Arsenal’s Under-18’s fought a scrappy 2-1 win over a dogged West Ham side on Saturday morning to climb back to the top of the FA Academy League table and leave a three point gap between them and Crystal Palace.
Changes were visible in the Gunners starting XI with Carling Cup youngsters Emmanuel Frimpong and Jay-Emmanuel Thomas missing out – a probable sign that they will be involved in tomorrow’s Reserve game against Aston Villa.
Shea
Blackwood – Obed – Ayling -Cruise
Sunu – Eastmond – Coquelin – Watt
Murphy – Freeman
Steve Bould’s determined young starlets played out a watchable first half. Sanchez Watt and Rhys Murphy both came close with tame efforts at the Hammers goal.
Things would take a turn for the worse though, a dubious penalty decision mean’t that Anthony Edgar could put the east Londoners ahead through a spot kick just minutes before half time – and he finished it with aplomb.
West Ham looked the better side in all honesty during the first period. Arsenal pressured through their pacey wingers Sunu and Watt, an equaliser was surely on the way.
On 65 minutes, Luke Freeman grabbed the vital goal after a brilliant cross from versatile midfielder Watt.
It didn’t take long for the second either, super-sub Roarie Deacon struck his second goal in consecutive games to hand Arsenal all three points on what proved a fantastic day for Bould’s boys.
Whilst the Under-18’s got back to winning ways, it took a late goal from Dutch starlet Oguzhan Ozyakup for Steve Gatting’s kids to squeeze through over a tough Hammers side.
Benik Afobe continued his free-scoring form while Zack Ansah also got on the scoresheet. Further goals from summer signings Ignasi Miquel and Oguzhan Ozyakup rounded off a good days work for the Gunners.
Article By – Gooner-Chris
Coquelin playing for the u18’s, blimey!
If he supposed to be so good i am supprised that Zack Ansah is not in the England U16’s schoolboy Victory Sheild squad which is on Sky Sports were England play against Northern Ireland, Wales and the Scottish U16’s teams over the next few weeks, because the likes of Jack Wilshere, John Bostock, Jose Baxter, Josh McEachran, Billy Knott and ex Arsenal youth player Jason Banton were all 14 years old when they were both picked to represeent the England U16’s team
scrappy 2-1 win ? wish we got a scrappy half goal win over Hull yesterday, I slept like a mad man wish it was a dream. I am happy the U18’s won even if it is scrappy
http://soccerfanbase.com
C’mon you young guns!
That looks like it was a very strong line up. Did sunu impress and does anyone know anymore about where banton will end up
Ell, they are doing it to keep the young players feet on the ground so that they will carry on working hard on their game like they were before playing a 1st team.
maybe we should let these guys play, they at least know how to score…
your backkkkkk lol i got worried x
kent paul;
Chuks Aneke was also a year younger when he was picked last year.
How old is Zack Ansah
14
Haha, Sorry about that guys, took some time away, I’ll make it up to you :)
Ozzy!!!!!!
who do you think has a bigger chance of making it at arsenal or is better. Lansbury or Randall. opinions please JAMIE. AND GOONER CHRIS. UR THE PROS.
J, you have any suspicion when Benik will make the step up to u18’s football? I recognize that Freeman, Murphy and Sunu are very good and Sunu is being moved wide right to accommodate them all in the team, but at the same time it seems that Afobe is just scoring for fun every week, it’s not really a challenge?
Perhaps next year will be his full time promotion with Murphy being ineligible for the u18’s.
and is j.thomas any good? he seems like a big slow midfielder that lacks concentration and awareness. remember his game against seville, j.navas ran cricles around him before he even noticed that navas had the ball. ????????
is Benik a londoner?
PeteE, Afobe is from Dagenham.
Ell, Afobe will get his chance either in the 2nd half of this season or next season. Also I have a feeling that Fonte might be sent loan to championship team before the September deadline because they really want to promote Murphy to at least reserves bcuz his injury has set his development back 1yr.
Jason Banton has signed pro forms at Man City or I think its a scholar which will turn pro , on his 17th bday
THIS IS FACTS
Good God Arsenal playing foreigners in the u16s! They shouldn’t be allowed to come over before the age of 18. As Trevor Brooking often says the Accedemy system wasn’t set up be be a finishing school for foreigners.
Does Afobe ever not score? I cnt remember the last time i read a match review on here where he was playing and for him to have not scored atleast one. Still not seen him yet but he sounds like he can be massive.
Good to see the young lads all getting wins, lets just hope the reserves and most importantly the first team can follow suit next week.
Who are the foreigners in the Arsenal U16’s team then because i can only see two in the U18’s team which is listed above.
miguel and the dutch one..
Well that is not exactly alot is it because if half the team the team was full of foreigners there would be a problem and i would question Arsenals desire to produce home grown players but it is not
J will there be a preview of the reserves match tonight?
ArsenalVito Mannone
Thomas Cruise
Gavin Hoyte
Kyle Bartley
Emmanuel Frimpong
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas
Mark Randall
Jack Wilshere
Henri Lansbury
Jay Simpson
Rui Fonte
Substitutes Luke Ayling
Wojciech Szczesny
Luke Freeman
Rhys Murphy
chelsea are trying to poach wilshere!! dey can fuck ryte off!!
3-0 down to Villa after half an hour! defending has been poor at best!…Tom Cruise is looking a bit out of his depth tonight. But its only his 1st reserve start so i’ll give him a break. Mind you Jay Thomas isn’t looking too great back there either!
We can wit this! :D Can someone give a broadcast link?
well this result would cap a v. bad week for arsenal fc to say the least!!
yea definitely hasn’t been a good few days at all! Maybe the hype of the Sheff Utd game has got to the whole squad?? But i’m sure Neil Banfield is gonne bring them all down to earth pretty hard in the dressing room in a minute!
Tom Cruise has been poor so far, really out of his depth.
Frimpong has done okay, shown some good movement on and off the ball, Randall back to his averageness and Simpson doing nothing of real note too.
http://www.arsene-al.co.uk
great goal from Randall!…. 1-3….game on!
4-1.. game over.
I think it is time to admit that our youth set up is not the best in the country because there are other clubs out there like say Manchester City, Everton, Reading and Aston Villa and West Ham who are just as good as good at producing young players as our club
kent paul, other academies produce good players but not outstanding technical players with the exception of the West Ham Boys. If your argument is about quantity, we have done just as well as others.
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