As we exclusively told you last week, Jason Banton has signed for Blackburn Rovers, and he subsequently made his debut for their Under 18’s during the rout over Liverpool on Saturday.
But whilst the departure of Banton, coupled with Benik Afobe’s promotion to the Under 18’s, leaves Steve Gatting’s Under 16’s short on options, a path has opened up for another one of Arsenal’s promising youngsters, striker Zac Ansah. (Far Right In The Picture)
The pacy finisher is believed to have been one of the two names mentioned by Arsène Wenger last year, where the Frenchman claimed two 14-year-old players have ‘nothing left to learn technically’. Now 15, Ansah has followed the rout taken by Afobe in being thrown in at the deep end, and like Benik, it’s proved no problem at all.
The pair were both on the score-sheet during the win over West Ham in late September, yet Zac was forced to lead the line on his own on Saturday, as Afobe was on Under 18 duty. Another challenge was safely passed with aplomb, a second goal of the season easing the strain on Gatting’s outfit.
In a similar style to the aforementioned Afobe, Ansah is an intelligent, mobile, and extremely quick centre forward, who can operate directly down the middle, or as a support forward, in the classic ‘second striker role.’
It is widely expected a new hit-man will be drafted in during the January transfer window, aside from the one already earmarked for Salamanca. Barnsley’s Reuben Noble-Lazarus and PSG’s Jimmy Kamghain are top of the list of targets to replace the outgoing Banton, although whoever does arrive, will have a truly talented striker partner in Ansah
Article By – J.Sanderson
What is your source on the two targetted signings?
We are looking a bit light at under 18 level, exspecially next season. With Bartley,Coquelin,Thomas,Lansbury,Murphy,Cruise,Sunu and Watt being too old and Shea,Ayling,Blackwood and Eastmond likely to be released. That just leaves Frimpong,Freeman,Evina,Henderson, Deacon and Obed in teh 17-18 bracket. Are there many 15 and 16 year olds coming through for next season?
Another point is what are we going to do with all these reserve players next season? I count 15 players who will between 18 to 20 who aren’t yet in the first team. I don’t think we need any more signings for a while (unless they are 30 plus, like Silvestre)…if anything we need a clear out!
I agree, we need a clear out. some of our young players are good but are they Arsenal good. to be an arsenal player you need to be better than most, have something special. the likes of randall are in the same age bracket as say Ramsey, but do I see Randall running the Arsenal midfield in 1 or 2 years time, no i dont. wenger and banfield will need to be ruthless with boys who are good enough for prem football but not good enough for arsenal.
To be fair to Randall he seems to play well with Ramsey (based on what I have seen pre-season and teh Carling cup match). So he is at least good enough to be in the squad in the next few years. Plus we might want to keep hold of the english boys should Platini and Blatter bring in their should stupid quotas in one day
JS Who is the other 14-year-old player Arsene said has ‘nothing left to learn technically’?
I always thought one of the players he was refering Wilshire
Anybody ever find out who was the second technically gifted 14 year old Arsene Wenger referred to?
Jamie if this Zach Ansah kid is the real deal how comes he is not been selected to play for the England U16’s taem in the Schoolboy Victory Sheild which is currently on Sky Sports then
HI how impressive was ramsey yesterday he surely has to start against everton because we know Everton are gonna pack the midfield and we need players who can unlock defences i can see him song and fabregas playin with van persie nasri and adebayor up front. Hes defeinitely a better player than denilson
So is Ansah the same age as Afobe? I always thought he was a year younger, therefore born in ’94.
At the risk of wishy washy and saying trust Banfield and Wenger to decide when to let the lesser prospects go, their record to-date is pretty faultless. Idon’t think any of the younger players we have released have ended up leaving us regretting the decision – Bentley, Sidwell, Lupoli, Quincy, Muamba, even Pennant, Upson, to name a few anyway.
The tricky thing is that some of our best young players only produced their best once they were given first team opportunities – Cesc, Cole, Clichy, now Wilshere. I’m hoping guys like Barazite, Simpson, Merida, Gibbs, and Bartley are able to step up and be serious first team contenders. Not sure where some of them will fit in though.
Just a thought prompted by Alex’s comment about Dum and Dummer’s quotas. In a couple of years time, what would be the best English/British 11 that Arsenal could turn out?
Almunia(lol) Gibbs Bartley Ogogo Hoyte Ramsey Lansbury Randall Wilshere Simpson Walcott
At least if our home grown products become world-class, they’re not going to be pining for Barca, Madrid, or Milan.
“Emmanuel Yaw Frimpong Has just signed for Everton fc” … I cut and paste from his Facebook
Alex- There are Samir Carrurthers, Johnstone (I think), Henderson and Yannick are injured. Good Players
OzGoonerGuy – Ayling, Bartley, Hoyte, Gibbs for the defence. Attack Afobe and Walcott. Can’t argue with the midfield or keeper(!)
Frimpong to Everton?
he’s now come out saying that its not true… sorry for posting that everyone… he said his Facebook was ‘hacked’
any 1 know where i can see aaron ramseys goal during the england vs wales u21 match?
A 15 year old playing for the u16 side is considered an “emergence”? It was amusing to hear Arsenal have to go into the transfer market because they need another striker for the u16 schoolboy team.
It’s a youth blog LSOE, so we focus on the young players here. It’s not an emergance into the first team, but he’s taking the first steps.
Ramsey’s goal
http://thegoonerforum.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/ramsey-scores-a-wonder-goal-video/
It’s a bit unfair to say we need a clearout when most of these players haven’t even had first team opportunities. We’re about to get rid of Dunne, Steer, Ogogo and Rodgers. How demoralising would it be for someone like Gavin Hoyte when suddenly all of the players around him just disappeared?
I don’t think someone like Jay Simpson will make it but the club let him stay when he had the option to move and that didn’t happen for no reason.
Jay, is there any particular reason or concern with a short-fall at U-16 level? Has the well dried up for local talent and do we need to draft more from overseas? I’d expect it’s much harder for kids to move around at that age, even if they’re English.
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