Author: Staff Writer

Jack Wilshere is rated at 50:50 for Arsenal’s Carling Cup quarter-final with Manchester City next week after suffering a recurrence of his troublesome ankle injury after 65 minutes of last night’s Reserve defeat to Aston Villa.

Wilshere took several kicks on his ankle in his first game back since a month-long layoff and Banfield eventually withdrew the youngster after he deteriorated in the second half. How bad the problem is will be determined by a scan but no doubt Jack will be desperate to return for the quarter-final after missing the win over Liverpool in the last round.

More news is expected by the end of the week.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Neil Banfield’s Reserves welcomed Aston Villa to Underhill this evening with the winner knowing they would sit pretty at the top of Reserves League South. Arsenal have a game in hand over their Midlands counterparts so a real title push would be on if they could claim three points.

Banfield was able to call upon Jack Wilshere, Fran Mérida and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas against an Aston Villa side which boasted first-team players Craig Gardener, Nathan Delfouneso and Fabian Delph while £8 million summer signing Stewart Downing made his debut following injury. Former Gunner Samir Carruthers was named on the Villa bench.

Fabiański
Gilbert – Eastmond – Bartley (c) – Cruise
Wilshere – Coquelin – Mérida – Emmanuel-Thomas
Watt – Sunu

Subs:- Shea – Ayling – Randall – Frimpong – Afobe.

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Arsenal Reserves take on Aston Villa in a top of the table clash at Underhill this evening. Neil Banfield’s side have suffered a dip in form of late and subsequently lost their first game this season against Portsmouth last time out. Yet a victory over their Midlands counterparts tonight would propel Banfield’s boys into top place with a game in hand over their title rivals.

Villa head in to the game undefeated, but like Arsenal have hit a dry patch; drawing their last three games. However, the Villains will be a stern test for Arsenal with the likes of Andreas Weimann and Nathan Delfouneso in particular posing a real threat to any defence.

Due to the postponement of the West Ham fixture earlier in the month, the Reserves have only played once since the Carling Cup tie against Liverpool, making Wednesday’s game vital for any of Arsenal’s young guns staking a claim for a starting berth against Manchester City. After the shock inclusion of Craig Eastmond in the previous round, Mark Randall, Francis Coquelin and Craig Eastmond will all be out to impress Arsène Wenger.

As Young Guns told you this morning, first team trio Łukasz Fabiański, Fran Mérida and Jack Wilshere are all in the squad and will start. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas returns from his three-month-loan spell with Blackpool while young striker Benik Afobe is prefered to Luke Freeman as an alternate striker. Thomas Cruise and James Shea both return from injury.

Predicted Starting XI

Fabiański
Gilbert – Bartley – Ayling – Cruise
Wilshere – Randall – Emmanuel-Thomas
Sunu – Watt – Mérida

Subs:- Shea, Eastmond, Coquelin, Frimpong, Afobe.

Kick off is at 7pm UK time at Barnet’s Underhill Stadium. Arsenal TV Online are streaming the fixture live for those who cannot get to the game with highlights to follow-on Thursday morning via Arsenal.com. Young Guns will have a full Match Report on the full-time whistle.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Neil Banfield will give run outs to Carling Cup hopefuls Jack Wilshere and Łukasz Fabiański this evening as the Reserves entertain Aston Villa in a top-of-the-table crunch clash.

Banfield has also included Sanchez Watt, who extended his stay with the club yesterday, Fran Mérida and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas who is set to make his first start since completing a three-month-loan spell with Blackpool. Young forward Benik Afobe is expected to be named on the bench.

Wilshere has been missing since Arsenal’s Carling Cup third round fixture with West Brom and subsequently missed Liverpool’s visit to the Emirates in the same competition. Jack is expected to play an hour or possibly more as he puts the finishing touches to his rehabilitation ahead of the Manchester City quarter-final which is looming.

Arsenal.com will announce the full squad later and Nick Love will be around with a preview shortly after.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Rhys Murphy made his professional debut and played 58 minutes for loan club Brentford this evening just hours after the ink dried on a three-month-loan switch to Griffin Park. The Bees went down 1-0 away to Wycombe but it could have been worse if it wasn’t for a second half penalty save from fellow loanee Wojciech Szczęsny, who played the full 90 minutes.

After a scrappy start both sides began to pass and probe one another and either side could have scored after a flurry of chances. John Bostock tried his luck from range before Szczęsny had to make a reaction save from Craig Woodman. Yet as the visitors began to get into their flow, striker Charlie MacDonald indicated he was struggling and just 24 minutes into the game Rhys Murphy was brought on to make his professional debut.

Szczęsny then made a hat-trick of saves to deny Kevin Betsy the opener before Murphy was just caught offside following a slick move in the middle. The Polish stopper then made further stops from Stuart Beavon and Gareth Ainsworth but the half time break saw both sides level.

Just two minutes after the restart Brentford got sloppy and conceded a slack penalty. Matt Harrold stepped up and slammed home beyond Wojciech but he would get his revenge later in the half. James Wilson was dismissed for a late challenge and another penalty was awarded. Harrold stepped up again but Szczęsny made an excellent dive and saved superbly.

Szczęsny was then booked yet he made two further catches and with 8 minutes left Murphy was subbed off in place of live-wire winger Cleveland Taylor. A slick knock and a lack of fitness appeared to be the reason, but no doubt he’ll get stronger and surely get goals in this league. However, all the credit goes to his brilliant colleague, Szczęsny.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Brentford have made their second loan swoop on Arsenal’s Reserve team by adding striker Rhys Murphy to the acquisition of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny. England Under 19 starlet Murphy heads across London on a 3-month-loan deal.

The 19-year-old injury plagued forward was a key member of the Under 18’s historic double winning side last season and he will go straight into Andy Scott’s side for tonight’s League One game away to Wycombe Wanderers. Arsenal have also given the green light for Rhys to play in FA Cup tie against Walsall at Griffin Park this Saturday. Speaking just minutes after confirming the capture of one of the country’s most exciting young goal poachers, Scott said:

“Rhys is another good signing for us. He has a lot of potential, so much so he is seen as a future First Team squad member at Arsenal. This opportunity is good for both ourselves and Rhys as it will allow him to blossom under our guidance. In that respect it also confirms that Brentford is seen as a club that can help the progress of young up and coming Premiership players.”

Rhys will wear the number 37 shirt for Brentford and as usual Young Guns will be reporting on his fortunes throughout his period away from the club in our regular Loanee Reports.

Article By – J.Sanderson

As Ivan Gazidis continues Arsène Wenger’s mandate in extending the contracts of some of his most exciting young assets, the club are yet to make a decision on whether to extended Henri Lansbury‘s forms which are due to expire in the summer.

Lansbury initially struggled to make an impact in the Watford team but after holding down a regular slot in an improving Hornets outfit, Henri is considered one of the Championship’s most exciting prospects. He starred on Saturday against his former employers Scunthorpe United, claiming an assist for Danny Graham’s decisive third goal.

As his attitude continues to improve from the days when many regarded him as a typical ‘party boy’, Lansbury revealed to the Scunthorpe Telegraph on Friday that his decision to move to Watford was down a preference of being closer to his friends rather than for the obvious football reasons. It’s little things like that which could ultimately decide whether Henri makes it as a big time professional or ends up on the list of forgotten talents or could and should have made it.

Arsenal are expected to sit down with Lansbury in January and make a firm decision.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Arsenal’s Under 16’s continued their impressive form yesterday morning with a 5-1 romp over their Southampton counterparts on the South Coast.

Coach Steve Gatting selected a mixture of exciting regulars and promising trialists while summer signing Elton Monteiro made his debut at centre half. The 6’3 defender will return to FC Sion next week ahead of his January switch to the club but Gatting took the opportunity to hand the Swiss powerhouse a run out.

FC Lucerne left back Stefan Marinkovic also started while two trialists from the club’s Thai link-club BEC Tero FC featured. The Gunners cruised to victory with England Under 16 international Zak Ansah notching another brace while his strike partner, Nigel Neita, also found the net. Jeffrey Monakana put the game beyond doubt before one of the Thai subs wrapped things up with number five.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Brazilian Serie ‘A’ outfit Fluminense have sold their highly prized young forward Wellington Silva to Arsenal for $5 million dollars, according to respected Rio-based journalist Gilmar Ferreira.

Ferreira has reported on his official blog that, following talks last week, Arsenal have finally ended the protracted saga by snapping up one of the most sought after young strikers around. However, due to FIFA rules, he will follow the same path as Argentine goalkeeper Damián Martínez by remaining with his club until he is 18, in 2011.

The starlet, nicknamed Ciel, impressed during a 7 day trial last Christmas – he even played 45 minutes for the Under 16’s against Norwich – and he made an emphatic impression, scoring 4 goals. In a bid to warn off potential suitors who included Chelsea, Man Utd, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Barcelona, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira promoted Wellington into his first-team squad but financial trouble has seen them buckle, and a deal looks to have been struck by trusted Brazil-based scout Sandro Orlandelli.

More to follow.

Article By – J.Sanderson