Arsenal’s Under 18’s lost in the Semi-Finals of the Academy League playoffs this afternoon to Group B winners Aston Villa.
The only goal was scored by England Youth International Nathan Delfouneso, just after half time. To end what has been a positive season for Steve Bould’s boys. The Gunners went out at this same stage last season, leaving many fans disappointed and dejected.
Gavin Hoyte was injured in the warm up, so Rui Fonte was restored to the team partnering Rhys Murphy in a 4-4-2 formation. Luke Ayling moved back to the heart of the defence alongside Thomas Cruise.
The Arsenal Team
Szczesny
Eastmond – Ayling – Cruise – Thomas
Wilshere – Frimpong – Dunne – Watt
Murphy – Fonte
Substitutes -: Shea – Evina – Barazite – Henderson -G.Hoyte (Injured)
So to the game Arsenal set about their midlands hosts right from the off, and had the first early chance when Emmanuel Frimpong’s free-kick looped just wide of the post. Then the young Gunners stepped up the pressure and Rui Fonte was put through after good work from Wilshere and only a last ditch tackle from Villa’s Bannan stopped Rui from making it two goals in as many games.
Jack Wilshere was starting to get control of the ball, and after finding some space on the edge of the box he was slide tackled by Clark to deny the 16 year old a shoot opportunity.
Villa by now had started to use the home status to their advantage, Herd then came bursting into the area and was barged down by Jay Emmanuel-Thomas for what looked like a penalty. However the referee waved away the strong appeals from the players and fans.
Craig Eastmond seemed to relish his return to right back, and after storming forward his right footed cross found the head of Rhys Murphy, he glanced it just wide. A warning for Villa of things to come.
Before kick off Gooners were told to watch out for Nathan Delfouneso, and he nearly stuck the opener after a storming run from Albrighton. He cut the ball back and Delfouneso flicked the header at Szczesny, but the huge Polish stopper gathered it easily.
Arsenal’s passing had now become sloppy and after conceding a free kick Villa nearly punished them. The impressive Bannan’s kick deflected off the Gunners wall and found Harry Forester, but he lacked composure and blazed in to the stand.
Arsenal were now holding on thanks to Szczesny. After Clark’s glancing header Wojciech made a routine stop. Then Bannan then got in again and after he zipped a low cross in to the area only the scrambling Arsenal keeper stopped Collins from slotting home.
Collins then placed the ball right through the Arsenal defence, and after Delfouneso raced away, Szczesny came racing off his line to clear. It would prove to be the final action of the first half, with Steve Bould’s boys relieved to hear the half time whistle.
Half Time – Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
The half time break brought the chance for Bould to talk to the players, and get them ready for a difficult second half. But whatever was said was soon thrown out of the window as Villa took the lead.
Heard skipped away down the wing, and floated a deep cross on to the chest of the fore-mentioned Nathan Delfouneso, he chested the ball down and volleyed Villa in to an early lead.
The Gunners were not willing to lay down and let all the hard work from this season be undone, and nearly snatched a goal back. James Dunne came racing forward and jinked in from the left hand side but his effort was tame and easily gathered by Parish in the Villa goal.
The Jack Wilshere looked to fire his team in to action, he twisted and turned and left fly from the edge of the area, only for his effort to rebound off the post. Arsenal were then nearly caught out again when Forester when Bannan’s cross found Forester, the young striker failed to connect properly and headed it wide.
Bould quickly called Nacer Barazite across and after a short period of passing on tactical information, Nacer was brought on to try and rescue the Gunners season.
Nacer Barazite > Sanchez Watt (58)
With Barazite coming on it took time for the players to adapt to their new positions, and Villa nearly capitalised, when Bannan again got in down the wing only for his cross to be stabbed away by Luke Ayling.
Ayling would again come to the rescue of his team, charging down Collins drive. Collins nearly made up for it a minute later when his low shot was gathered by Szczesny.
The clock was now against Arsenal, but they were holding on. Albrighton then raced down the flank and whipped a cross straight across the penalty area, luckily for the Gunners nobody got a touch.
Aston Villa were good value for the lead, and were now playing some lovely football which was summed by Delfouneso and Bannan linking up well on the flank, before the ball fell kindly to Collins, he dragged the shot at Szczesny.
Then came the save of the game, and one which kept Arsenal in it. Delfouneso’s controlled shot was tipped out for a corner by Wojciech who was by far the best player for the young Gunners.
With a matter of minutes left Bannan’s corner found the header of centre back Baker, he flicked it across the face of the goal and behind for a goal kick. Even the slightest touch would have brought the second goal.
Jack Wilshere then seemed to be injured, and was replaced by Cedric Evina on 87 minutes. As Arsenal looked for an equaliser to force extra time.
Barazite then ran at the Villa back line but as he was set to shoot, he was barged off the ball by Baker. Arsenal were not going to give up without a fight, and James Dunne smashed the ball back off Baker for a corner with seconds left.
But it was cleared and the referee blew the final whistle, meaning Arsenal crash out and is Aston Villa that will go on to face Manchester City or Sunderland in the grand final.
Full Time – Arsenal 0-1 Aston Villa
Goals:
Nathan Delfouneso (47)
Article By – J.Sanderson
There’s no winners in every age group for us! :D
Ah well…
Lol.
That’s too bad for the boys.
I feel sorry for the young lads. Oh well, guess there’s always next year. They’ve played well.
Very dissapointing.
With our resources we should be winning games like this
Maybe it shows, some players can’t deal with the pressure
Joshua, i have the same thoughts as you on that point! When i was watching the FA youth cup game against Man U last season we started to shake and they scored in the 93rd minute and then they won it!
To be fair, losing a key defender in the warm up and having to re-shuffle doesn’t help either.
To Joshua who says our players can’t deal with pressure, take a look at the team that started this game
Szczesny
Eastmond – Ayling – Cruise – Thomas
Wilshere – Frimpong – Dunne – Watt
Murphy – Fonte
Now if Bould was only concerned in winning and not in player development we would not have lads out on loan and would field our strongest side and it would include Gibbs, Lansbury, Randall, Barazite, Merida, Nordtveit, G Hoyte and Rodgers. Thats 8 yes eight guys who would be considered as certs for our first choice U18’s, so in reality Villa beat a second string Gunners side in which 7 of them are u17 so will have another year at least at this level and at U18 that year makes one hell of a difference, so lay off the guys
J Sanderson, pray tell why “we” should be winning games like these? Villa are Champions , semi finalists in the FA youth cup and most of the lads have just won the Premier League (south) Reserve League.
Your first team may be better than ours but it doesn’t always follow that the rest of the club is !
Our weakness is Luke Ayling tbh. He’s a useless player, i’ve seen him on ATVO and he looks and plays like utter shite.
we should be winning these games, due to the amount of investment we have in the squad.
We have one of the most expensive squads in the league, and the best facilities.
Yet every year we fall at this stage.
I agree with eduardo. The u-18 team we put out wasn’t our best – it comprised mostly of u-17 and u-16 players, who played most of the season for the u-18 and were awarded the chance to play in the playoffs. If Bould wanted only to win it, he would have put some more senior players.
The most important thing is the individual development of players. Arsenal’s policy is to advance players as quickly as possible, and this policy pays dividends, even if the youth team doesn’t win anything.
We may have problems next season too, since I don’t believe Wilshere, Barazite, Thomas and Szczesny will play in the u18, although they will still be eligible. I believe some players (maybe Evina and Fonte) will also be promoted to the reserves before the end of next season.
Well done to the youngsters – they are playing mostly against older kids. If some of them become Arsenal players and most of them become professionals, then Arsenal has done its job, even if we don’t have any youth trophy to show for the kids’ efforts.
steve bould can suck cock give him the sack the fucking bastard how can he not have nordtviet and barazite on,our two best players where the fuck is sunu and rodgers and what henderson who according to j sanderson attracted interest from chelsea and the scums down the road.where the fucks afobe dreacon freeman ther fucking better than these shit heads who were playing today other than wilshere and scezny
I said it would be a difficult game to win because Aston Villa have some great young football players at there club
That was an impressive speech John.
Nordveit is playing with Norway. Nordveit, Barazite and Rodgers never play for the U-18, expect Nacer who sometimes is on the bench. Henderson was on the bench; Afobe and Dreacon are too young, they might play next year; and like JS said, Freeman was dropped.
But John, you remind me a lot of the people who come crying to Arsenal forums after every game the first team doesn’t win and give 101 reasons why they should pick the team instead of Wenger. I am sure Bould did what he thought was best for the club as a whole. Do you think anybody will ever care if we win this competition or not? But will you care if these players will gain experience from playing with older players? And maybe onw day, some of these players will win games where it matters, for Arsenal’s first team.
Btw. we could have played Walcott in the youth cup last season. Would you have picked him?
Save the bellyaching. How about: Well done to Villa. If nothing else it’s refreshing to lose against a side that outplay us, rather than rely on the referees or packing the bus or kicking the more skillful players. What doesn’t kill (or permanently injure or scar) the youngsters will make them stronger. Leicester last year, Villa this year. Nice to see midlands teams might be competitive in the years to come alongside the north and south. Villa is already knocking at the door. There seems to be some great young athletes in England playing footie these days. Might make the UK a foot-balling nation once again.
Btw the john writing that comment was not me. From now on i ll av my name as: Johnv rather than John so its more obvious i wuldnt critisise the arsenal management that much. I would prefer us to produce more First team class players than win a rather worthless Youth cup or academy league.