Author: Staff Writer

Arsenal’s Under 18’s maintained their lead in Academy League Group A this morning with a comfortable 3-0 win over Southampton on the South Coast. Steve Bould’s boys hit three unanswered second half goals on their return to action following last weeks postponement at Portsmouth with the impressive Chukwuemeka Aneke leading the charge with brace while Benik Afobe bagged his 8th of the campaign.

Bould didn’t resist the opportunity to shuffle his pack after a 6-0 win over Charlton last time out. Under 17 World Cup winner Sead Hajrovic partnered Daniel Boateng at centre half while Oğuzhan Özyakup replaced Conor Henderson in a midfield three. ‘Chuks’ Aneke was handed the free-role between the midfield and a front-line which boasts 22 goals from just 11 Academy League games.

Dunn
Byles – Hajrovic – Boateng – Evina (c)
Özyakup – Yennaris
Aneke
Deacon – Afobe – Freeman

Substitutes:- Obed – Henderson – Meade

Southampton began well and seemed to settle into their game plan despite the powerful wind which has  battered many parts of England over the last 24 hours continuing. Arsenal struggled get going early on but as the wind started to subside, the quality of the game dramatically improved.

That said a few neat moves from Bould’s boys couldn’t be rewarded but as the half time break came and went, the Gunners found top gear and proved too strong for their hosts. Two quick-fire strikes in a matter of minutes from Aneke had the Saints on the rack and struggling and their misery was compounded further when Benik Afobe slammed home number three.

With the game all but over and with next weeks Reserve game on the horizon, Özyakup was replaced by fellow play-maker Conor Henderson while rapid winger Jernade Meade came on for Afobe.

Article By – J.Sanderson

League One outfit Brentford have signed Arsenal’s Reserve team goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny on a month-long loan deal. The 19-year-old trained with the Bees this morning and will stay at Griffin Park until the 20th of December.

Szczęsny, who made his full international debut for Poland on Wednesday as a second half substitute against Canada, has been courted by many Championship clubs for a potential loan spell but injuries to fellow glovesmen Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski has seen Arsene Wenger hold fire.

Two clean sheets from his three Reserve team outings this year added to his already growing reputation as one of the best Under 21 ‘keepers around, and he confirmed this after starring on his first-team debut against West Brom in the Carling Cup. Bees boss Andy Scott moved to welcome the 6’5 inch Pole on Brentford’s official website:

“This is another good signing for the Club and he brings with him more of the quality that we are looking to introduce to the squad. It also shows our capability to bring in good players. We are looking forward to working with him and enjoying a fruitful relationship.”

Wojciech will go straight into the Brentford team for tomorrows clash with Walsall where he will ware the number 53. Young Guns will have a full report on his debut in our weekly ‘Loanees Reports’.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Arsenal’s mutual partnership with Spanish Segunda outfit UD Salamanca has officially come to an end. However, the club have maintained their base on the continent by re-establishing their previous link with Celta Vigo.

Young Guns announced in September that Arsenal were considering cancelling the partnership with Salamanca following their treatment of both Havard Nordtveit and Pedro Botelho during loan spells. The latter was even withdrawn early after allegations that assistant manager Fran Albert had been attempting to black-mail Pedro into handing over money.

Celta Vigo have been handed a second chance to link with the Gunners after an acrimonious split over a row with Carlos Vela in 2006. After promising they would loan the Mexican, they signed too many non E.U players and were unable to add Vela to their ranks. Yet after Salamanca’s Sporting Director Miguel Torrecilla switched to Celta in the summer, Arsenal have now rekindled the relationship which was initially setup by David Dein.

After a struggling start to the season, Celta’s initial push for promotion appears to be over already, but future non-EU players look certain to make the switch to Spain.The club will also look for a new man to look after the arrangement after Richard Law was promoted to Ivan Gazidis’ excutive team following a successful interview for the post during pre-season.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Wojciech Szczęsny made his full international debut this evening as Poland beat Canada 1-0 in a friendly.

Midfielder Maciej Rybus scored for the hosts in the 19th minute to end a miserable winless streak for the Eastern Europeans. The two teams played out an eventful first half and chances were shared equally between the two teams. The North Americans nearly scored in the 30th minute but Man United’s Tomasz Kuszczak saved from Jaime Peters’ perfectly weighted cross.

As promised by the coach Franciszek Smuda on Saturday, Arsenal’s fourth choice ‘keeper, Szczęsny, entered the fray in the second half and did his credentials a wealth of good. The 19-year-old made two desitive catches on two tricky long balls. The son of a former Polish legend Maciej Szczęsny, Wojciech kept a clean sheet and this will surely enhance his chances of being first-choice for the mouth-watering Carling Cup clash against Manchester City.

Article By – Abdi Ali

The FIFA Under 17 World Cup took place recently where Arsenal’s Sead Hajrovic helped lead a strong Swiss side to victory against the hosts, Nigeria.

Due to popular demand, we’ve compiled a list of 10 players to watch out for in the future. The players are those who competed in the actual tournament not those who featured during the qualifying period.

Read more →

Arsenal’s Head of Youth Development officer Liam Brady has told Arsenal TV Online that he believes that Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs represent just the tip of a developing iceberg of promising English players coming through the Academy.

Speaking at the launch of a set of million pound floodlights at Hale End, the Irish legend spoke to the club’s official channel about a number of subjects including the media spotlight which has evolved with websites like Young Guns. Brady admitted that sometimes it can be an added pressure yet it’s expected in todays culture.

With the emergence of players such as Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs, all Arsenal fans are eagerly waiting for the next big starlet to come of the production lines, and Brady admits there is a number of players who could be next.

“There is quite a few. We’ve had Jay Emmanuel-Thomas at Blackpool, he’s done pretty well. He’s been up and down but thats why he’s out there. Henri Lansbury is doing very well at Watford and Jay Simpson has been scoring the goals at Queens Park Rangers.”

“There will be more going out on loan, its in their hands now, they’re out in the real world of football and its up to them now.”

The flow of good young English players is notable at Arsenal and the further development of the already superb Hale End system will no doubt further the education the boys receive. Whilst it is true that there are many exciting players coming through, little changes like the floodlights mean the best prospects are yet to come.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Kieran Gibbs was taken off injured during England Under 21’s clash with their Lithuanian counterparts this evening.

Gibbs returned to his usual left back birth after previously being deployed in the ‘number 10’ role behind Andy Carroll last time out. Just 21 minutes on the clock Stuart Pearce was forced into a reshuffle after the Arsenal man signalled he was unable to continue. Ryan Bertrand replaced him.

More to follow.

Article By – J.Sanderson

In a week which saw Aston Villa’s Ashley Young add to his growing number of England caps, the highly rated winger tipped his 12-year-old brother Kyle Young to one day join him in donning the Three Lions jersey.

Ashley is the oldest of three footballing brothers which includes 20-year-old Lewis, who is a fringe player at Watford, and Kyle who joined Arsenal from the Hornets Academy recently. Much has been made of Kyle’s development and future prospects especially after Ashley told the media ‘he will become a better player than me’ – a statement he reiterated in an interview with The People.

“It might not be long until I am playing against Kyle – I think he is going to be better than me.”

“I’d love to play alongside him for England one day – that would be a dream for us.”

Arsenal are trying to keep Kyle’s development under wraps but with the media hype growing, that task will become almost impossible. A tricky winger who can play as a striker, the playing style is similar between the elder and younger brothers but there remains a long way to go before we really know how good Kyle can be.

The trios father is an avid Tottenham fan but a strong Arsenal influence has always run through the family in the form of Ashley’s love for Ian Wright. A large number of Premier League clubs tried to sign Kyle but his mother prevented him from joining any system until he was nine. The future certainly looks interesting for the youngest yet potentially most exciting of the Young brothers.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Arsenal have asked Brazilian Serie ‘B’ outfit Juventude for a second look at their exciting teenage midfielder Zézinho as the Gunners continue in their bid to bring the starlet to the Emirates.

Zézinho, full name José Luis dos Santos Pinto, was subject of a £1.5 million bid in July yet that was rejected by chairman Sérgio Florian as they value the player at closer to his buyout clause of £11.9 million. Arsenal’s South American scout Sandro Orlandelli has been making regular checks including witnessing him bag a stunning winner against Portuguesa in August.

The Brazilian Under 17 international was on trial last season along with American midfielder Luis Gil (pictured) but Zézinho’s stock has risen significantly since then. A quick, tricky and skilful left footed winger, he defiantly fits the mould of an Arsène Wenger-esque attacking midfielder but negotiations are at deadlock between the two clubs.

A second trial has been proposed but with Zézinho now a regular fixture, convincing the Serie ‘B’ side to release their star man for a weeks training will be a tricky task for Chief executive Ivan Gazidis.

Article By – J.Sanderson