Not getting your chance can be incredibly frustrating and it has been hard not to feel sorry for Savvas Mourgos at times this season.
The Greek youngster has developed well since joining the club in 2014 but has been a peripheral figure for Arsenal at youth level so far this campaign, limited to occasional appearances, mostly as a substitute, for the U23s and the U19s.
With several players unavailable, however, Mourgos was thrown into the spotlight last week as he was given a starting berth in Arsenal’s U23 fixture against Derby County.
Mourgos was evidently determined to seize his opportunity and he did just that. With just six minutes gone the midfielder put Arsenal ahead after latching onto a fine pass from Ismael Bennacer.
Later Mourgos would turn provider as he found the prolific Eddie Nketiah who scored what proved to be the decisive goal in a hard fought 2-1 victory.
Mourgos will hope that his performance won’t have gone unnoticed by the academy coaching staff and will be determined to play a significant part in the club’s next U23 game, which sees Arsenal face Southampton away next week.
Having initially found it difficult to adjust to English football in his first season at the club, last campaign Mourgos showed some surefire signs that he is developing well as he produced some encouraging displays for the U18s.
This season, however, he is no longer eligible for that age group, which, added to the fact that there are a plethora of creative talents in the U23 set-up, has limited the youngster’s game time significantly.
If Gedion Zelalem goes out on loan this month then it may well provide Mourgos with a chance to get more of a look in at U23 level. The 18-year-old possesses excellent technical ability and is capable of performing effectively whether deployed as a central midfielder or out wide.
He isn’t quite the finished article and certainly isn’t the strongest physically, as shown by the fact that he is often barged off the ball all too easily at times.
What is clear, though, is that Mourgos deserves more game time than he has been getting this season.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
Good for him. Hope the setbacks he has had lead to great determination to succeed, at least her will have a chance if so.
Always been impressed by him. If he keeps his head down and works hard, he’ll do well.
Gave him his first team debut in the last day of the 17/18 season in my FM save, he broke his leg. 🙁
Would love to get one of those run-downs on the youth players we get every once in a while from Mr. Bird. nice to hear how bielik, dragomir and co are getting on
You should check his own page, he does that, along with match reports and stuff.
Interesting that you mentioned Zalalem in the article, there’ve been some rumor emanating that he’s in talks with BvB over a permanent move. I really hope that isn’t true cos I believe Zalalem has a huge potential and he’s definitely one of the future stars of our youth setup, losing him won’t be very good.
I’ve seen Bennacer’s name there. Thought he’d been called up for AFCON?