Steve Bould has made one change to the XI which defeated Manchester United, with Oguzhan Ozyakup replacing Roarie Deaon for this afternoon’s Premier Academy League Final against Nottingham Forest. However, there are two surprise inclusions on the bench, with Kyle Bartley and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas replacing Martin Angha and Jamie Edge in the squad.
Shea
Yennaris – Boateng – Miquel – Evina (c)
Ozyakup – Frimpong – Henderson
Aneke – Afobe – Freeman
Subs: McDermott, Bartley, Meade, Deacon, Emmanuel-Thomas.
Kick off is at 2pm at the Emirates Stadium. You can follow live text updates on our Twitter feed if you’re at work and have no access to the fixture. A full Match Report will follow on the full time whistle.
Even though it would be a little harsh on Boateng, i would have liked if Kyle started in place of him today.
Off topic but LUCKY MUTHERFUCKERS!!!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1277098/Hot-Spurs-Tottenham-dodge-Euro-heavyweights-seeding-Champions-League-qualifying-round.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
damn forest scored
1-0
we need to step up
how the hell is ashley young not in the england squad
How is Heskey in ahead of Bobby Zamora! Ridiculous.
Forest are playing on the break, scored a great goal on the counter and hit the post before that, arsenal having most of the possession but haven’t really created anything yet. 15 mins played.
it doesnt look like we are up for it today I am going to watch Gazidis press conference and check back in.
WE are having a very average game
Apart from the first 5 shaky mins, we have dominated. Two Benik Afobe goals have us firmly in control of this game. Our best players so far have been Miquel, Evina, Ozzy and Aneke (who’s man of the match so far). Arsenal have had 15 attempts on goal in the first half alone. Forest have had 5.
Stuart Robson was on the money on the stroke of half time when he said Aneke just lacks a bit of dynamism. I’m telling you, if everything goes well with this kids development. He will be one of the best midfielders around.
I have to agree with you on Aneke.
He’s such a young player 16-17 but he’s very tall for his age, his ball control always reminds me of Diaby’s ball control, he knows how to pick a pass and can shoot aswell and he can put a good tackle in aswell
I really cant think of a single reason why he wont make it at Arsenal or any club for that matter
I think he has the potential to become a superstar and do what wilshere did
1st half. Afobe has 2 goals but he should/could have 4. He’s missed chances and were it not for the commitment of Luke Freeman, he probably wouldn’t have scored the 1st after missing an easy chance.
Freeman has been strong and Aneke has been very good.
Afobe’s finish on the 2nd was quite good, btw. Excellent thru ball from Aneke.
Frimpong…the boy really does get stuck in doesn’t he…. He can put in some crunching tackles. Love it!
Sorry lads whats the score 2-1 to Arsenal? thanks for updates
2 – 2 now, another goal on the counter for Forest.
Lukes is playing really well. Wish Aneke would look for him as much as he does Afobe.
it depends on who makes the run behind the defense and Freeman is playing a lot more deeper than Afobe so that’s why he’s finding Afobe a lot more
Why isn’t there any hype behind Miquel and Freeman? Both look just as promising as the likes of Afobe, Aneke etc
I have always said that Miquel is the most talented defender to come out of arsenal for atleast a decade.
Freeman is the youngest player ever to feature for FA cup and has a lot of hype around him and personally he’s a better prospect for me than Afobe
2 – 2 is harsh!!!!
Mistake there from young Miquel. But I don’t begrudge him that because he was doing what good center backs do…picking the opportune moment and driving the ball forward. He just lost his touch and gave the ball away but his instinct was correct. As his technical ability matches that instinct, he will continue to develop into a top defender.
A previous run forward by Miquel led to a chance created by Freeman’s hard work.
Afobe Hat trick!
3-2 Arsenal.
Miquel used the correct instincts to drive forward, but gave the ball away and Forrest countered and scored (the kid Mullen beat Frimpong to the line and crossed to Eliot again, much like he did in beating Boateng for their 1st).
Then Ozy did some good work in fingding Afobe in the box. He was brought down and then easily converted from the spot. We are the better side but Forrest are still dangerous. Our pressing of the ball is winning the day.
Grerat strike from Freeman after yet another great pass from Aneke.
We should bring on JET and Bartley to kill them off :P
Don’t need to! Freeman, Afobe and Aneke fighting over who was going to take the penalty.
wait…. maybe we do! 4 – 3
Strong run from Afobe sees him recklessly taken down in the box. Luke converts well from the spot. 4-2 Arsenal. Thinks we are very likely to retain the title now.
HaHa…amazing! Arsenal have gone immediately to sleep and Forrest came back straight away and scored 4-3. Kids…!!!!
How far away from full time?
Beautiful free kick from Ozy finds Miquel at the back post. His lovely header is well saved by the keeperr, then a defender clears off the line. That was close.
Freeman look like real deal
these are still kids so him impressing against these kids doesnt really prove anything. I want to see how Freeman And Afobe do in their loan spells in championship or league one side. If they impress their like Szschesny, Bartley, Wilshere, Lansbury, Jet did this year then we can take about them having a future at arsenal.
It will interesting to see who makes it at Arsenal I hope its both but I would go for Freemnan If I had my pick
Forrest cut thru Arsenal’s defense again. Though clean thru, Eliot somehow contrives to miss. Arsenal’s defense is a bit of a mess today. Boateng and Frimpong are not impressive in their defense today. I’m a huge fan of Iggy, but he must take some responsibility for the holes in defense as well.
they are not keeping the line right.
they are trying to play the offside trap but forest striker keeps making run behind the defense and has done pretty good
Fullbacks have been disappointing today along with Boateng and Miquel has been all that impressive either
shit, it’s a real shame we don’t have a stream besides ATv this game is great (supposedly :D)
freeman again good tap in
goal was set up by afobe
Great game, what a performance by Afobe, 3 goals 2 assists.
5 – 3
Long thru ball finds Afobe who lays on a sitter for Luke. 5-3 Arsenal! They might as well be playing this mathc without defenders. Kids…!!!
Fabianski could learn a few things from James Shea about how to come and claim a high cross!
that’s stupid
Yeah, it’s stupid cause we all know Fabianski is too old to learn how to be an average goalkeeper :)
no there’s a huge fu@king difference between playing for youth team and PL
I rate Fabianski as a great keeper but I dont think he can take the roughness of PL.
Szschesny love the battle and roughness and that’s why he’s destined for success at arsenal and PL.
They are both excellent shot stoppers.
I think Afobe will get the man of the match award for his hat trick but I think Aneke deserves it more.
I think we gave them too much space in midfield today
that 93 minute from aneke deserved a goal
omg what a piece of skills by Aneke to put the ball over the nott player head
Brilliant play from Aneke in the last minute but the shots weak. And that’s it! Arsenal are 5-3 winners and Champions again in the Academy League.
Standouts were Luke Freeman and Chucks Aneke. Afobe, Miquel, and Ozyuakup also played quite well.
Freeman, Evina, Shea, Henderson, and Frimpong will move on next season, but Afobe, Aneke, and probably even Ozyakup are probably far too good to play at this level again next season, so the team may look very different again next season.
I think Freeman, Afobe, Aneke, Ozyakup, Miquel, Freeman, Shea are too good for the youth level. I want to see them all on loan next season along with Bartley, JET, Lansbury, Wilshere, Sunu, Watt, Szschesny, barazite, Randall, Eastmond, Coquelin
We have all forgotten about Murphy anyone think that he has a chance of making it?
Afobe, Aneke and i think Miquel too, will all be in the under 18’s next season as they still have another year to go. The rest of them will be too old next season so will be in the reserves or may have the odd loan spell.
Afobe had two goals at half-time. In the second period, he was wrestled to the ground to win a pen and duely despatched. Then he was scythed down to win another pen after showing great pace down the left flank and driving into the area, which Freeman despatched. Afobe then got in on the left again and put one on a plate for Freeman, who got his second of the afternoon. Afobe’s pace and movement supported by Freeman’s pace, energy and movement was too much for Forest to handle in the end.
I love Freeman. He’s such a live-wire. He fights for everything. Never stops running and actually wins balls he isn’t favourite to win. He is just like Rooney but weaker and with less class.
Aneke is so composed and has the best first touch i think i’ve ever seen on a 16 year old footballer (you can see why AW said what he said about him about a year or so ago). He’s also a good dribbler and has the strength and running power to drive past his opponents, added to his ability to smash them in from distance, great aerial prowess and phenomenal vision and passing range and accuracy. This kid is too good to be true right now. Obviously he needs to improve on many things still but i’m very excited about him.
If these lads here were better defensively, we would have retained the youth cup, no doubt about it.
One last thing i’d say about this group is that when we started this season, Arsenal beat Everton 6-1 at Goodison Park, largely down to the new philosophy of pressing a team high up the pitch in our new 4-3-3 formation. Everton just couldn’t play against us that day and the same goes for everyone else we came up against at the beginning of the season. Even when we were very unlucky (not to mention, naive) losing against Man City and Man Utd, i said if we keep pressing teams like that and everyone out there keeps working for eachother, we have a great chance of tasting some success this season. Well that stopped somewhere around or after Christmas for the first team and we went back to our old ways, hence we died off in the end but this group of under 18’s have kept that pressure game going for the whole entire season and even today, they did a fantastic job of it again, so well done lads. That’s passion. That’s lovely and if the first team did that the whole season long, then they may have something to celebrate like you boys do right now.
totally agree about Aneke, he is definitely special. he looks like he is not focused sometimes, but technically he is just different class. very exciting talent indeed
Chuks has been playing with Benik for 9 yrs and Freeman for 2, so he gonna look for Afobe as hes got more idea of his movement and runs- no favouritism just understanding. he looks an outstanding prospect and shoo-in for CCup in September