He’s regarded among Gooners worldwide as a respected commenter and his forays into the Arsenal blogging scene have been highly successful. Now, former journalist and avid fan Mike Urbanski has joined the Young Guns team to offer his analytical inside into all things Arsenal Reserves and Youth. Known among many as SKA Gooner, his new Sunday column – SKA Sunday – kicks off today.
As we’re all aware from reading Young Guns, the Arsenal are building up an absolutely fantastic pipeline of young talent that will pay dividends in the first team for years to come. But the goal for all Arsenal youth and reserve players isn’t to be a youth or reserve “wonder kid”. The goal is to be a first team Arsenal player. While not long in the reserve system, we’ve all been thrilled to watch Aaron Ramsey develop into a real force for Arsene Wenger’s first team this season. Another young talent who I feel strongly will see a similar progression over the next 12 to 18 months is Craig Eastmond. His time is rapidly arriving.
Recently on the Official Arsenal website, Liam Brady was interviewed about the current crop of starlets populating the youth & reserve sides. You’re all familiar with the names at this point – Jack Wilshere, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Sanchez Watt, etc. Mentioned for special comment though was Craig Eastmond and the progress he’s been making.
Of Eastmond, Brady said “He’s surprised me. He’s only going to get better. He’s got a good mentality and he’s tough as well. He wasn’t maybe one of the highlighted stars from last years’ Cup winning team, but everyone knew what a good player he was.”
Lets examine several areas of development and assess the future first team prospects for Craig Eastmond.
Defensive Mid or Right Back? – This is THE question for Craig right now. Honestly, this is a bit of a tough call at the moment.
Starting out as, and getting the bulk of his reserve playing time at right back, Eastmond has progressed apace through Liam Brady’s system. With his speed, Eastmond could be an absolute demon coming forward on the right flank and possesses the wherewithal to recover quickly when possession changes demand. Given how much we use Sagna, Clichy and Eboue in the attack, crossing will have to be a critical part of his development if he’s to remain at right back. I’ve not yet seen enough of his crossing ability though to accurately assess his true value while on the front foot. Has the physical skill and tenacious mentality to be an imposing obstacle, defensively, at right back.
However, having reviewed the match footage from the Bolton away tilt in January, I’ve seen enough of Craig to believe I’m seeing a defensive mid in the making. I’m reminded a bit of the flashes we saw from Alex Song late last season when his potential really came to the fore. Much will depend on how Eastmond develops physically over the next couple years and we’ll have to see if he can get that bit of nastiness that Alex Song has acquired this year. But there’s no denying the ability to challenge on the ball, win headers and put a halt to an opposing attack from a central position.
Speed – Craig has the speed to get forward on occasion as a defensive mid or turn the right flank into a real nightmare zone for opposing backs. Excellent speed in recovery & closing and will not often lose a foot race to the outlet unless facing an attacker or winger with top class speed. Eastmond has excellent direct line speed in both the short burst/recovery and long sprint to close down a breaking winger when playing right back.
Mindset – Defensive minded, but joins the attack a bit more than the usual DM. Eastmond connects well with the back four when tracking back. Much like Alex Song or Abou Diaby, Eastmond looks to quickly turn a defensive stop into an outlet to an attacking teammate. As a right back, I would put him more in the category of Eboue than Sagna simply because of his offensive propensity.
On the ball – Good in possession if not challenged too tightly when coming forward. Not a long possession player currently, although that might be due more to the speed/skill difference between reserve and first team play and this can be developed more as time goes on. Has quite good vision of the pitch and seems already to possess the ability to see creative possibilities when passing.
Physical – Eastmond possesses a good bit of grit. He’s not the most imposing player on the pitch, but there’s no denying his ability and desire to get stuck in. He will need to put on some bulk and muscle though, regardless of his final position in the Arsenal first team.
Positioning – This is the one area where Craig needs work, especially as a DM. He still “follows play” sometimes more than anticipating. Again, at this point it could be more related to the speed/skill difference between reserve and first team play. In reviewing the Bolton match from January, I noticed a tendency to drift in front of the back four at times without involving himself in the run of play. Has to “go to the game” instead of letting the game come to him, so to speak.
Where does he go from here? – Much like our “just tell me where to line up” man, Emmanuel Eboue, Craig Eastmond has a range of skills that could see him slotted in at several positions. This is a great bonus for Craig and for Arsenal. Combining speed, intelligence and toughness with a thought or two to peek at the goal on occasion, there are any number of ways that he can benefit the first team side when the time comes. The Arsenal first team have offensive-minded defenders in the form of Thomas Vermaelen and Eboue. Craig Eastmond could well develop into the same type of player at right back, but I believe he’s more suited to the defensive midfielder role at the moment.
As with all reserve players looking to make the leap to first team action, Craig will need match minutes. Depending on whether or not one specific position is decided upon, I would not rule out a loan spell to gain minutes. Given a bit more development time, adding a bit of bulk and following the leadership of Arsene Wenger and the first teamers ahead of him, Craig Eastmond will soon find himself called upon regularly to provide needed depth in critical areas at the Emirates.
Article By SKA Gooner
Congrats with the column, SKA, my dear friend. A Stoly for you!
on: great article, very true. Well observed and well written, though that is nothing new.
Good feature/idea from J too.
Ive seen alot of Eastmond, but he has never flashed me as a pacy player, but on the rest, I agree.
DOubt he will play much RB for us, maybe in emergencies.
Great article. Thnaks. I’m looking for to this new series. I expect it will be a great addition to the site.
SKA,
Where do you place Eastmond right now in the pecking order at the d-mid spot. Do you place him third choice behind Song and Denilson or do you think Diaby would be slotted in there as a last gasp before choosing the youngster?
Looking forward to future Sunday articles!
We do have Colequin as a future first teamer so DM might be the most suited position. He tends to get caught in possession and also needs some awareness
a loan spell in the championship might beef him up
don’t mind the spelling
He’s got a long way to go before he reaches Championship level. I’d look to keep him with us until after the next pre-season, then try to find him a loan at a mid/lower-placed League One side. He’s still very one-dimensional and lacks confidence. Sending him into the Championship would be like throwing a cat into the sea to try to get it to like water.
I have to agree with that mate. I think if we weren’t in a title race he would have gone out on loan. Not becuase he’s going to be involved in the title run in, but Wenger wants the best possible bodies around, whereas I think he’d be more open if there wasn’t so much to play for.
Coquellin and Eastmond will both go into a championship side they have both proved their talent in FA and Carling cup.
Coquelin is being trained to be a right back.
I think Denilson is the one who needs loan time. I can’t see what Denilson brings to the team? Wacting him, he’s not good attacking and not good defending so why is Arsene still playing this boy? He’s just there blocking the development of very good local boys.
Totally agree, I actually think Wenger is slowly wisening up to the fact that Denilson, Almunia and Silvestre are a little bit off what an Arsenal player should be.
Well I hope he has realised that, with the right players in those positions ahead of them three we would be doing even better in the league.
Almunia and Denilson are underrated just like Diaby and Song were last year.
Almunia wont get any better but denilson surely will and he wont go out on loan or be sold.
It will be Craig Eastmond for the defensive midfielder role as cover for Song and Diaby and Denilson.
Right back would still be Eboue, Sagna and the up and coming Coquelin.
Jay thomas will join ramsey and fabregas as the play makers lot.
Henri lansbury, Jack Wilshere and Fran Merida will be the left and right attackers.
we have 3 midfield positions right now
DM – Song, Eastmond, Denilson
CM – JET, Diaby, Merida
AM – Fabregas,Ramsey, Wilshere
On the wings – Nasri, Arshavin , Wilshere, Walcott, Rosicky, Merida
As the strikers – Van Persie, Chamak, Bendtner, Vela, Eduardo
Merida will be off so no need to count him. He wants first team football on a plate for him but its not available at this stage and has no patience to wait, so off.
Well, well, why are some talking about Simpson not going to make it? He’s netted 12 goals already and has the physicality required to be successful in the EPL. One Bendtner scored 13 goals for Birmingham in the championship and ended up regular so why shouldn’t Arsene bring Jay Simpson back?
Simply because its not all about the goals. Bendtner is not a first teamer because he scored in championship. He took his chances in the actual first team in the Premier leauge. Simpson got his chaces but he did not took it.
Simpson needs to show what he can do in Arsenal to be a regular. I don’t think he has what it takes.
@Jom: And when did Simpson get his chance in the Premier League? Playing up front for West Brom doesn’t exactly sound like a good chance to get some goals, does it?
@ Tony
He got his chances in Carling cup. And as you mention West brom too. Imagine Bendtner in west brom… he would be able to spread the ball, hold the ball and do so much for the team.
Simpson will get more chances to prove himself in the first team and if he can’t hold the ball and spread the ball like rvp, bendtner and most likely Chamakh, he will be sold.
Simpson has better players in front off
Eduardo and Vela
what is the situation with Fran? any news
Nothing yet. I think it will be one of those that will go right down to the wire.
Personally I dont think eastmond has the stature or the power to be a top class DM. If you look at song and before him viera, they dominate the midfield, powerful in tackles and strong in possession. whereas eastmond for me is too lightweight, and loses the ball far too much. Coquelin is similiar in stature but is much more powerful in tackles, to me he is the better DM, he reminds me of nigel de jong, got the nastyness and dominates the centre of the park… switching them seems to me like it will stem both players development. I think Coquelin could be great, he just doesnt seem to be getting the right breaks, compared 2 eastmond
Song wasn’t a crowd favourite before this season and Eastmond has still got a lot to improve to get in the team.
Some good points, although as somebody has already pointed out, his move to DM was originally motivated by a lack of pace – This is quoted by Wenger at some point but don’t have it to hand.
He has done this with other players before i.e Toure move from midfield to CB due to a lack of stamina.
For me it’s how he develops physically, as he does look a little lightweight, but this is expected at his tender age.
He looks better as a holding midfielder IMO, because a fast left winger would tear him up.
from what ive heard eastmond has struggled in rb position but over the last year or so shocked many arsenal staff. so i think his future definetyl means he will be a dm.
coquelin i thought was going to be always a dm througbh and through i thought we had the next makelele his passing and technique are amazing. hes been moved to rb in a switch with eastmond but this could be just to imrpove his game or to see if he can cut the grade at rb. either way we will probably see both in dm or 1 in dm and 1 at right back.
Coquellin has dribbling, passing and tackling technique need all he needs to do is to improve upon is his positioning and his crossing.
I think there’s a interview of him telling exactly what is needed of him.
Good article! But I thought that pace was what Eastmond actually lacks (reason why he was moved from the right back?), and though he has composure and a very high work rate, basically, he is not as skillful as Song for example, imo.
I see Lansbury as our next DM in the first team (Denilson is not really a DM, just used there to help when Song can’t play. And Diaby isn’t actually a DM, but an Arsenal midfielder just has to be good at defending too – See how Fabregas has improved his defensive abilities). Now, Lansbury plays as attacking midfielder, but that’s in the championship. I suppose that in Arsenal, he wouldn’t be able to compete with the likes of Diaby, Nasri, Ramsey, Wilshere for an attacking midfielder spot (or even ‘defensive minded’ attacking midfielder – like Diaby), but he seems to have what is needed to be a skilled defensive mid for Arsenal and the next cover for Song: technique, tackling abilities, pace, work rate, tenacity/grit, composure, autority, (I read he was able to “boss the midfield”, even when playing with more experienced players), good shoot from distance (?) and a good size (6 feet at 19). If AW doesn’t really plan to use Lansbury there, then someone needs to help me with a possible reason why he instructed to mould Coquelin in the full back role. I just think that Coq can compete with Eastmond for a spot as DM. But if there is also some plan for Lansbury there (may be ahead of the other candidates?), then it seems understandable that Coquelin would have to fit somewhere else (to get a chance for the first team).
Hey guys…
Thanks for the feedback. :)
Yeah, I may have been a bit overly generous with my analysis of Eastmond’s speed. haha
As I mentioned in the article, and as several of you have noted, how he develops will determine how far he can go and in what position. I do think he’s got the potential, should the Arsenal staff develop him so, to be more of an Ebooue-type player who can slot in depending on formation and need. I didn’t really take the approach to compare him with other reserve players though, such as Lansbury or Coquelin. I wanted just to look at Craig Eastmond singularly and get a debate going on how he might develop into a first team player for the senior squad.
SKA Gooner a review of JET would be nice but I agree eastmond pace is what made wenger move him to RB he even said so in his interview.
A bit of versatility is always a good thing when trying to break into the first team. I’m convinced Coquelin is a much better DM than RB. But he’s bound to get more chances to prove his worth if he can play more than one position.
Coquelin is a young player who can be molded into anything wenger wants him to become in the future.
RB looks like a good position for him
Interesting column, more please!
Yours words that Craig have a bright future, while I thought he’s the first to be released, might be true because of the chance he got at Bolton where we were without Song, AFN, could easily deputise him Diaby or even Cesc and constant getting on the bench. Year long loan is almost certain for him next season imo.
Great to see so much young English players that can make it but, when I’m looking at Song I doubt Craig will get much playing time and Song is only 22 so he has all his career ahead of him and there’s not only one that situation, unfortunately.
Song could play further forward or might be needed to cover defence. We’ve started to play with 2 defence-minded midfielders behind cesc recently.
With the injuries we get, the more quality players we can get in any position, the better I think. Especially defensive-minded ones
I agree, I’ve really like what Ive seen of eastmond. I was hoping he could “do a Gibbs” this year. With the injuries we’ve been having and denilson’s recent loss of form, I had hoped he’d get more chances in the 1st team though.
Given that he’s pretty tall as well as being an intelligent footballer, what are the chances he could play CB in the future? He’d have to bulk up quite a bit to play there but as you say in the article, he’d have to do that whichever position he ends up playing realistically,
If Denilson can get games why not Craig? This is what I don’t understand about Arsene, he seems to be ever prepared to give chance after chance to foreign players who’re not performing but raises the bar for English/British players. Let’s look at players like Cygan, Stepanov, Luzny, Senderos, Aliadiere and now Almunia, Fabianski, Denilson, Sylvestre and even Eduardo.
Well what about walcott? He gets more chances than anyone. And others have shown more on the pitch with their fewer appearances.
I dont understand your idea of “giving people chances”. There’s a difference here between youngsters getting their chance at 1st team football and experienced signings designed to go straight into the 1st team. If you want to be like that, you could say the same about every single signing we’ve made. Why did henry “get his chance” ahead of jerome thomas? (I dont know who was in the reserves at the time).
Luzhny & cygan were bought to play 1st team. As were almunia, silvestre, eduardo and arguably denilson & fabianski as they werent really young enough to be considered youth signings. They went straight into the 1st team squad.
Cole got his chance in the past because he deserved it, gibbs is getting his now because he deserves it, and theo walcott gets more chances than anyone currently and really hasnt shown as much with his appearances as someone like carlos vela, merida or even mark randall (who’s always done well in the first team when Ive seen him) imo.
I dont think he favours foreigners at all. Really I think he just picks who he likes based on their football ability and mentality.
And Justin Hoyte?
Jermaine Pennant?
I don’t agree with this “foreign player” stance….
By the way, Denilson performs good when he is used as left midfielder… (yes, he is less at ease when he replaces Song, but don’t forget he is NOT a holding midfielder). I don’t know how he will develop and how long he will stay at Arsenal, because there will continuously be more concurrence in the coming seasons (Ramsey, Nasri improving defensively and – may be – new signings and younger players promoted from the reserve ). But definitely, I don’t think Wenger choose his players based on nationality. And that’s just why the ‘foreign players’ thing often comes out…
Davi
Now, tell me what Denilson brings to the team? He can’t defend, he’s too weak and get bullied, he fears to pass forward because he often misplace those passes thus resort to 4 yards passes backwards and sideways. He has no pace to track back. He lacks creativity moving forward. Yet Arsene brought him under special talent label and pays him so much for no added-value.
Denilson get paid 50+ to block the development of young players like Coquelin, Lansbury and Eastmond, all better technical players than the unbrazilian Brazilian. Denilson should not be here because he’s not Arsenal quality. His game will suit Italy and Spain where the league seems slower.
Denilsson is 21? Now think about what you just said about Denilsson. The guy is 21!!!!!!!!!!!! He is so so so so so special! Thats not what I think. Thats fact! And he broke into the team 2 years ago. When he was just 19. Eastmond, coquelin and Lansbury is surely not better. Have you ever watch Denilsson play? He do the right decision almost every time. He is a reason why fabregas can go forward so much.
I dont really need to defend denilson for my point to be valid. All I need to say is that wenger saw enough in him to sign him at 18 and put him into the 1st team squad. He wasnt bought to be a youth team player.
I disagree those players you mention are better technically than denilson. That’s an absurd thing to say. Have they played consistently in the PL? Denilson doesnt often get caught for lack of technique. He can dribble a bit and his passing is pretty good. He lets himself down usually through concentration lapses and gets caught in possession.
If you want to see what is good about denilson there’s a good youtube video of his goals and assists from recent seasons. He also reads play quite well and that’s why he got all those interceptions last season.
Recently he looks off. Personally I think he’s carrying an injury, I don think he lacks pace at all, but he hasnt even been trying to track back recently, and he did suddenly collapse with a back problem so… Even then in the last game he made a chance with a superb pass, so hes not useless. He was poor in the 1st half, decent in the 2nd.
I do agree that eastmond should be given a chance now because denilson is off-form. I mentioned that in another comment, but my original reply to you still stands.
any chances that arsenal recall nordtveit since he obviously doesn’t get any more games for nürnberg? he’s not even making the bench anymore. just wasting his time there. he might be another candidate for the dm role.
This kid has something!! I’ve only seen him around 5 times, but in my opinion he has something!! Actually he has a lot going for him. That Liverpool game in the Carling cup said it all. He actually played a bit more of a refined game than Song does. I know it was the Carling cup and it was against Liverpool’s reserves, but still, that performance still sticks in my mind. He was the calmest one out there, and when it comes down to a batlle of equal talent, composure often wins out. It can even take you further than talent alone. This is just my opinion, and I don’t know nearly as much as a lot of people out there.
is there a player who looks more composed than song?
Fabregas
good luck to Eastmond hope he progresses well
Song hasn’t played in any of the Games that Eastmond has so that rules out that argument. i said he might be a bit more refined than Sonjg. Not composed. You can’t really compare that trait because they are both extremely composed. I was just saying that when he plays he is one of the calmest players on the pitch. That can work against you, but not when you are as intelligent a player as Song or eastmond are.
ok, got you.
Alright :D
Wenger said after the Liverpool carling cup match that Eastmond’s intelligence is best served for DM plus he isnt extremely fast to play fullback. Let him develop at his own rate
his development has been amazing
out of this world
Playing in the fa youth cup last year to starting the EPL this year how many players have ever done that but he’s pretty skinny if he can bulk up and still keep his pace then he can really be a force
he needs to become more mean as well and try and play a bit more physical a lot like Rodwell.
i think SKA you should do an article of on JET
After seeing him play for Doncasters I am convinced he can make it at arsenal but not sure what position he will play for us so some help will very helpful
also wengers new formation why isn’t any body talking about it
4-1-4-1 this formation has made counterattacking against almost non existent and we are still creating 20-30 chances each game.
As for Eastmond being a first team player then he has a lot of competition – Frimpong, Norvedit, Denilson so lets see if he can make it but the reason why he will be a DM and not a RB is his reading of the game.
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Eastmond has shown he can cut it in the holding role, IMO, and shoudl definitely be Song’s competition next season.
he will go on loan next year same for Fimpong
I think Norvedit will come into the holding role next year
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he left two things -football intelligence and reading of the game-these things put Eastmond in front of Coequin
James
The one who should go on loan is Denilson. Thinking that Arsene wasn’t serious with players like Palacious, Diarra because of Denilson. Don’t think the Brazilian will get regular playing time in 2010/2011 season when players like Ramsey, Eastmond and Coq. will all be battling for his position.
Coquelin and Eastmond have play what 4-5 between them for Arsenal
Denilson has played more than a 100 game for us and he played the holding role in the Burnley game and did a good job.
He knows how to break up play, link between defense and attack and is probably one of the few in our team with a long shot capability.
All he has to do is improve upon his tackling and bulk up other than that he’s a pretty good player.
Eastmond, Coquelin and Frimpong will all go out on loan.
Maybe not Coquelin since he needs to learn how to play RB and our coaching staff is helping him out with that.
Norvedit if he makes it into the first team will be the player who will be competing with Denilson for the holding role.
Good assist for Wellington Silva yesterday, should have scored as well after a cracking one-two with Fred
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I would like to know what do people here think about the kind of words officially (on the officiel site) used by Arsène Wenger to qualify his young prospects or players. Could this give an idea of how he rates them – I mean how he really rate each of them?
For example, I just remember he said that Song will be a “great player ” for Arsenal a couple of years ago. Reading Arsenal.com, I’ve found out….
– on Eastmond: “interesting” and has “quality to play for Arsenal” (of course, he already got 3 appearances in the Prem and did well, a great achievement for somewone who was involved in the Youth Cup last season as it has been said already. Really, do you think that he will be loaned to a championship club after this, i. e. not in the Premier League?). AW also said: “Yes, he has played right back, We always felt that he is very intelligent in his reading of the game but he lacked a little bit of pace so we put him in midfield.”
– On Emmanuel-Thomas: nothing yet or I couldn’t notice
– On Coquelin: nothing yet or I couldn’t notice
– On Frimpong: nothing yet or I couldn’t notice (but he is the youngest one and is yet to make an appearance in the first team)
– On Lansbury: “He will be a big player”. Is expected to practise with the first-team in the next pre-season and be assessed.
On Watt (yes, he’s a striker, but a comparison could be interesting): “I like Sanchez Watt. “He’s very close to the first team and I believe he will really be a threat for the strikers.” There are also things expressions like “fantastic runs”, “aggressive striker” and “always finds resources”. The ice on the cake (?), there is a picture of Watt standing with Wenger on the page about Watts contract extension signing (how many young prospects are given that privilege?).
– Interstingly, I didn’t find any word from AW on G. Hoyte (on the officiel site, I mean)
Well, may be these are just words. But as a linguist, I sometimes can’t avoid paying attention to word choices (great – big – interesting – ?) in structured settings.
Lansbury, JET, Tech 9, Wilshere, Eastmond, Bartley will all be first team players in couple of years.
Watt, Sunnu, Gavin Hoyte, Randall, Jay SImpson, Nordvedit, will all have to prove it on their loan spells that are they good enough to be in the first team or not
Norvedit, Randall and Gavin have been very disappointing in their loan spell
Bothelo and Gilbert will be certainly be released next year
Merida if he signs a new contract will also be a first team player
Coquelin, Frimpong, Bazarite, cruise and Rhys Murphy will have to prove their worth in their loan spell.
Sunnu has only played 1-2 games for Derby but his manager was full of praises of him so maybe Sunnu might make it.
Watt I have a feeling will not make in England but will do great work at Italy or Spain
Hoyte was suppose to be the next world class RB but he has been very disappointing in League One and that’s probably why Coquelin is being converted into a RB
i have never seen norvedit but what i have heard he been a big let down this season and with the likes of song diaby delinson i cant see him getting past those players anyway,also i have coquelin he needs to beefup alot as does eastmond but both are far from any threat song or diaby for me, i suspect simpson randall gavin gilbert pedro norvedit will all be released
Coquelin looks like he will be a RB.
Simpson will probably be sold if he doesn’t make it into the first team next season although he’s doing pretty well in the championship but he’s not better than Vela.
Randall is suffering to get games at MK Dons so he has no chance at arsenal
Gilbert contract ends at the end of the season so forget about him, same goes for Pedro.
Norvedit was amazing at Lille Storm and he was playing regularly for Nurmnberg before their new coach arrived so I am not sure what’s going with him
I think even Rhys Murphy will eventually be released since he’s very injury prone
Just a few points:
Coquelin will not be a RB because he doesn’t have the pace that Arsenal full backs need.
Eastmond is not a good RB, but he is a good DM…. However i honestly don’t think he’ll make the position his own because for one Song is still very young and two……. Aneke
Coquelin has pace
he’s probably the fastest runner in the reserves.
i do believe he is the one we need at the moment, Eastmon is one of those players who will take the epl by the scuff of the neck……
Eastmond will make a good DM agreed, we’ve seen something about him already. The player who may not make it long term is Denilson because I don’t think he can survive the impending competition for 2nd option behind Song, Diaby and Cesc.
Denilson has had a poor season but a player who has played over a 100 games for us wont just fade away.
Wenger has trust in Denilson and I think all he really needs in some meanness and bulk up other than that he’s a good player.
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not to put a downer on this but i am a bit worried about eastmond.
alot of people seem to like him but he better hope wenger likes him enough to keep coquelin at right back because i still see coquelin as a better option in DM and i don’t know what matches you lot have been watching but eastmond isn’t the quickest, and compared to some of the up and coming midfielders like coquelin and j.e.t, he’s quiet slow.
i hope he makes it cos he seem to have a lot of grit about him and his play, so good luck to him..
but if i am telling the truth, i won’t put him ahead of coquelin in that position, even tho the boss does and it’s for the simple reason that arsenal play with a lot of flair players and for a DM to succeed with us you have to be a busy bee type like flamini or ray paylour or physical and defensively sane like song or gilberto and not an interceptor like denilson or eastmond.
GOOD LUCK to him tho cos he will need it.
I think the lack of physicality and the technical ability of coquelin made wenger slot him into the RB position
Eastmond is not the quickest but in the DM position you dont’ have to be. Eastmond is what 18-19 he will bulk up and he will definitely be one of those physical defensive midfielder type.
Voodoo Priest Vieira wasn’t the quickest either. It’s not all about speed. His technique is great. I haven’t seen too much of Coquelin so I can’t really judge him. Song isn’t the fastest, and neither is Yaya Toure for that matter. From what I have seen, there are 3 types of defensive midfielders in European football: 1. the busy bee type, like you said, Flamini, Makelele etc. 2. the all round type like Vieira, Toure, song. They can tackle, pass, dribble a bit and shoot when they have to, and 3 the languid laid back type, who can act as a deeper lying playmaker like Carrick and Pirlo. There might be a few more types that I have missed as well, so there are a few niches that Eastmond and Coquelin can mould themselves to find. Eastmond is more the 3rd type with a little of the second mixed in I think.
The main problem I see with Eastmond is that he gets over run by bigger, stronger opponents as he doesnt have the tenacity and the build of your song/viera types. I know he’s young but from what I’ve seen coquelin is a similar build but already has a lot more tenacity and stamps his authority on the midfield more, he also seems much stronger in tackles. When I first saw coquelin I thought he will be a top quality DM and heard a lot of good things said about him from people inside the club, and so hope his progression isnt being thwarted by his positional change. I do think frimpong will be the eventual successor to song.
Eastmond looks a good prospect, and will be a good player if he continues to improve, but i dont see him becoming a world class DM as I doubt he will stamp his auhority on the game, as mcuh as say Song has this season. (truly world class for me).
AS for Denilson, its a pity but I htink he’s stepped backwards recently and thats because he has worked dramatically on his defensive side of the game, that its stifled the natural attacking side of his game.. too often he looks sideways and backwards. when he first broke into the team, he showed a lot of neat touches going forward, and looked a mix of nasri and hleb, and slowly he’s curbed his attacking side so mcuh that he rarely passes forward these days.
Eastmond broke into the arsenal first team at the age of 19 and not just the carling cup and the FA cup but the EPL.
Eastmond wouldn’t have been able to do if he wasn’t a real talented player and I think its hard of an 18-19 year old to really command the game even Fabregas wasn’t able to do that
Coquelin doesn’t have the physical ability to command the DM position.
Denilson is progressing well I think he know how to attack and now he’s learning how to defend.
Eastmond looks a good prospect, and will be a good player if he continues to improve, but i dont see him becoming a world class DM as I doubt he will stamp his auhority on the game, as mcuh as say Song has this season. (truly world class for me).
AS for Denilson, its a pity but I htink he’s stepped backwards recently and thats because he has worked dramatically on his defensive side of the game, that its stifled the natural attacking side of his game.. too often he looks sideways and backwards. when he first broke into the team, he showed a lot of neat touches going forward, and looked a mix of nasri and hleb, and slowly he’s curbed his attacking side so mcuh that he rarely passes forward these days. Thank you very nice article. Thank you for sharing :)
Eastmond broke into the arsenal first team at the age of 19 and not just the carling cup and the FA cup but the EPL.
Eastmond wouldn’t have been able to do if he wasn’t a real talented player and I think its hard of an 18-19 year old to really command the game even Fabregas wasn’t able to do that
Coquelin doesn’t have the physical ability to command the DM position.
Denilson is progressing well I think he know how to attack and now he’s learning how to defend. Thank you for sharing :)