Jack Wilshere has praised Gedion Zelalem’s willingness to listen and learn having watched the 17-year-old at close quarters during pre-season training.
The German youth international turned heads with a series of impressive cameos on Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia last year and having been handed a first team debut in the FA Cup in January has again been called upon in the first two games of this summer’s friendly schedule.
While Zelalem has his work cut out climbing the midfield pecking order at the Emirates, Wilshere, who himself made his debut at 16, says his young teammate asks the right questions in training.
“He’s a great kid and that’s the main thing,” Wilshere told Arsenal.com. [weirdly the link has been removed?]
“He’s willing to learn, he’s willing to listen, he’s respectful and he looks up to us. He always asks questions about what he should be doing. The main thing is his ability – that’s the key thing with him.
“He’s got so much ability and he can go where he wants. Maybe he needs to get a little bit stronger but his ability will take him through.
“Gedion’s got so much natural ability and the right attitude towards the game. Naturally he’s going to become stronger and he’s training with great players.”
[insert a lazy Daily Mail-esque quip about Wilshere’s smoking being a great example to kids]
As things stand it’s hard to see Zelalem forcing himself into the reckoning regularly this season although a few games in the cup competitions should stand him in good stead for the future.
On the subject of rapid development, new boy Calum Chambers says his own progression from Southampton’s Academy to big money Arsenal acquisition has been ‘mad’.
Speaking to Arsenal Player, the 19-year-old reflected: “It has been a bit of a whirlwind for me. I have managed to keep my feet on the ground and worked hard but it has been quite a mad [11] months!
“From under-21s to first-team football is such a big step. I think it is more mentally than physically challenging, and over the Christmas period as well it is very tough.
“I loved [my first season]. Every experience I got was such a good feeling to go out there and play against players of such quality. I just want to keep doing it more and more.”
ooof that’s up there for the worst headlines on the site 😀
*curtsies*
Andrew (Mangan)’s absence has been fairly noticeable (I know that Andrew Allen runs Arseblog News now), and the quality of stuff that’s been put up has been poor. I appreciate the effort, but it shows how reliant Arseblog is on Andrew.
Thanks for your feedback. Two things.
First, I don’t run Arseblog News.
Second…nope, can’t be arsed to reply.
Get off your high horse.
Please send us your full address and bank information, and we’ll issue you with a full refund in less than 28 days.
I loved your early work AA but its just become too commercial, I think you need to get back to your roots and your core sound, I mean writing.
Pull your finger out Arseblog, or I’m off to Le Grove to do whatever it is they do over there now that we’ve won a trophy and are spending loads of money.
They do the usual, still. Now that we won something and are spending, that moron is saying he isnt sure about our future. As if he can be sure about his own.
Reset cookies…. ready!!!
Gedion out of here if you dont like it…
*not cold enough in australia to wear a coat…
Clearly not in Melbourne. Freezing my balls off. Oh and John Terry is still a colossal cunt.
zela..what! now where is that poo-ometer
Not a criticism but Jack could do with keeping his head down for a bit and eradicate the feeling that he hasn’t reached his potential.
erm… that *is* a criticism, isn’t it? besides which Jack is in a fairly strong position to understand what it’s like to be a young talent weighed down with unreasonable expectations from demanding fans ready to get on your case the moment things don’t go perfectly, so I don’t have any problem with him being asked about GZ or his offering an opinion. oh, and i hope that jack avoids the utterly counter-productive and shit abuse that Rambo put up with as well. it started to surface a little last season; it would be pretty unpleasant to see it get… Read more »
Genuinely not intended as a criticism, I see Jack as having the potential to surpass even Cesc and I think stepping out of the media spotlight a bit could help him. He’s still a kid really so focusing on his own development should be paramount.
well, current quality and mentality-wise, jack may surpass fabregas by walking backwards slowly, that is, if he hadn’t already.
Reminds me of a young cesc back in the day, everything about his footballing talent to his character in general. Well be seeing his name for a long time in the coming years. But I hope he picks to play for Gwrmany, that way he will be mentored by the worlds best players
Actually, I think the USA could be a better option for him. The competition for regular starts in the German midfield is insane, and he is exactly the type of creative player a good US team desperately lacked at the World Cup. And – given the way that interest in football is really taking off in the US – if he fulfills his immense potential, it will be great for the club to have the Michael Jordan-level star of the US team to increase their fan base over here. P.S. he can be mentored by all the best German players… Read more »
jack it s not cool calling the other players …lads,kids…i have noticed you do it all the time. most of those kids” are gonna better you soon, if dont concentrate on football
love u tho
Nice to see some really exciting youngsters on their way through. The future of the club looks to be in great hands. This is what all the years of frustration have been for.Very exciting times indeed!!
Kid got potential, no doubt. Reverting from an n.10-position to a deep-laying midfield position is no joke though. He will have to “muscle up” and work on his defensive positioning because everything ells seems to be right there.
How fitting as well that Wilshere is the one commenting on him seeing how he’s basically going through the same transformation right now. Hopefully both of them will come bursting out at the other side of the tunnel!
we have nice future with him ,bellerin and akpom 🙂
Shubhankar, what exactly are you complaining about?
Turn back. Comments aren’t worth reading from here!
Zelalem and Crowley really excite me. This is where other top Premier League teams can’t compete; their rapid fire buying of established talent has stunted the potential of their youth systems. Arsenal is a club (nowadays) that can go out and buy world class players like Sanchez and Ozil, while still giving a run to players like Zelalem. All of the Wenger-Out “fans” (and I use the term loosely) seem to have fallen silent. COYG!
*US youth international*?
Why, in the photo he looks like nwankwo kanu at the peak of his powers
Hopefully nt how to smoke. On a more serious note though, this Gedion is really gonna turn heads this season. COYG
Good player, could do with a full season out on loan, I’ve got doubts if he could do it on a wet and windy night in stoke atm.
I often look at my Mikey and ask the same question
Love it! Quality headline (I mean it).
The only thing that’s funnier than the headline, is Jack coming across as a veteran who’s about to retire. Even Pirlo wouldn’t speak like that , and he’s 53!
Glad its not just me then!
Some men like picking on petty issues like women. Jack’s opinion on Zelalem is complimentary, and does not really call for the barbs. Some, who are so keen to condemn Jack are busy sticking dope needles in their arms. Many a player do worse than an occasional cigar, and at 22 only, Jack will, allowably, test a lot of stuff as he gets older. Give him a break!
@gav can’t play FIFA
He grew up in Washington far rougher and tougher than stoke. That tired analogy really needs replacing with something that makes sense.
Look, the fear is not that he’s going to be mugged or caught in a drive-by shooting or something. It’s that he’ll be repeatedly harried and fouled so that he tires, mentally and physically, and is unable to play football effectively. It doesn’t really matter where he’s from, he just doesn’t have the football experience and the body to be able to put up with that yet.
Plus, Zelalem grew up in Montgomery County, Maryland. It’s near Washington, but it’s one of the wealthiest counties in the States. Without knowing, I would guess he had a fairly sheltered upbringing there.
The area he’s from is about as nice as they come in the States. I’m from Fairfax County, just a trip through DC separates us, and Montgomery. Trust me, theres loads of cash here. Right outside the Capitol. DC is often referred to as ‘ugly Hollywood’. Money’s on par, the females, while plenty of smokeshows surface, is immensely incomparable.
Really excited to see Armagedion get some cup games this season.
Good one, I’ll have to remember that nickname for him!
Why the fuck do Sky Sports keep showing Lukaku’s goal against us last season? Is it because he is shit and has scored fuck all really? I’d rather have Zalalem than Lukaku any day….
Fuck me, didn’t even notice the brilliance of the title blogs, you PUNisher
*refused entry to the coat room, leaves coat less
Annoying jack sees himself as an esthablished player speedy.sale him off
thumbs up for the first statement thumbs down for the second one