Neil Banfield’s title chasing Reserves are back in action this evening as West Ham head across the capital for a London derby at Barnet’s Underhill Stadium. Following a 1-0 win over Wolves last week, three points against the Hammers is crucial if Banfield’s boys want to continue their League push.
The second string may have double the amount of points of tonight’s visitors, but West Ham are one of the strongest opponents in Reserves League South. Coach Alex Dyer has a fine record of bringing through a series of exciting talents every year. That, combined with the usual spattering of first-team talent, means Banfield’s charges will have a tricky fixture on their hands tonight.
Last time out, a Sol Campbell inspired XI claimed a 4-2 win at Upton Park, with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas grabbing a hat-trick. With a much changed team expected tonight, the three points will be a much tougher task. However, the return to fitness of key duo Nacer Barazite and Conor Henderson will be welcome boosts, while Thomas Cruise and Ignasi Miquel showed promising signs as a centre half pairing for the future against Wolves. That should continue to blossom.
Predicted Starting XI
Shea
Coquelin – Cruise – Miquel – Evina
Frimpong – Eastmond – Henderson
Barazite – Freeman – Watt
Kick off at Underhill is it 7pm GMT. Young Guns will have a Match Report available shortly after the full time whistle.
I would love to see Barazite make steady progress from tonight’s game into the first team squad for next season.
If Barazite can stay injury free till the pre-season I expect him to be a regular in the bench for 2010-2011 season…I think he is better than Merida,he just needs some cup games and to stay injury free.
I dont know that he’s better than merida, but he is a quality finisher (from what I’ve seen at least), which is always useful.
I completely doubt Barazite will have a regular spot on the bench. Let’s just suppose this is Arsenal’s first choice XI, regardless of injuries and suspensions.
Arshavin-van Persie-Nasri
Diaby-Song-Fabregas
Clichy-Vermaelen-Gallas-Sagna
Almunia
That leaves Denilson, Eboue, Rosicky, Wilshere, Walcott, Eduardo, Bendtner and Vela who are all good enough to start at most teams in the Premier League. That’s 8 players fighting for 7 possible spaces on the bench and that doesn’t even include back up for goalkeeper and defence.
To be honest hardly any of our reserve midfielders have much chance to breakthrough, unless there’s some sudden surge of departures (which is heavily doubtful considering most of them have got long term contracts).
I’ve seen some of Barazites games and I was definetly impressed by him enough to think he’ll make it,i remember watching him play for holland U-21 as a central striker against England U-21 and he did very well there although that’s not his position,he’s got a great shot and vision,he just needs to mature a little,a loan in premier league should be considered,like the Wilshere case,I expect big things from Barazite and of course Wilshere in the near future.
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Tony – merida managed to get a couple of chances this season, and probably would have had more given the goal he scored if he hadn’t got another injury.
Fact is enough of those players you named were injured or unavailable a the same time to allow merida to get his chance. IF barazite IS seen as being as good as or better than fran merida, then he has a very good chance of getting playing time i think.
That is true but I wouldn’t say he had enough chances to even get close to making an impact. What I’m saying is, even if some of our teenage talents get some game time, it’s ridiculously very little and almost as if they were only brought on for fun.
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Have to agree with the others. If Wilshere and Vela are struggling to get game time there is going to be very little chance for someone like Barazite who you could argue is not better than someone like Watt or JET. And that’s assuming that Simpson will be sold and Chamakh will NOT be coming otherwise there are some more road-blocks to his first-team ambitions. Wenger has said that Lansbury will train with the first-team to start next season as well and if you consider him a RM then up pops another hurdle.
I think the coaching staff will want Barazite to stay healthy for a couple of seasons AND show improvement before he cracks it into the rotation. I’m not getting my hopes up about seeing him even semi-regularly in our first-team outside of the odd carling cup game.
http://www.whufc.com/articles/20100322/arsenal-0-2-reserves-live_2236884_2002265
Seems like we are playing well and piling on the pressure but we’re currently 2-0 down!
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Well Nacer’s certainly looking dangerous tonight!
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