Author: Nick Love

Jack Wilshere’s won the PFA Young Player of the Year award last month, and with it, Arsène Wenger sent another message to some of his biggest critics, who doubted his ability and intent to buy or produce English talent. Now, for the first time in several years, Arsenal have an array of British players that can realistically compete for a first team place.

In 2004, Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole, Ray Parlour and Martin Keown helped Arsenal to an unprecedented invincible season. The four Englishman played a vital part in the success and were a major influence in the dressing room and around the club. Since then, Arsenal have only won one significant trophy, the FA Cup in 2005.

Despite Cole and Campbell staying at Arsenal for the following two years, plus the introduction of Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal have failed to maintain a British basis in the first team squad. It is certainly something Wenger has wished to address over the past few years, saying in October of 2009; “I am highly determined to bring more English players through”.

For the first time in a number of years, Arsenal can boast the likes of the aforementioned Walcott, Ramsey, Wilshere and the promising Kieran Gibbs. They could soon be joined by the emerging Henri Lansbury and Kyle Bartley, both of whom have shown signs that they have all the qualities Wenger demands, plus that English spirit.

It is no secret that the most successful clubs over the years have had a British backbone, in fact, no club has ever won the Premier League without an English centre half in their first team squad. Manchester United have consistently maintained a British nucleus, along with Chelsea, whose recent success comes hand in hand with the consistency, leadership and stability John Terry and Frank Lampard bring on the pitch. Even elsewhere, you have to look no further than Barcelona, whose home grown talents are integral to their success.

Determination, passion and desire are some of the main qualities associated with British players, which is a key component in the Premier League. Growing up around the English game, playing and watching can’t help but build a genuine affection for the game and a loyalty that is so hard to buy. Despite Arsenal developing foreign talent at a young age to help install these same qualities, it is hard to build such a strong affiliation with the English game and the club they are at compared to the British players. There is no doubting the qualities foreign players bring to the English game, but to truly compete in any league there has to be some local boys whose love runs further than just football.

Last weekend was a prime example of that. Ramsey, Wilshere and Walcott helped defeat a strong United side, showing their passion, spirit and work rate in closing the ball down and chasing. That, plus the exciting Gibbs, Lansbury and Bartley, meaning Arsenal will have a strong British contingent who also have ability.

In November of last year, Wenger admitted the time and effort he and his staff have put into developing top quality English players, and it appears to be coming to fruition, noting: “I feel that we have four or five players who can be the backbone of the English team.”

If Wenger is to be believed, Arsenal’s core promises to be British for many years to come.

You can follow me on Twitter @NickLove1985.

The newspapers have been packed full of rumours of a mass overhaul at the Emirates this week, which, despite some initial debate, has been taken with a pinch of salt by the majority of fans. However, with a number of exciting youngsters returning from loan spells and ready to make an assault on the Arsenal first-team, the speculation is somewhat warranted.

At times this season it’s been hard to see what Tomáš Rosický, Denílson, Sébastien Squillaci and arguably a couple more offer to the squad that Francis Coquelin, Henri Lansbury and Kyle Bartley can’t. All three players have had impressive loans this year and seem the most likely to compete for a first-team spot next season.

Lansbury has turned in some sterling performances and added vital goals to aid Norwich City’s push for automatic promotion, and Coquelin, despite not starting a game since his sending off in February, has racked up plenty of minutes to help Lorient maintain a mid table spot in Ligue One.

Bartley has gone from strength to strength during his spells with Sheffield United and then Rangers, with a particular highlight being his performance at Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League. Unfortunately for Kyle, his spell at Rangers was cut short due to injury, but the Englishman has surely done enough to convince Arsène Wenger that he has all the attributes to suit Premier League football next season.

With all three returning as better players, their prerogative now is to join last year’s loanee Jack Wilshere in not only the first team squad, but the starting eleven. Should that fail to materialise, Wenger runs the risk of losing some of his most prized young assets.

The two maybe men, Carlos Vela and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas have both shown potential when given a chance, but that is the problem; when. Emmanuel-Thomas’ inconsistency and Vela’s lack of opportunity have dealt them no favours, and they may have to settle for further time on loan, or a permanent move away.

The recent outlandish talk of Gael Clichy leaving in the summer has left to some talk about the returning duo of Armand Traoré and the ever improving Pedro Botelho. Juventus have already indicated they are not interested in signing Traoré, so an unhappy return to the reserves looks most likely, unless Arsenal can find a buyer. Botelho should offer competition to the injury prone Gibbs for the right to be Clichy’s understudy.

Elsewhere, Ryo Miyaichi has blossomed at Feyenoord and may be granted a work permit in the summer, only then will Arsenal decide on whether to send the impressive youngster out on loan for a following year or offer a first-team place. However, for other foreign loanees Samuel Galindo and Wellington, they have failed to gain much playing time, and a work permit seems a little far off at the moment, so further loan periods are expected in the near future.

After some encouraging displays at Huddersfield, it is likely Benik Afobe will also go back out on loan for a following season, to help the teenager gain further first team experience.

Unfortunately for Mark Randall, Craig Eastmond, Sanchez Watt and Gilles Sunu, it could be the end of their road with Arsenal, as they have all failed to make an impression at their clubs. The lucky few could be given a chance to prove themselves on loan again next season, but moving on to pastures new is their best option.

As Arsenal’s title challenge hangs in the balance, so does the future of several young Arsenal players who seem destined to leave this summer. Yet with the impending return of some of the most promising young players the club have had for a long time, perhaps the papers are not too far off in suggesting a summer clear out.

With the return of Aaron Ramsey and the breakthrough of Jack Wilshere, the competition for places in Arsenal’s midfield has certainly spiced up.

Cesc Fàbregas, Alex Song, Samir Nasri, Tomáš Rosický, Abou Diaby, Denílson as well as Wilshere and Ramsey are all realistic contenders for a starting place in the centre of the park. With the likes of Craig Eastmond, Henri Lansbury and Emmanuel Frimpong also on the fringes and knocking firmly on the first team door, Arsenal aren’t lacking in options.

One man who will also add to Wenger’s selection headache next season, is Francis Coquelin. Coquelin swapped places with Laurent Koscielny in the summer, and joined Ligue 1 outfit Lorient FC. The Frenchman has been making steady strides since in a tough, competitive league.

Francis joined Arsenal in the summer of 2008, and the youngster caught the eye with his combative style and a determination, which was only matched by his competitive energy. In his first season he built a formidable partnership with Emmanuel Frimpong, playing every minute in Arsenals FA Youth Cup success. Coquelin carried on his progress in the following campaign, playing regularly in the reserves and featuring a handful of times in both the Carling and FA Cup.

The end of the season saw him switch to an unfamiliar right back position. It was a surprising move due to Coquelin’s outstanding contribution in midfield, drawing comparisons with Lassana Diarra, who also moved to right back on some occasions during his time in England. However, defensive midfield is clearly where Coquelin feels at home, and it is where Lorient have placed him over the past couple of months.

During the beginning of the season, he struggled to make the first eleven, but after some impressive cameo appearances, he has turned himself a first team regular, testament to the young mans character.

Lorient have made an inconsistent start to the season, lying in a predictable 12th position with some varying results, including an exciting game against league leaders Lille which ended in a 6-3 loss. A trademark tackle in Lorient’s own half and then a decisive pass from Coquelin for Kevin Gameiro, saw Lorient take the lead against a Lille side who boast some of Arsenal’s long term targets; Eden Hazard and Gervinho. Despite their loss, it is a true learning curve for the teenager, whose assist for the goal demonstrated his true attributes; determination, aggression, tackling, and passing.

With Denílson possibly moving on in the summer and Song’s contribution as a true holding midfielder under question, it is vital Arsenal find a tough tackling midfielder who is disciplined to stay in front of the back four at all times, particularly away from home. Wilshere certainly likes a challenge, but has a slight Paul Scholes swagger about him and looks much more comfortable on the ball than without it. Eastmond has been used sparingly in this role over the past year and. if the truth be known, lacks the ability of Coquelin.

Already a FA Youth cup and U19 European Champion, Francis by his own admission says how much he loves a challenge and should on his return from France be competing for a defensive midfield role.

Similar to Kyle Bartley, it is hard to forget sometimes the players Arsenal have on loan and that they are gradually ripening in to first team contenders. Coquelin, who is clearly gifted, has all the capabilities of playing a pivotal role in the Arsenal midfield for years to come, despite the competition in a competitive midfield.

Benik Afobe has made a positive start to life at Huddersfield Town, with glowing reports surfacing from both fans and critics alike. With Afobe gone, Chuks Aneke will now miss his partner in crime over the coming month and possibly longer if Huddersfield and Arsenal agree to extend Afobe’s loan. However, with Wenger keen to fast track both the young England internationals, Aneke may be joining Afobe sooner rather than later on loan at another club.

With Aneke taking to reserves football like a duck to water and the likelihood that he will not be featuring in the Carling Cup this year, surely a loan move would be a good option for the youngster. Aneke would join the likes of Afobe, Freeman, Evina, Cruise, Watt and Coquelin who have all joint separate clubs respectively. Both Aneke and Afobe have the potential to make it at Arsenal in the years to come, which makes it all the more fulfilling that the pair have played with each other since they were 7 years old. Afobe recently mentioned that his partnership with Aneke ‘comes naturally’, begging the question; in future should Arsenal send their promising youngsters on loan together?

Perhaps the best example of this concept is Barcelona. The Spanish giants make sure that their youngsters are constantly playing and progressing with each other, creating a loyalty to the club and their team mates. After the youth team they are placed in Barcelona B who play in the Spanish Segunda League playing competitive football week in, week out with each other , developing as a team, as footballers and as human beings. The rewards are there for all to see, with the majority of the Barcelona first team consisting of previous youth and B team players.

Arsenal are certainly able to compete with the tactical consistency of Barcelona throughout the youth, reserves and first team with every team playing the ‘Arsenal way’. From the U9’s to the first team Arsenal play with quick movement and passing in a 4-5-1 formation. This continuity is vital in keeping a consistency throughout the club so that youngsters who do progress to the first team already understand the philosophy of Wengers side.

The only thing lacking compared to Barcelona, is the ability to offer competitive football in an English league. Instead the youngsters are sent out on loan to a variety of clubs to gain valuable experience, but they may not necessarily play the ‘Arsenal Way’. If they were sent on loan together they would be able to continue their rapport with each other in a competitive league.

Although it could be argued that the main purpose of a loan move is to experience the vigorous demands of competitive football and to try and find a way to combat this alone, the support of a fellow Arsenal loanee could help promote a vital attribute in football: camaraderie. It would also help players from abroad such as Wellington who is yet to appreciate the English game. If he was loaned out with a fellow Arsenal youngster it would help the player feel much more part of the Arsenal set up, rather than a fish out of water.

Arsenal have certainly profited from loan moves in the past, with Jack Wilshere the most recent example. Yet with the possibility of sending two or three youngsters on loan together it could certainly help them understand each other’s game that little bit more, which could only be a good thing in the long term for Arsenal football club. It is not guaranteed that every youngster who goes on loan will become a first team regular, but for the few that do make it, if they have continued to play with each other in competitive football the integration in to the first team may be much more comfortable.

What harm could it do if Afobe, Aneke and future acquisition Wellington went on loan together for a couple of months? I’m sure Huddersfield Town fans wouldn’t be complaining.

The last reserve game of the 2009-10 season against Portsmouth saw a dominant figure in the midfield collect the ball in the centre of the park, take a couple of touches, and then let fly with a rasping left footed drive that ended up in the top corner. From a distance the crowd could of been fooled in to thinking it was an established professional due to his physical presence, yet that couldn’t have been further from the truth. It was actually 17 year old Chuks Aneke, making only his fourth appearance for the Reserves.

Chuks was one of two players Arsène Wenger named as ‘technically perfect’ and his belief was put in to practice when Aneke was called up to the first team and put on show at the members day earlier in August.

For the majority of last season, the soaring figure of Chuks Aneke loomed over the rest of his Under 18 peers, bossing most games. This term he made the step up into the Reserves, and now he peers over men a number of years his senior, including Danny Shittu, and added to his superb Portsmouth strike with two more goals as Arsenal went on to win 5-0 away to Bolton.

However, despite his obvious physical presence, Chuks is an intelligent, penetrating, technical midfield playmaker who made his breakthrough into the reserve team last season and will be hoping to become a main stay this year. Benik Afobe, Luke Freeman and Roarie Deacon have all praised the midfielder and stated that there scoring feats of last year had a lot to do with Chuks who also has the luxury of adding ‘goal scoring’ midfielder to his CV. Afobe, in particular, has stated his admiration for Chuks, who he’s played with since the age of 7, stating; “Sometimes he doesn’t need to say anything, I just know he’s going to give it to me or I’ll give it to him. It’s something that happens naturally, I really enjoying playing with Chuks.”

Unfortunately Aneke missed out on the glory Afobe experienced during the summer with the England u17s due to injury and despite their friendship, both players know they are competing for Wenger’s recognition. Chuks coincidentally finished second behind Afobe in Young Guns Academy Under 18 Player of the Year last season.

Aneke was included in the pre-season squad that headed out to Ireland, starting the first game against Manchester United, which ended in a 2-1 victory. If he is able to maintain his current form, a foot into the Carling Cup squad seems a certainty, especially with Wenger clearly keen on the ‘technically perfect’ starlet.