Author: Staff Writer

Welcome to this weekends Loanees Watch – Young Guns’ analysis, reports and updates on the progress of the young starlets currently plying their trade away from the Emirates Stadium. You can read all the latest reports below.

In the Premier League – Jack Wilshere was an unused substitute for Bolton Wanderers as they lost 3-0 to Blackburn Rovers. Jack did go and warm up but Manchester City’s Vladmir Weiss was preferred by Owen Coyle.

In the Championship – Jay Simpson played the full game and scored the winner as struggling Queens Park Rangers beat Doncaster Rovers at home. Simpson finished well in the 76th minute after chesting the ball inside the box and finishing across the goalkeeper with a typical strikers finish.

Gilles Sunu featured for the final 65 minutes for Derby County on his debut in a 1-0 defeat to Swansea. The French striker replaced the injured Kris Commons but failed to create anything operating just off Rob Hulse. Gilles was part of a one man wall which failed to block the free kick which Shefki Kuqi grabbed the winner from. Sunu was one of the few Derby players not involved in a late scuffle following a challenge on Robbie Savage.

Henri Lansbury played the complete game for Watford on his return to former loan club Scunthorpe United. In a fierce-some and dogged game, which finished 2-2, Henri had one of his quieter games. Man United loanee Tom Cleverly was sent off for a two-footed tackle on Michael O’Connor.

In League One – Sanchez Watt turned out for 82 minutes for Southend United in their defeat to MK Dons. Sanchez lined up on the left wing but struggled to get involved in a hard fought game.

` Rhys Murphy missed out again through injury.

Elsewhere – Pedro Botelho played the full 90 minutes for Celta Vigo as they beat Cordoba 1-0. Again started on the left of a five man midfield, Pedro continued his good run in the team.

Håvard Nordtveit did not make the Nuremberg squad who lost to Bayern Munich. Kerrea Gilbert’s Peterborough did not face Kyle Bartley’s Sheffield United as the fixture was called off due to bad weather. In League One, Mark Randall and Gavin Hoyte were unused substitute for both MK Dons and Brighton respectively.

Arsenal’s Under 18’s edged a tight encounter with their Fulham counterparts this morning at London Colney. A brace from Chuks Aneke combined with a Roarie Deacon strike gave the Gunners a 3-2 win.

Elsewhere, Steve Gatting’s impressive Under 16’s continued their shaky form by slipping to defeat against the Cottagers. Swiss centre-back Elton Monteiro made his first start at this level after completing his switch from FC Sion.

More to follow.

Francis Coquelin could be a future first-team right back for Arsenal, if he impresses during a three-month Reserve team apprenticeship in the position. The Frenchman has been moved from his preferred and now congested holding midfield role in the hope that his combative qualities can be transformed into a new area of the park.

The 18-year-old has now traded places with Craig Eastmond in their bid to both make the grade with the Gunners. Just 12 months ago Craig was the first-choice full-back and Francis the powerful central midfielder in the successful Under 18 ‘double’ winning side. Yet they now will learn different positions as Arsène Wenger looks to blend their qualities into the first-team.

Coquelin made his Carling Cup and FA Cup debuts in the right back slot and now a run honing the trade under Neil Banfield’s guidance will see whether Francis can really make the position his own and fight Bacary Sagna and Emmanuel Eboue for the right to start. His performances will have ramifications as to whether Kerrea Gilbert and Gavin Hoyte remain in North London.

Speaking to Arsenal TV Online earlier in the week, Coquelin confirmed his intention to learn the role and hopefully kick on and add to his small selection of appearances;

“It’s good to be versatile. I can play right back, I can also play in midfield. They have given me a chance at right-back, they think I can play here. So I’m learning it and I hope it will pay off”

The firm intention remains for Francis to learn during the final months of the Reserves League South campaign, with a possible loan next term the aim as Wenger looks to add the unlikely transformation of this once promising midfielder into  a feared and rugged full-back.

Derby County have agreed a deal with Arsenal for the loan signing of Gilles Sunu, prompting suggestions that he has signed a new contract with the club. Arsène Wenger was previously unwilling to loan out the prospect who’s current deal expires in the summer, until he had committed his long-term future.

Championship outfit Derby have been in the race for Sunu for a number of months but the Frenchman’s precarious contract situation has seen the loan move hit the buffers. Confirmation this morning from the local ‘This is Derbyshire’ newspaper brings the expectancy that the 18-year-old has now penned that new deal.

Rams boss Nigel Clough hopes to speak to ‘Gilou’ later today and wrap up a deal in time for the registration to the sent to the FA by midnight. This would allow the powerful front man to debut at Pride Park against Swansea City tomorrow.

Clough has chosen Sunu after failing to sign Everton’s James Vaughan for a second time, with power and pace the key assets.

“We have lacked a bit of pace at times, a bit of raw pace, somebody to run beyond the front two.”

“Paul Green and Stephen Pearson are providing it at the moment but just in our armoury, our 18, there is room for raw pace, which is where Sunu comes in.”

Gilles has made three first-team appearances this season, including making his Champions League debut and earning his first start at the Emirates Stadium in the Carling Cup. Derby scouts were present on Monday evening to watch him score for the Reserves against Chelsea.

Arsenal are still in the dark over the futures of Reserve duo Fran Mérida and Gilles Sunu. The pair are out of contract in the summer but talks over new deals have broken down. They are now free to agree a pre-contracts with a club of their choice.

Powerful French striker Sunu has been linked with a move to Bordeaux in many of the English newspapers this morning. Those suggestions are a little wide of the mark, but Gilles has turned down a new Arsenal deal. He is seeking reassurances over his future, with a loan move away from the club is being held up by his contractual issue. Arsène Wenger is determined to tie him down to an improved deal before allowing him to leave.

Spanish play-maker Fran Mérida is also in a similar situation. He had initally agreed improved, fresh terms, but the signing of the contract has been held up by alternate offers from Atlético Madrid and Sevilla. Fran has been used sparingly in the first-team the year, yet he did feature and score against Bolton, along with several FA Cup and Carling Cup appearances.

Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis is set to meet with both players for show down talks in the coming days in a bid to finally agree the deals, yet the possibility still remains strong that they could leave on free transfers. Arsenal would be in line to receive compensation for both, however.

England Under 17’s have won the Algarve Tournament. A 0-0 draw with hosts Portugal in the scenic Parque Desportivo de Nora region of Ferreiras secured the title.

Arsenal duo Chuks Aneke and Benik Afobe were both involved in the competition and both started the final game. Newly signed professional Benik was on target to salvage a draw with France in the opening fixture, before being rested for a 3-0 win over Ukraine. Chuks played the full 90 minutes and impressed.

The highly regarded tournament has previously been won by Kyle Bartley and Sanchez Watt, who have since gone on to play for their country at Under 19 level. The pair are now enjoying loan spells away from the club and this latest batch of Three Lions look set to go the same way.

Also on the international front, Zak Ansah bagged the winner for England’s Under 16’s in a friendly with Belgium last week. The striker has been talked about recently following comments made to Arsenal fans via Social Networking site Facebook, but that has clearly not affected his form in front of goal.

Neil Banfield has heaped praise on in form striker Luke Freeman after he found the net for the Reserves against Chelsea on Monday night. The former Gillingham prospect has been in form this season term for the Under 18’s, but he’s yet to hit top gear for the second-string.

Many hyped up FA Cup record holding Freeman when he made the big money switch from the Gills in 2008, but his transition from Football League to Premier League has been tricky. Luke’s improvements have been steady yet noticeable, and now Banfield believes he is on track for a career with Arsenal.

“Luke is progressing nicely. He’s got the enthusiasm, a good attitude and he’s giving himself the best chance. He’s done well tonight but we don’t like to get too carried away with one performance.”

“I think Luke was well aware [when he arrived at Arsenal] that he was one for the future and has to work on his game. He has applied himself really well.”

The England Under 17 international is expected to feature strongly in pre-season next term.

Article By – J.Sanderson

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