It has become an all too familiar occurrence for Arsenal’s starlets, with the young Gunners struggling to reach the latter stages of the UEFA Youth League despite being able to call upon several talented players.
On Tuesday evening Arsenal went out of the esteemed youth competition in the Play-off round after they were beaten 2-0 in a single-legged tie by a spirited Anderlecht side.
Anderlecht, who have an excellent academy system, were very impressive, but Arsenal were abject and struggled to carve out chances even though they had a clutch of highly regarded creative players at their disposal.
Several theories have emerged as to why Arsenal’s youngsters are finding it so difficult to succeed on the European stage. It has been suggested that the young Gunners are playing too many fixtures, given that several individuals often flit between the U21, U19 and U18 set-ups, while the UEFA Youth League also represents a significant step up from the second division of U21 football.
However, a team possessing players such as Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Dan Crowley and Chris Willock should surely be capable of producing better than the ineffective showing in Belgium.
The signs were hugely encouraging earlier in the competition, with Arsenal prevailing in their first three group stage fixtures. They failed to win any of their subsequent games, however, with their cause not helped by the fact that Alex Iwobi was unavailable for several matches because of his commitments with the first-team.
Iwobi has been the clear success story for the academy this season, with the Nigeria international continuing his excellent progression today by officially breaking into the first-team squad. The prospect has benefitted from training regularly with senior players and is evidently highly regarded by Arsene Wenger, who called him up for a Capital One Cup fixture as far back as September 2013.
There is still a long way for Iwobi to go in order for him to completely make the breakthrough, but he has taken some significant steps in his development this season. That, of course, is the primary aim of youth development, and is certainly of greater importance to Andries Jonker and the academy coaches than winning trophies at youth level.
The two ideals don’t have to be mutually exclusive, however. Winning, at whatever level, is a positive and doing so can create an appetite for further success.
With that in mind, it is hoped that Arsenal will fare rather better when they take on Coventry City in the FA Youth Cup on Monday night.
Many of the players who featured against Anderlecht are also eligible for the game at the Ricoh Arena, and they will be all too aware that significant improvement is required.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
I thought we might win when I saw all the much-hyped attacking talent on the team sheet, but it seems our kids are emulating their elders and betters in the senior squad – and not just by failing to top the group and exiting in the last 16. Truly awful performance. No focus, bewildered, defence switched off, incapable of converting the chances they created. Only two shots on target all game. Anderlecht were terrific: fast, tactically astute, technically skilful, confident, brave. Our keeper was quite good, which is a bright spot, I guess. He certainly needed to be or it… Read more »
Maybe the kids are not as talented as we’d like to think?! I’m not claiming they aren’t just that it should be entertained as a possibility. Also, maybe we don’t get the best out of them?
Fail in Europe, mediocre in the league but win the FA cup… Sounds like they are right on track for a career in the first team!! 😉
I’ve felt for a good few years now that a part of our problem is arrogance. It shows at times (to often) in the first team and our youngsters appear to have a superiority complex. It’s as if other teams will just allow them to play whilst admiring their talent. These kids all think they are already stars and it’s only when they go on loan to championship clubs they often find out how they are not as good as they think they are. It all comes to quickly. Money cars recognition.
you felt for years that all the way from america, impressive. what the hell do you know about it seriously?
I didn’t know Brixton was in America. Thanks
Didn’t think we did this sort of thing here… We all love the Arsenal, where you live is irrelevant. Last I checked the Internet and therefore access to news and information about the club is available world wide. I actually think he has a point, a lot of youth players (not just our own) are hyped to stupid levels. They are only human, some of them can get their heads down and prove themselves and others believe their own hype and can’t deliver. Something i don’t hear about anymore though is the whole treated as an “apprentice” system. You know,… Read more »
It seems to me that the team has a lot of individual quality but as a collective, there is something missing. It seems to go unnoticed when we attack, but it is clearly apparent when we have to defend. This team played just like the senior team, which is good until the lack of organisation and the inability to make the right choices defensively costs us a lot. I was really impressed by Julio Pleguezuelo . seems to be a combination of Mertesaker and Koscielny. I hope he gets chances in the first team soon because he was just a… Read more »
I’m not sure about the players being arrogant. I think it’s much more the club culture – and it starts at the top, with Wenger. Wenger is all about fluency and free expression; he leaves it to the players, believing that they have the necessary quality to just go out and win. Wenger doesn’t do serious match preparation. Compare Guardiola, who prepares every game down to the last detail, ensuring the players are tactically briefed to beat each team that they face. Guardiola hasn’t won all the trophies there are to be won just by relying on superior quality; he… Read more »
I am not against criticism of Arsene Wenger, but I do not like criticism of things that I have no idea of. I am not sure if you do, but I do not know how he prepares for match days and what the team does to prepare for games. I will criticize him for in gsme management and a lack of transfers, but not for things that I have no idea about. Everything about Mourinho and Guardiola’s game preparation is put out there for us ti see and know about. I will not blame Wenger for not being transparent about… Read more »
The notion that wenger does not prepare the players before a game has been greatly over exaggerated.
The first goal in the fa cup came from a santi free kick. It was said that the goal keeper takes a step towards the far post so going near post was the prudent choice.
The welbeck goal against United was anticipated because United passed often to the goal keeper.
Both were brought up prematch and players were prepped on them. Wenger clearly does tactics, just that we never hear about it.