Benik Afobe played eight minutes as a second-half substitute in Reading's crucial 4-2 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls West Ham at Upton Park on Saturday.

Chuks Aneke
Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Preston
Saturday, March 31
Chuks Aneke played 28 minutes as a second-half substitute in Preston's 2-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday.

Wellington
Alcoyano 2-1 Sabadell
Saturday, March 31
Wellington played the full 90 minutes of Alcoyano's 2-1 victory over Sabadell on Saturday.

Denilson
Ituano 2-4 Sao Paulo
Sunday, April 1
Denilson played the full 90 minutes of Sao Paulo's 4-2 victory over Ituano on Sunday.

Pedro Botelho
Valencia 1-1 Levante
Sunday, April 1
Pedro Botelho played 89 minutes of Levante's hard-fought 1-1 draw at Valencia's Mestalla on Sunday.

Samuel Galindo
Gimnastic Tarragona 1-1 Barcelona B
Saturday, March 31
Samuel Galindo played 14 minutes as a second-half substitute in Gimnastic Tarragona's 1-1 draw with Barcelona B on Saturday.

Sanchez Watt
Burton Albion 0-0 Crawley
Saturday, March 31
Sanchez Watt played 16 minutes as a second-half substitute in Crawley's goalless draw against Burton Albion at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday.

Henri Lansbury
West Ham 2-4 Reading
Saturday, March 31
Henri Lansbury was an unused substitute in West Ham's 4-2 defeat to Reading at Upton Park on Saturday.

Andrey Arshavin
Spartak Moscow 1-2 Zenit
Saturday, March 31
Andrey Arshavin did not feature in Zenit's 2-1 win at Spartak Moscow on Saturday.

Joel Campbell
Lorient 0-1 Evian TG
Saturday, March 31
Joel Campbell did not feature in Lorient's 1-0 defeat to Evian TG on Saturday.

Kyle Bartley
Motherwell 1-2 Rangers
Saturday, March 31
Kyle Bartley returned from injury to play the full 90 minutes of Rangers' 2-1 win over Motherwell on Saturday.

Rhys Murphy
Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Preston
Saturday, March 31
Rhys Murphy did not feature in Preston's 2-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday.

Sean McDermott
Leeds 0-2 Watford
Saturday, March 31
Sean McDermott did not feature in Leeds' 2-0 defeat to Watford at Elland Road on Saturday.

--------------------------------------------

Bendtner has really found some form in the last few weeks. Some crucial goals and assists. Hopefully he's saved some of those for this Saturday's Spurs match, we need him and Sunderland to get a result badly. And his form is peaking towards the end of the season going into the Euros, with a bit of luck he continues and his transfer fee keeps on rising.

Vela is another one who has found his feet in the last few months and another whose transfer fee is getting bigger with each passing game.

by Jonathan Prendergast Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:20 pm

I watched Ryo closely in the Bolton game. He was only involved sporadically, but showed some great quality when he was, especially with some wicked crosses from the right.

At one point, Petrov stepped away from a free kick and called Ryo to come and take it. A sign that they respect his talents enormously.

by Zaid Derweesh Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:23 pm

Arshavin not involved? Injury or shitness?

by Sami Rockfeller Tue Apr 03, 2012 12:23 am

Jonathan Prendergast wrote:I watched Ryo closely in the Bolton game. He was only involved sporadically,

Nothing we can't accommodate in our squad, we do put up with Theo after all.

by Vanig Bostanian Tue Apr 03, 2012 3:17 am

Zaid Derweesh wrote:Arshavin not involved? Injury or shitness?

Whenever he plays, they don't win. Before getting him Zenit were first, not sure where they are now after the defeats and the draws.

by **Mario** Tue Apr 03, 2012 3:35 am

They're still 9 points clear. Last 5 games they've drawn 3 and won 2. http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=rus/domesticleague/standings/index.html

No idea why he wasn't involved, though.

by Zaid Derweesh Tue Apr 03, 2012 5:19 am

We need Arshavin to play and play well, if we want to sell him. I don't really have a problem with him staying - if he bucks up, and I don't think he will. He's certainly not in the same class of deadwood as Chamakh, Squillaci and Almunia, but he's of little use if he's not interested.

by Jenks1981 Tue Apr 03, 2012 5:55 am

I think he really needs to go myself.

by Jonathan Prendergast Tue Apr 03, 2012 7:18 am

Jenks1981 wrote:I think he really needs to go myself.

Agree

by **Mario** Fri Apr 06, 2012 8:53 pm

The Premier League is to re-launch the current reserve team competitions as a national under-21s league, to provide game time for elite young players who are languishing on the bench, The Independent has learned.

The League's 20 clubs have agreed that games in the new Premier League Reserve League will take place at weekends and may shadow those between the first teams where possible. But they will come after Premier League matches, allowing those players who have made the bench in the elite division, but gained little or no playing time, the opportunity to play in a high-quality second-string game. The new league seems likely to be fully established for the 2013/14 season, rather than this August – because the clubs are yet to agree on how many over-age players each side should be allowed to field, ensuring the league offers a means of older players returning to full fitness.

The new league aims to resolve a critical problem in the English game, of the best young talent getting minimal competitive football in squads packed with expensive acquisitions. "By the time I came through the non-league system I'd not received that much coaching but I had 250 games behind me," said England's caretaker manager and under-21 manager Stuart Pearce. "Too many of my players at under-21 level haven't had enough game time. Of that squad I may only have had eight or nine who played on the Saturday. Now that's a crying shame."

The Independent can reveal that a national under-18 league is also to be established for all Premier League and Football League clubs which attain Category 1 status – the highest grading under the new Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) – in another attempt to better develop young players.

It is unclear whether the under-21 league, which clubs with a Category 1 youth development grading under EPPP will join, will carry any commercial opportunities, though there may be some prospect of that if adequate interest is kindled in a competition which could give, for example, Chelsea's Josh McEachran or Liverpool's Raheem Sterling game time they might otherwise miss on a bench the day before.

The current Premier Reserve League is split into a northern and southern division but four clubs – Manchester City, QPR, Stoke and Tottenham – do not field sides, and the competition has certainly faded badly since Kevin Keegan dealt it a significant blow by removing Newcastle United in the mid-1990s. Its inadequacy for player development was highlighted in January when Andre Villas Boas, then Chelsea manager, suggested Premier League clubs should be allowed to field reserve sides in the Football League. The Football League called this "offensive", but Everton manager David Moyes has since disclosed that he was thwarted in his own plan to play an Everton 'B' team in the Football Conference in an attempt to upgrade competitive levels for his young players. Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has also said he is "looking closely" at the wisdom of continuing with the Reserve League in its current format.

There is also dissatisfaction among clubs with stronger youth set-ups at the standard of under-18s opposition. The success of last season's Under-19s European NextGen tournament, in which Internazionale defeated Liverpool's semi-final opponents Ajax in the final at Leyton Orient, has proved the value of elite opposition. Manchester City's intention to compete again next year is based on their belief that the experience of overseas travel to play and encounter different systems have been invaluable.

The new national under-18s league will provide better competition for top youth sides on a more regular basis. Damien Comolli, director of football at Liverpool – whose 6-0 home defeat to Ajax in the NextGen semi-final revealed a gulf in class – told the LFC Magazine last week that "we want to play against the best". He said: "From day one we have told the Premier League the principle of the best against the best, and playing and training with the best will get our backing. Recently, we played against Manchester United in the under-15s and it was technically a very good game with a high quality of football played."

In France, reserve teams may enter the professional pyramid and play as high as the fourth tier – England's League Two – and although that seems unworkable in England, the former France technical director Gerard Houllier is among those urging changes. "In England you lose a lot of players between 18 and 21," he said. "The two countries who are failing are England and Italy. I knew one or two players [when manager] at Aston Villa who did not have enough games to play at the top level. Between 18 and 20 there is nothing. In France when they don't play on a Saturday, they can play for the reserves the next day."

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/green-light-for-u21s-league-to-replace-reserves-7622226.html

by kique.canto Sun Apr 08, 2012 5:27 am

Interesting article. Bench players do needs some game time when all they do is sit.

Vela's goal from last week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QEVjxUTltA

Here's Vela's brace from today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_a2Rc65iB4

Him and Bendtner are really beginning to score on a consistent basis.

by Jenks1981 Sun Apr 08, 2012 5:45 am

In fairness all three of those goals are pretty good, i'm impressed by those finishes. It looks like he has found a home now in Sociedad, lets hope he can stay there and prosper.

by Samritpal Singh Tue Apr 10, 2012 4:33 am

Carlos Vela adamant he doesn't want to return to Arsenal: 'I don't care about what Arsenal think of me. It's better I stay here'.

- YoungGuns

by Joey Schwab Tue Apr 10, 2012 4:46 am

Good to see he hasn't lost his chipping ability. Good luck to ya, Carlos

by Vanig Bostanian Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:46 am

'I don't care about what Arsenal think of me. It's better I stay here'.
I don't care what you do at Real. It's better for Arsenal if you stay there. Van Roy Bostanian

by **Mario** Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:35 pm

Carlos Vela
Espanyol 2-2 Real Sociedad
Saturday, April 7
Carlos Vela played 70 minutes of Real Sociedad's 2-2 draw with Espanyol on Saturday, scoring both his side's goals in the first 15 minutes of the game to take his season's tally to nine.

Ryo
Bolton 0-3 Fulham
Saturday, April 7
Ryo played the first half of Bolton's disappointing 3-0 defeat to Fulham at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

Nicklas Bendtner
Sunderland 0-0 Tottenham
Saturday, April 7
Nicklas Bendtner played the full 90 minutes of Sunderland's goalless draw against Tottenham at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Kyle Bartley
Rangers 3-1 St Mirren
Saturday, April 7
Kyle Bartley played the full 90 minutes of Rangers' 3-1 victory over St Mirren at Ibrox on Saturday.

Vito Mannone
Millwall 2-0 Hull
Saturday, April 7
Vito Mannone played the whole of Hull's 2-0 defeat at Millwall on Saturday.

Craig Eastmond
Wycombe 1-1 Carlisle
Friday, April 6
Craig Eastmond played the whole of Wycombe's 1-1 draw with Carlisle at Adams Park on Friday.

Chuks Aneke
Preston 1-1 MK Dons
Saturday, April 7
Chuks Aneke played six minutes as a second-half substitute in Preston's 1-1 draw with MK Dons at Deepdale on Saturday.

Sanchez Watt
Crawley 1-1 Crewe
Friday, April 6
Sanchez Watt played the second half of Crawley's 1-1 draw against Crewe at the Broadfield Stadium on Friday.

Henri Lansbury
Barnsley 0-4 West Ham
Friday, April 6
Henri Lansbury played 20 minutes as a second-half substitute in West Ham's 4-0 win over Barnsley at Oakwell on Friday.

Pedro Botelho
Levante 2-0 Atletico Madrid
Saturday, April 7
Pedro Botelho played 33 minutes as a second-half substitute in Levante's 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

Samuel Galindo
Sabadell 1-0 Gimnastic Tarragona
Saturday, April 7
Samuel Galindo played 26 minutes of Gimnastic de Tarragona's 1-0 defeat at Sabadell on Saturday.

Andrey Arshavin
Lokomotiv Moscow 0-1 Zenit
Saturday, April 7
Andrey Arshavin played the second half of Zenit's 1-0 victory over Lokomotiv Moscow on Saturday.

Wellington
Alcorcon 2-1 Alcoyano
Saturday, April 7
Wellington played 62 minutes of Alcoyano's 2-1 defeat at Alcorcon on Saturday.

Nico Yennaris
Leyton Orient 0-3 Notts County
Friday, April 6
Nico Yennaris did not feature in Notts County's 3-0 victory over Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road on Friday.

Sead Hajrovic
Cheltenham 2-0 Barnet
Friday, April 6
Sead Hajrovic did not feature in Barnet's 2-0 victory over Cheltenham at Whaddon Road on Friday.

Benik Afobe
Reading 2-0 Leeds
Friday, April 6
Benik Afobe did not feature in Reading's 2-0 victory over Leeds on Friday.

Denilson
Sao Paulo 2-0 Mogi Mirim
Saturday, April 7
Denilson did not feature in Sao Paulo's 2-0 win over Mogi Mirim on Saturday.

Joel Campbell
Nice 2-0 Lorient
Sunday, April 8
Joel Campbell did not feature in Lorient's 2-0 defeat to Nice on Sunday, insteading featuring in Lorient B's 3-2 CFA defeat at home to Carquefou.

Rhys Murphy
Preston 1-1 MK Dons
Saturday, April 7
Rhys Murphy did not feature in Preston's 1-1 draw with MK Dons at Deepdale on Saturday.

Sean McDermott
Reading 2-0 Leeds
Friday, April 6
Sean McDermott did not feature in Leeds' 2-0 defeat to Reading at the Madejski Stadium on Friday.

^ From the weekend

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chuks Aneke
Stevenage 1-1 Preston
Monday, April 9
Chuks Aneke returned to former loan club Stevenage on Monday, playing 71 minutes of Preston's 1-1 draw against his old side.

Henri Lansbury
West Ham 3-3 Birmingham
Monday, April 9
Henri Lansbury played the second half of West Ham's 3-3 draw with Birmingham on Monday, helping Sam Allardyce's side come back from a 3-1 half-time deficit. It was the midfielder's shot which struck the hand of Chris Burke to win the Hammers a late penalty.

Vito Mannone
Hull 2-1 Middlesbrough
Monday, April 9
Vito Mannone played the whole of Hull's 2-1 win over fellow promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough at the KC Stadium on Monday.

Craig Eastmond
Chesterfield 4-0 Wycombe
Monday, April 9
Craig Eastmond played the full 90 minutes of Wycombe's 4-0 defeat at Chesterfield on Monday.

Sanchez Watt
Barnet 1-2 Crawley
Monday, April 9
Sanchez Watt played 44 minutes of Crawley's 2-1 victory over Barnet at Underhill on Monday.

Sead Hajrovic
Barnet 1-2 Crawley
Monday, April 9
Sead Hajrovic played 81 minutes of Barnet's 2-1 defeat to Crawley at Underhill on Monday.

Ryo
Newcastle 2-0 Bolton
Monday, April 9
Ryo played 12 minutes as a second-half substitute in Bolton's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle at St James' Park on Monday.

Benik Afobe
Brighton v Reading
Tuesday, April 10
Benik Afobe's Reading travel to Brighton's Amex Stadium on Tuesday night.

Carlos Vela
Real Sociedad v Real Betis
Tuesday, April 10
Carlos Vela's Real Sociedad face Real Betis in La Liga on Tuesday night.

Pedro Botelho
Sporting Gijon v Levante
Wednesday, April 11
Pedro Botelho's Levante will travel to Sporting Gijon in La Liga on Wednesday.

Nicklas Bendtner
Everton 4-0 Sunderland
Monday, April 9
Nicklas Bendtner did not feature in Sunderland's 4-0 defeat at the hands of Everton on Monday.

Nico Yennaris
Notts County 3-1 Yeovil
Monday, April 9
Nico Yennaris did not feature in Notts County's 3-1 win over Yeovil at Meadow Park on Monday.

Rhys Murphy
Stevenage 1-1 Preston
Monday, April 9
Rhys Murphy did not feature in Preston's 1-1 draw at Stevenage on Monday.

Sean McDermott
Leeds 0-2 Derby
Monday, April 9
Sean McDermott did not feature in Leeds' 2-0 defeat to Derby at Elland Road on Monday.

by Jenks1981 Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:59 pm

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11670/7662339/Vela-hopes-for-Spanish-stay

Good for him I say, good to see he has found somewhere he is happy.

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