Author: Staff Writer

Arsenal have been warned off any attempts to try and take DC United midfielder Andy Najar on trial. President Kevin Payne has threatened legal action against the Gunners if any officials make contact without his say so.

Najar was poised to arrive in North London for a three week training period, according to the players personal coach in his home land of Honduras. He told the local media a deal was in place, but when quizzed by Steven Goff of the Washington Post, United’s Present Payne reacted furiously to the news;

“They can talk to him if they would like to get sued. But I don’t think it will come to that. We have no intention to have Andy Najar come to Arsenal for a trial. He’s under contract and if anybody tries to talk to him, we are prepared to file a lawsuit. This is America. It’s American contract law that applies here. Local law prevails.”

Payne has been ridiculed among DCU fans for his public relations attitude but will no doubt have won favour with his defensive stance on the potential trial. Najar is regarded as one of the most promising players in the MLS and has been the shining light in a woeful season.

Andy has a personal coach in his native Honduras with whom he meets on a regular basis. Ismael Reyes has been a close advisor to the player and he announced the trial had been agreed with him in an interview with Diez.hn. The saga looks set to rumble on.

Neil Banfield returned to the Reserve team helm last night to guide an Arsenal XI to a notable 2-1 win over Dagenham and Redbridge. Roarie Deacon’s 84th minute strike proved decisive after Romain Vincelot had cancelled out Sanchez Watt’s opener.

Banfield had only been back in the country for a matter of hours after taking in pre-season training with the first-team, and another staff member from Austria, goalkeeping coach Tony Roberts, lined up in the Dagenham goal. Banfield made four changes on his return, bringing the more experienced Jay Simpson and Nacer Barazite while Ignasi Miquel and Cedric Evina also started in front of swarms of watching scouts.

Shea
Boateng – Hoyte – Miquel – Evina
Ozyakup – Randall – Barazite
Murphy – Simpson – Watt

Arsenal’s Reserve pre-season has been mixed under the tutelage of Liam Brady, but with Banfield at the helm, the Gunners had menace and rose to the challenge against the newly promoted League One side. The opening goal came after just 19 minutes when Simpson burst inside and slipped Sanchez Watt away through the middle, he raced clear of the back-line, rounded Roberts and scored. 1-0, It was a perfect start.

Miquel was the captain for the night and he was on hand to stab Mark Arber’s re-bound off the line after a sloppy punch from James Shea. It was a warning. Danny Green was next to have Shea scrambling as he worked a yard of space and just slid his low effort wide of the post. Murphy could have made it 2-0, but Arsenal went down the tunnel in front at the break.

The second half was just four minutes old when The Daggers grabbed themselves a surprise equaliser. Vincelot beat Hoyte in the air to head home Damien McCrory’s cross after a good move started by former Gunner Abu Ogogo. The fixture began to get stale as the half wore on, so in search of the winner, Banfield made two positive changes. Afobe and Deacon were introduced in what would prove to be an inspired double switch.

Afobe first stung the palms of Roberts before he was finally beaten. Deacon exploded inside and from all of 20 yards, he snapped a left footed effort which gently rolled into the corner. Shea was on hand to save from goal hero Vincelot in the final moments, but the win was Arsenal’s.

Arsenal fly back from their Austrian base today following nine days of intensive training ahead of the new season. The camp is traditionally where Arsène Wenger begins to mould his first-team squad, and as usual he took a selection of the club’s most promising youngsters.

Wenger will now make plans ahead of the Emirates Cup, but what does the future hold for those who were handed chances to become first-team players? Jack Wilshere, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Havard Nordtveit, Henri Lansbury, Emmanuel Frimpong, Craig Eastmond and Conor Henderson are all awaiting their fate, but who are the real winners from Austria 2010 and positives can they take from their experiences?

The Positive

Jack Wilshere is the big name youngster of the bunch and he is all but certain to begin the season in Wenger’s first-team. He shone against Barnet and was one of the few players who stood out in all of Arsenal’s games in Austria. He appears to be taller, stronger and full of energy.

Elsewhere, Havard Nordtveit and Emmanuel Frimpong are the other big winners. The duo featured prominently and although they both had one poor game each, star performances against Sturm Graz (Nordtveit) and SC Neusiedl 1919 (Frimpong) left the feeling that they’re genuinely ready to compete. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was typically mixed, as he looked hugely impressive from the bench against Graz but wasn’t really at the races against Neusiedl. That said, he did score against the latter, leaving a firm impression he could be a useful forward option.

The Negative

It’s certainly cut throat being with the first-team. The training is harder and it’s made even more difficult for those with young legs. Conor Henderson and Craig Eastmond were both left exhausted and carrying knocks after their first experience of Austria. Henderson didn’t feature at all while Eastmond played second fiddle as Frimpong looked to have jumped the queue in the race to be Alexandre Song’s back up.

Henri Lansbury’s chances to impress and take a first-team role in the absence of Aaron Ramsey were dealt a blow as he too bowed out early with an injury. It leaves pretty much everybody in this category looking at loan football instead of a place in the squad. Lansbury could still turn it around if he can shake off his injury before the Emirates Cup.

So overall it proved to be another great work out. Wilshere, Nordtveit and Frimpong are the clear winners with impressive performances in areas that most fans agree need strengthening. Lansbury and Emmanuel-Thomas still need to do a bit more to press their cause while Henderson and Eastmond look destined for the loan market.

Arsène Wenger has allowed three of Arsenal’s Reserve team midfielders to return home early from the first-team training camp in Austria. The trio are all nursing injuries.

Henri Lansbury, Craig Eastmond and Conor Henderson are all carrying minor knocks while Armand Traoré has also flown back as he’s surplus to requirements. Lansbury and Eastmond both sustained injuries after Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Sturm Graz and they’ve struggled to train since. Henderson was the surprise inclusion in the travelling party, and he’s been nursing a problem first picked up during the opening pre-season game at Barnet.

Lansbury is being head hunted by Championship and a scattering of Premier League club’s for a potential loan spell, although Henri remains hopeful the little action he’s had so far can convince Wenger he’s worthy of a first-team place.

Eastmond and Henderson are both poised for loan spells later on in the campaign.

With thanks to SuperMac in Austria.

Arsenal and Sheffield United have been left frustrated with the news that Kyle Bartley has actually broken his collar bone, not just cracked it as was first feared. It leaves the centre back with an uncertain immediate future.

Bartley made 12 appearances on loan in the Championship with Sheffield United last season, and a deal was in place for him to return to Yorkshire for the full campaign after completing pre-season with Arsenal. However, during the holidays he suffered an injury to his collar bone, which was first believed to only be a crack, but is now confirmed as a break.

Kyle was hoping to win a first-team place during pre-season and instead be a part of Arsène Wenger’s plans for the new season, something The Blades were content with. However, the injury saw Ignasi Miquel jump the queue, even featuring against Barnet in pre-season. It leaves Kevin Blackwell short of re-inforcements, with the former Leeds boss already turning to former Gunner Kerrea Gilbert.

Bartley is expected to return to training in two to three months.

Arsenal’s Under 18’s were beaten 2-1 by London rivals West Ham United this afternoon, in the final of the Southend United FC Youth Cup.

Although Steve Bould’s boys took the lead through Callum Webb, the Hammers equalised after the Gunners failed to clear a corner and Daniel Subuola slammed home. An own goal from Steven Smith completed the come back and gave West Ham the trophy.

After an impressive 3-1 win over FC Twente yesterday, Arsenal came into the game in fine form. West Ham needed penalties to edge past hosts Southend United, making Bould’s Premier Academy League winners firm favourites. Jeffery Monakana should have made it a perfect start but he drilled over from 10 yards in an exciting opening to the exchanges.

The excellent Bihmountine then layed in fellow midfielder Webb to give Arsenal the lead in the first half. James Campbell should have doubled the advantage from Monakana’s cross, but he didn’t, and the Gunners were made to pay. Poor defending from a corner allowed Subuola to flick at Reice Charles-Cook, he scrambled and Subuola smashed in the re-bound. 1-1.

Both sides made changes in the second half, but West Ham’s were more effective. England youngsters Rob Hall and Blair Turgott combined well, with powerful front-man Turgott causing uncertainty in the back four. Under pressure after Hall’s cross, Arsenal’s Irish defender Steven Smith bundled into his own net. Philip Roberts could have levelled, but the own goal killed the game. The trophy was West Ham’s.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas earned plenty of admirers during Arsenal’s 3-0 win over SK Sturm Graz. The versatile youngster came off the bench at half time in Austria and turned in an exciting and all action performance.

Emmanuel-Thomas spent time on loan with Blackpool and Doncaster Rovers last season and is being head hunted for a third loan spell by a selection of Championship clubs. Jay has been impressing in recent training sessions, he even scored in a training game yesterday, as his side ran out 2-0 winners against a team made up of the likes of Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri.

Check out the highlights of his performance against Graz below.

Click Here To Watch

Arsenal’s Under 18’s are through to the Southend United FC Youth Cup Final after beating Dutch side FC Twente 3-1. The Gunners face West Ham United in tomorrow’s show piece after they beat hosts Southend on penalties.

Steve Bould named a young side which included a raft of new scholars and a debut for new signing Kyle Ebecilio. Goalkeeper Sean McDermott was the only professional in the side.

McDermott
Glasgow – Edge – Monteiro – Brislen-Hall
Rees – Webb – Ebecilio
Monakana – Ansah – Bihmoutine

Arsenal began under pressure but settled well as the half wore on. The Gunners eventually got their passing game together and after turning up the heat, Samir Bihmoutine thumped home a header off the cross bar. Ebecilio was incredible in the middle of the park and he layed on the second. A delightful inch perfect through ball found Ansah in the box, he finished clinically to double the advantage.

The second half was just as eventful. Some awful defending allowed Twente the chance to half the deficit from the spot, and they did. A poor penalty to give away and it set up a nervous finish to the game. A raft of substitutions came on but it was the club’s summer acquisitions who combined to seal a place in the final. Ebecilio’s 40 yard pass found Philip Roberts, he stormed away from the defender but was fouled in the box for an obvious spot kick. Bihmoutine stepped up and converted from 12 yards for 3-1.

Elsewhere, an Arsenal XI coached by Liam Brady was thrashed 4-1 by Welling United. Brady rotated and gave starts to many of this seasons Under 18’s including Martin Angha and Jernade Meade. Gavin Hoyte did manage a 16th minute strike, but Arsenal were crushed by the non-league outfit.

Pedro Botelho has joined Spanish Segunda outfit FC Cartagena on loan for the 2010-2011 season. The Brazilian now begins his third straight campaign away from the club after an application for a work permit was denied.

Botelho has cut short his holiday in South America and will spend the weekend in Murcia undertaking a medical. He will then be presented to the media and fans at the club’s Cartagonova stadium at lunch time on Monday. Pedro joins former Arsenal defender Pascal Cygan at the club, which was only formed in 1995. First-team goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is among the notable names to have played for Cartagena, who finished 5th in the league last season.

Arsenal had attempted to win a work permit for the 20-year-old, who is still short of the criteria needed for Spanish citizenship. However, he now begins the third loan of his short career, following spells with UD Salamanca and Celta Vigo. Pedro told the media during his presentation at Celta that it would be his last year away from the club.

You can follow Botelho’s progress throughout the summer right here on Young Guns.