Arsenal wrapped up their final home game of 2010 with a 2-1 win over Wolves in the Premier Reserve League. In a fixture which saw Aaron Ramsey make his long awaited come back from a broken leg, goals from Roarie Deacon and Gilles Sunu secured the three points.
Neil Banfield may have lost Henri Lansbury after he joined Norwich City yesterday, but the second string boss had a notable replacement. Aaron Ramsey was judged fit enough to start in central midfield, and he was joined by fellow first-teamer Manuel Almunia, also making his return from injury.
Almunia
Nordtveit – Hajrovic – Miquel – Boateng
Eastmond – Ramsey
Deacon – Aneke – Sunu
Emmanuel-Thomas
Subs: Shea (GK), Angha, Özyakup, Yennaris, Henderson.
Arsenal snapped out of the traps at London Colney but nobody seemed to tell Aaron Ramsey it was just a Reserve game. With just seconds on the clock, his first action was to close down John Gorman and steal the ball from the Wolves midfielder and begin an Arsenal attack. Promising signs.
The positive start was misleading, though. Wolves worked the first real opening, cutting a gap between Hajrovic and Miquel big enough for Sam Winnall to run clear. Manuel Almunia came rushing from his goalut needed a well timed sliding clearance to snuff out the danger.
Ramsey was beginning to settle and was involved in two quick fire chances. First, the Welshman lashed an effort at McCarey in the Wolves goal, then he gave possession away to Mujangi Bia who forced Almunia into another smart save.
Arsenal stepped up their play just before half time and should have had the lead. Ramsey was involved in two great chances; starting moves which led to Aneke heading over from six yards then Sunu flicking wide with the goal at his mercy.
The half time whistle brought an end to a solid opening period and to Aaron’s return. He was replaced by Oğuzhan Özyakup at the break having shown some super touches but tired towards the end. Almunia was also pulled off with James Shea replacing him.
With the first-team players gone, the attention firmly switched to getting the three points. It took less than 10 minutes to make substantial inroads to that goal. Eastmond’s probing run into the box resulted in a powerful shot; McCarey parried and Deacon slammed in the re-bound. 1-0.
Conor Henderson came on for Aneke minutes later and was instantly involved. The Irishman’s whipped cross picked out Sunu in the box; the Frenchman applied a classy finish and it was 2-0.
The game then became all about securing the victory, but after pressing forward for the third, Wolves broke. Winnall was found unmarked in the box. A powerful header later and it was 2-1.
Wolves pressed hard for the equaliser late on. Shea was forced to make two great saves, the second of which a delightful block with his legs from Cassidy. Substitute Zeli Ismail then had the ball in the net, but only after fouling Miquel.
The visitors continued to press, but Banfield’s boys showed good character to secure the three points. 2-1, and a great day all round.
Is there any specific reason for Aneke’s early substitution?
Great to see Aaron back!
on a side note, i went out on saturday and bumped in J.E.T. I was quite annoyed with his attutude. He was totally plastered and walking around the club bear chested like a hooligan. I hope he does’nt end up wasting his enourmous talent!
Just because he’s enjoying himself on a night out. You was at the place so does that mean your wasting any talent you have. Bet you never been plastered on a night have you because you’re a flipping angel.
Doesn’t surprise me – no discipline in this country anymore.
Welcome back Aaron!
Let’s hope he cut out the night-life, and focus on being the best soccer player he can be, too many of these young payers let the money get to them.
I also wish he’d cut loose a few of his friends he was hanging with
Doesn’t surprise me about JET
He is a bit of a tool. He has all the talent but AW isn’t playing him because he is going down the road of a waster.
Boozing, smashin cars up etc.
AW has said he is pure class, yet the message from one of the most respected coaches in world football is just not getting through.
Thats probably why he didnt have a good game.
By the comments it looked like jay thomas didnt do his dribbles hes used to doing.
Maybe he was up againt a more experienced defence?
Experienced defence? No. All of our players were under 20 exept Zubar on the right back who – together with Mujangi Bia on the wing – is the only one from our first squad. The rest are development team players and a couple from our under 18’s. It sounds like they did well!
Sad to hear about JET’s attitude. I really have high hopes for him waould be really sad to see him throw away his potential.
What club did he go to?
so far the story about ramsey is promising
SOOOOOOO glad to see aaron back.
hes a fantastic player and im soo happy hes recvered well.
meanwhile, heres a video of ryo miyaichi for those of you who have been asking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_oxAzRm9X0
Gilles Sunu and Roanie Beacon can make it if they work hard, Arsenal is in need of some quality wide players and that would also include Sanchez Watt.
J and others,
Gilles Sunu is one of my favorite youth players watched him lot when ATVO had live games.
What is your overall opinion on him making it AFC hearing/reading rumors he’s leaving in January hopefully only on loan.
Might get some stick here but I feel Gilles could give AA/TR a run for there place next season or now!
Last thing we need Kyle Bartley back in January? Peace
I know very little about his private life other than a sketchy tabloid news story about a car incident (was he even charged with anything?).
What I do know is that he captained the Youth Cup winning team 18 months ago, so he can’t be that much of a bad egg.
I think you’ve got to give these boys a bit of room sometimes. Their mates are probably nagging them to go out every week, and it’s inevitable that they’re going to make mistakes along the way.
I can not wait until Ramsey is back ready for the first team.
I can just imagine….
……………Song—–Ramsey
Wilshere—–Fabregas—–Nasri
————RVP
The list of plyers who have won youth titles and had an fall career is about a hundred miles long. So that means nothing.
What does mean a lot to know that a player who supposedly is hungry to play for the first team is boozing it up instead of resting and staying prepared for his chance. I mean, for all he knows Bendtner and Walcott come back from Portugal crocked tomorrow and he is in line for a spot in the playing squad on Saturday. And instead of being a lean mean ready machine he has not recovered as well as he should and he blows his chance.
Besides which the habit of drinking alcohol is a career killer or shortener in the long run. Especially for a guy with his body type. He needs to drop that bad habit real quick. At the salary these guys get, its not a big deal to just leave the alcohol alone – you will leave the game at 36 or 37 stinking rich and able to buy all the alcohol you want. Or you can drink it all now and never make it real big. Only a fool would chose this short term path.
Sam, I think we’ve all seen dozens of players who we were certain would make it but seemed to fall away. I’m sure many of them fell of the radar because of factors that couldn’t be controlled by anyone but themselves.
Anyway, my main point was that JET was chosen as captain before, which suggests that he has a team ethic and sense of responsibility etc.
The other is that you have to respect a 19 year-old’s right to a private life. It helps nothing to speculate and pass judgement about someone so young. It’s also very naive to assume that no successful players have ever got drunk.
Either way, I’ll take my advice, and get back to the Arsenal match!
Great news about Ramsey. I have to wonder though if he’ll ever get back to his best after such a bad injury. Just look at what happened to Eduardo, still a good player but……
You did not read anywhere in my post that no player has ever got drunk, so not sure why you chose to lie about my post.
But this specific player is on the verge of a breakthrough and it has been publicised that what is missing now is his fitness ie to get him to the level where he can compete at premiership physcal demands for 90 mins.
In this light, for him to be going out and getting plastered is flat out irresponsible. Sorry but those are the facts. See Jermaine Pennant and David Bentley for a list of promising young players who didnt seem to understand that as a professional football player, a pint is NOT your friend, let alone 5 or 10 pints.
Wonder if it’s a tad too soon to hope that Ramsey may be involved in the Carling Cup squad next week?
Of course you did Philip. I was out last night and bumped into Cesc down the local as well.
u pleb
just because you drink doesn’t mean you will fail. Clearly JET has been one of the best in the reserves so far and the reason he haven’t got more chances is because there are other players who is ready. How many young players have got the chance this season? Think about it. Every time a first teamer comes back he will be ahead of any youngsters, even if he’s not fully fit.
Arsene wenger is watching all the players every day in training not only reserve matches. I can’t understand why some of the commentators here are so fast to judge a player after seeing him clubbing once.
should he stay at home and do nothing? They are under huge pressure every day to perform and its good to do something else to relax.
I see – so now we have someone putting up an imaginary strawman dual choice between being piss drunk and half naked in a club and “staying at home to do nothing”.
That mentalitty is preceisly why English players will never come to anything. Too much money in a culture that is incapable of processing any type of moderation when it comes to alcohol.