Arsenal and England midfielder Henri Lansbury is fit and ready for the coming season, after spending the past two months in intensive training. The 17 year old missed the final 6 months of the campaign, after contracting the viral infection Glandular Fever.
He is now back on track and expected to feature in the Reserves friendly against Rushen & Diamonds in late July. Lansbury is currently in the second and final year of his professional contract, and another injury hit season next term could see the Enfield born youngster leave Arsenal after nine years.
However should he keep his fitness, a place in Arsene Wenger’s first team seems all but certain, as the Frenchman has previously confirmed his plans to promote him along with several other Reserves regulars. No doubts on his day Henri is one of the brightest prospect in football, made even more exciting as he is English.
Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith has heaped praise on Lansbury, saying he has “huge potential” and is one to “keep an eye out for”. Another former player Steve Bould, the Gunners Under 18’s coach, is particularly keen for Henri to reach the first team, as he would be the first player to go right through the ranks from Under 9 level to the first team.
“Henri Lansbury’s year is the first that started here from under-nine level, “Maybe that eight-year cycle is coming to fruition now.
“Maybe the Academy set-up is starting to produce. Over the next few years we might see a bundle of these kids getting in their first teams, not just here but throughout the country.”
One thing is almost certain, should he get back to his best quickly, then there is no doubts he will become a better player than future Tottenham signing John Bostock. The emergence of players such as Henri and Mark Randall meant that the potential signing of Bostock never came to fruition.
Article By – J.Sanderson
JS a few times you’ve mentioned that he can be inconsistent and also has a poor injury record. Are these real concerns or just the usual things a young player experiences? I’m really excited about him. Really disappointed about Bostock going to Spurs though. I thought we’d be in for him for sure.
I hope Lansbury has an injury free year and plays in the carling cup then we can see how good he is. So what you think our chances are of us getting Ramsey or Ninis JS?
Finally, he’ll be back :D
an illness in hardly injury problems is it.
Clichy has had awful injury problems since he’s been here, the season just gone was his 1st season without injury problems. We didn’t get rid off him did we.
Players can grow out of injury problems
Slightly worrying that we are not offering him a new contract now. Is there any chance he might end up doing a Flamini on us and sign for someone else if he performs well? Good news hes back though as hes rated the highest of all our English talents.
Ben the season before last term he had missed a few games with injuries, (non viral).
I would fully expect him to sign next season, its just frustrating that just as he shows his potential, he has had a couple of break downs.
Definately a superb prospect for the future. But although its common for youngsters to have injuries, Henri’s have lasted for a longer period of time.
J.S, Can Lansbury play alongside Merida in the Carlin Cup?
How compatible would that partnership be?
I’m thinking they could be something like the next Gerrard and Fabregas but in the same team.
Hows that, is it a possibility or I’m wide of the mark.
The pair played very well for the Reserves together, Merida is the creative type, and Lansbury a slighly deeper, tencious player, so on paper they could be brilliant.
But with Denilson, Diaby and such it will be difficult for him to start.
Lansbury’s come thru the ranks since being a young kid, whereas Flamini vame to Arsenal under a cloud and left in similar circumstances. It’d be a real kick in the perdoobies if Henri had a top season for us then effed off on a free!
Out of curiosity, how much of John Bostock have you seen? I can understand the club not necessarily wanting to sign him with the presence of Lansbury and Randall, but can you honestly claim that the former is better than Bostock?
A Palace youngster who I am surprised no-one seems to have made serious attempts to sign is Victor Moses.
Anyway, thankyou for the update :)
J, who do you see as the genuine CC team next season? On a slow day I think i’d to see an article on it.
My uneducated random guess would be (assuming players stay and fitness and such):
Fabianski
Hoyte Song Djorou Traore
Eboue Denilson Randall Gibbs
Vela Theo/Nik/EDS (assuming he comes back and needs games to get him back to fitness)
Bench: Mannone, Nordveidt, Lansbury, Merida, Barazite
Also, did Lansbury make his prof. debut in the CC (against Blackburn maybe) or did I just imagine it?
JS .. lansbury about to start his first year pro contract in July (not his 2nd and last ) .. former injury is actually osgoods.. a condition that a lot of young athletics of henris’ build suffer from, bone growing before muscle which causes stress on knees..
steven gerrard was out for 18 months with this at henri’s age.. lets hope henri has a good season and becomes a steven gerrard for us..
I am really excited about Lansbury and I can’t wait to see what he can do for us next season. I have this hunch that the club is on the verge of achieving something very special and that we are heading in the right direction thanks largely to the Academy and all the prospects looking for a promotion to the First Team. Given that the squad is set to be bolstered by the likes of Barazite, Nordtveit, Lansbury, Wilshere, Randall, Vela, and possibly Simpson, I would not be too disappointed if Nasri is our only signing this Summer although, I’d love us to add Micah Richards and/or Per Mertesacker.
Rene, Lansbury penned pro terms in July 2007, so they would have taken effect for last season, which is why he featured with the first team full time.
Scholars get two year pro terms following the completion of the said scholarship, so by my reckoning he is in the final year.
Lansbury will be a legend. LEGEND mate.
Lets hope so Blackstock, he has shown the early potential he can be one, just gotta hope he lives up to it.
How old is Lansbury? You can sign in advance, but you can’t be on pro terms until you’re 17 I don’t think.
you r wrong.. henri does not sign pro til july this year…
http://www.arsenalanalysis.blogspot.com/
eduardo is back on his feet; doing weights and kicking the ball!!!
I no its nothing to do with this story but just read on Sky Text that Eduardo says he should be back able to play again in August :O sounds like great news will be brilliant to have him back and the competition for places will be incredible in midfield and upfront.
Heres the link to the story: http://www.setantasports.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/05/30/Premier-League-Eduardo-on-return-date/?facets/sport-space/great-britain-locale/football/
Mabey John Bostock never wanted to come to Arsenal in the first place,as for saying that both Henri Lansbury will be a better player than John Bostock is a bit OTT IMO
Lansbury needs a solid year of playing in the reserves and some off cup games.
I think wenger has a great ability of developing attacking players but his record with defenders is not so good. maybe Nortdveit can turn that around, but I dont see him being ready for the first team just yet. I could be wrong but prem defenders dont often peak at 17/18!
Awesome site mate. Lansbury lives near me and goes to a school nearby. Heard that when beckham was training with us he gave Lansbury a lift home from training as he lived nearby. Also when playing for his school a couple years back he constantly kept shootin from the half way line as it was too easy during a cup game. He scored two out of four apparently. Gonna be good.
Kent Paul we all know you have a mancrush on Bostock
Great News On Dudu :D
There has been no signing yet. In line with our usual policy, we will only announce when they are done this was said by an arsenal sopkesman the intesting word is they does that mean nasri and someone else?
he’s a fighter dudu, you could see from day 1 when he pulled on the arsenal shirt that his head was in the right place
his finishing ability is due to his terrific mental attitude
that’s a major factor in getting him back so early and the genius physio he went to in brazil
The boss has always wanted Aaron Ramsey so i think that is why we have never pressed for Bostock.
Henri will be one of englands future stars. He used to play football with us in Potters Bar, up until two years ago. He is a different class. You wait and see. He has just been working on getting his weaker left foot better. As wenger asked him.
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Have u seen some striking resemblance to some Czech ace Pavel Nedved?I first thought he’s his brother.The boy is awesome!
as part of the deal to take hleb to barca we aparantly want yaya toure as part of that deal..now that would be great :)
How does Lansbury rate compared to, for example, Denilson and Diaby skill-wise etc? Just curious… :)
The problem is that Henry Lansbury plays in a role where Arsenal already have a lot of candidate: Jack Wilshere, Nacer Barazite, Samir Nasri.
In my view Mark Randall is closer to Flamini and may have a better chance to break through as Arsenal do not have a plethore of excellent defensive midfield player. Denilson and Diaby are more creative.
Hanry Lansbury would be more effective in a 4-5-1 playing midfield general with two defensive midfielders and two wide players.
He may be close to the first team, however he still need to bulk up a little bit, because he is going to be roughed up by bullies in the premiership.
forget yaya toure…get giovani dos santos! he’s too good 4 spuds!
Lansbury is a good young player, but im still not sure who is the best out of him, Randall and Merida, id love it to be one of the English lads but at the moment Merida is probably a bit above the other two, but only time will tell. All we can be sure of is that there is alot of quality in our youth set-up, especially in the central midfeild positions.
Although of course more than one can come into the first team, so it doesnt really matter whos the best, just that they’re all good. Randall is quality, great passing, scores goals, maybe needs a bit of beefing up though, Landsbury is younger but hes also a good passer and scores, he needs more consistancy though, hes also had those injury problems which is worrying, but hes young and his body can bounce back much easier, again its a case of letting him grow and getting more physically able, teqnically hes there. Merida, is great every time i see him, he cant be perfect otherwise hed be playing first team football already, but i can never find much wrong with him when i see him.