Arsenal have confirmed a 24-man squad for the group stages of the Europa League with their A-List containing a couple of unfamiliar names.
The Gunners could have submitted a 25-man list if they’d included eight ‘locally trained players’ but they only mustered seven so the squad size was adjusted down accordingly.
According to UEFA, there are two categories that define a ‘locally trained player’:
- Club-trained players – players who were on a club’s books for three years between the ages of 15 and 21. Hector Bellerin, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Emiliano Martinez fall into this category.
- Association-trained players – players who were on another club’s books in the same association for three years between the ages of 15 and 21. No club can have more than four association-trained players among their eight ‘local’ nominees on List A. Rob Holding, Calum Chambers, Matt Macey and Hillson meet these requirements.
Goalkeeper James Hillson, 18, and Spanish left-back Joel Lopez, 17, have both been included on the A-list, usually reserved for established stars, because they aren’t eligible for the B-list.
A player may be registered on the B-List if he is born on, or after, 1 January 1998 and has been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years since his 15th birthday (players aged 16 may be submitted if they have been registered with the club for the previous two years). Clubs are entitled to register an unlimited number of players on the B-List during the season, but the list must be submitted by no later than midnight the day before a match.
Hillson initially joined the Gunners on loan in February to cover for the injured Karl Hein and was offered a pro-contract in August. He put pen-to-paper on his deal at the same time as Joel Lopez, who’d joined the Gunners as a scholar in July 2018 from Barcelona.
Arsenal’s Europa League squad:
A-List: 1. Bernd Leno, 2. Hector Bellerin, 3. Kieran Tierney, 5. Sokratis, 8. Dani Ceballos, 9. Alexandre Lacazette, 10. Mesut Ozil, 11. Lucas Torreira, 14. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 15. Ainsley Maitland-Niles, 16. Rob Holding, 19. Nicolas Pepe, 20. Shkodran Mustafi, 21. Calum Chambers, 23. David Luiz, 26. Emiliano Martinez, 27. Konstantinos Mavropanos, 29. Matteo Guendouzi, 31. Sead Kolasinac, 33. Matt Macey, 34. Granit Xhaka, 35. Gabriel Martinelli, 63. James Hillson, 74. Joel Lopez
B-List: 24. Reiss Nelson, 28. Joe Willock, 32. Emile Smith Rowe, 38. Folarin Balogun, 40. Tolaji Bola, 41. Robbie Burton, 42. Harry Clarke, 43. Trae Coyle, 45. Tyreece John-Jules, 47. Jordan McEneff, 48. Mark McGuinness, 49. Zech Medley, 52. James Olayinka, 53. Joseph Olowu, 54. Tobi Omole, 57. Matt Smith, 59. Zak Swanson, 61. Nathan Tormey, 69. Ben Cottrell, 76. Arthur Okonkwo, 77. Bukayo Saka.
We sign far too many goal keepers at the youth level. Not sure why but I guess that means that we haven’t found a young gk who we think can transition into the first team? I understand cover is good but don’t we have five or more on the books?
It’s essential to sign a larger number of youth goalkeepers since they usually take longer to mature and benefit from loan spells. Also unlike outfield players only goalkeepers usually play in goal whereas outfield players, especially youths, play in multiple positions.
Doesn’t it make sense to have less goalkeepers the same age since only one could play in goal at a time? There’s no shifting positions for them. Sorry but more that 2 on professional contracts at wahh level doesn’t make sense to me unless we can loan them somewhere they might actually play.
Think of it like roulette. You have 5 goalkeepers in the youth ranks hoping that one hits. Your odds of having a keeper coming good enough for the first team increase with the more keepers you carry. Obviously there is a balance but only having two keepers dramatically reduces the odds.
Shirt number 4 for Guendouzi and 6 for Holding.
Rather the other way around. 4 is actually a CB number and 6 one for a central midfielder.
Maybe at Man United. Arsenal have Vieira and Tony Adams ?
I’ve always remembered midfielders wearing 4 and centre backs usually wearing 5 and 6 (unless you’re name’s Gallas).
*your*..my missus would lose it if she saw that.
At least at Arsenal, Per being an exception.
I can not for the life of me remember who had nr. 5 before Gabriel.
Any help?
Nevermind, googled it. Was Vermaelen.
Vermaelen no?
Thomas Vermaelen
Steve Bould?
Not in my day! No.6 was Peter Simpson who played centre back alongside No.5 Frank Mclintock. No.4 was Peter Storey who in today’s jargon would be classified as a defensive mid-fielder when back then he was Highbury’s answer to Chopper Harris, Tommy Smith and Norman Hunter!
Those were the days with the likes of Bob Wilson, Pat Rice, Charlie George, George Armstrong and someone called George Graham. Whatever happened to him?
Berlington, Cliff’s point is that Guendouzi is the new Viera and Holding is the new Tony Adans
Is this not the Holding-Chambers era?
When numbers were first introduced: 25 August 1928 Sheffield Wednesday vs Arsenal 1.Goalkeeper 2.Right full back (right side centre back) 3.Left full back (left side centre back) 4.Right half back (right side defensive midfield) 5.Centre half back (centre defensive midfield) 6.Left half back (left side defensive midfield) 7.Outside right (right winger) 8.Inside right (attacking midfield) 9.Centre forward 10.Inside left (attacking midfield) 11.Outside left (left winger) If you look at more recent times Vieria and then Fabregas held the number 4. So for Guendouzi to wear 4 for that significance I can see it being very fitting. The same goes for… Read more »
In America, but in England and Europe the numbers are slightly different. In this case, in reverse for England (4 for a CM and 6 for CB).
4 is for Saliba next year! Don’t even go there mister.
I wish it was the EL was happening now and not those boring international games.
I’m watching Ireland v Switzerland, for no other reason than to watch Xhaka. He’s an absolutely phenomenal passer of the ball, I can see why Wenger and now Emery love him. Ceballos starting for Spain, wonder which position he’s playing for them.
He’s a good passer but he doesn’t have any pace or positional sense, and he makes too many big mistakes that cost us points.
I know that’s meant to be his strongest quality. It begs the question that if he’s so good fit Switzerland, why is he under performing for us?
Because Xhaka is playing against Ireland. Unfortunately Xhaka has been found out at the EPL level.
With Switzerland he’s the focal point. With us he’s not the only one. At any given time we aim to have 2-4 good creative passers of the ball. Ceballos looks great so far, Guendouzi has come on in droves in that department this season, of course Ozil (if, when he plays), Torreira is no slouch, nor is Laca, and now David Luiz is also a good long, progressive passer. We’ve come a long way from the days of mainly Fabregas or only Arteta or Santi pulling the midfield strings with their passing. Our biggest challenge in that department is keeping… Read more »
He plays further forward for Switzerland, which means his rash tackles happen further out. That did mean a free kick with potential near the end for Ireland, but it wasn’t a penalty.
I do wonder how playing him further up would work for us. He would have good chances to set up our front three, but it could slow us down and prevent the quick short pass-and-move game we expect from Arsenal.
Xhaka’s problem is off the ball. On the ball he’s a very good player. Top class if he didn’t give the ball away so much.
Problem is that he does not have the ‘cool’ mental attributes to be a top player. We need cold blooded players in our midfield. Geundouzi is one of them. For a very young player he’s very cool under pressure.
Pierre-Emeric Aubameyang
Lucas Torreira
Sokratis
Ben Cottrell
alexandre Lacazette
Arthur Okonkwo
Sead Kolasinac
Tolaji Bola
tierneY
emile smith Rowe
mesut Ozil
Folarin balogun
Trae coyle
rob Holding
joe wIllock
Shkodran Mustafi
Completely agree.
Totally off topic, but just noticed there is “Bendtner-Mania” happening in Copenhagen, according to The Guardian. Must be something in the water?
It’s been all over the news here in Denmark.
And if any of you feel the need to see his current level of finishing, here’s a video of his first training with Copenhagen – mind you, it’s hard to watch:
https://twitter.com/TV2SPORTdk/status/1169190815270416384
His style has obviously changed over the years. It seems that it’s slowly becoming more and more like my own 🙂
The number of youth players with Nigerian decent is amazing…lol
Cool
Why the fu*k is effing Mustafi there?? Should’ve been frozen out of squad for choosing to stay. And before anyone jumps at me saying how no one wanted him, I am sure plenty of midtable clubs anywhere in Europe’s stronger leagues would take him if for example we paid half of his salary during the loan.. Not like he’s on big money atm. Could’ve helped him revive his career and sell him for some fee next year, instead of him staying and stinking up the place. His career at Arsenal is obviously over.
I’m not sure his Arsenal career is over, I think there could be a reprieve for him in the Europa League group stages and Carabao cup game against Forest this month. We’re light on numbers at the back, Luiz and Sokratis likely won’t be risked in the cups early on, so we’re effectively down to Chambers and Mustafi as back up, though Holding should be ready in a couple of weeks.
Those games should go to getting Holding fit, and playing next to Chambers if Unai keeps using Papa & Luiz in the league (Chambers didn’t deserve to get dropped, but I understand why Emery did it). Mustafi should only be used in extreme emergencies. We need to get Dinos fit as well.
We could not sell him anyway.
The state of fact that he is still Arsenal player and we have empty slot for registration due to lot of youth players on squad on B-List.
Might as well have him available in the squad for any cases though I doubt he will play much in Europa League.
He’s no worse than a supposedly more experienced Luiz. He has equal passing range from the back and in fact he has better power in the air (with have been more vulnerable to set pieces and crosses since he has been out) Both Liverpool goals had it been Mustafi would have had the usual condemnations but strangely crickets since conveniently the same critics have double standards. Same with Sokratis against Spurs. A lot of noise about Granit’s penalty but Sokratis gets zero mention since he is one of the ‘favorites’. This is the sort of willy nilly thinking that contributes… Read more »
Anything that includes Mustafi and Xhaka surely can’t be considered A-List
Rubbish comment. Most people who say these sort of things fundamentally do not understand the game or bother to watch them properly. They only look out to confirm their prejudices preconceived. Again just to reiterate – Granit made two of the best moves working the ball out from defense against Liverpool starting counters which led to two of the best breakaway (one on one) chances for Pepe and Auba. He also intercepted the ball early and high up for Torreira to eventually grab the consolation. (You won’t see these in 7amkick off since it won’t suit his narrative) ANd just… Read more »
Haha
THAT is a huge squad submitted. And not surprise to see MUSTAFI considering he’s around anyway PLUS Luiz has been FAR from convincing anyway. Hopefully Holding steps up this season. Mavropanos actually is not that young anymore. You feel like other players (De Ligt, Upamecano, Konate, Saliba) he should get a chance to impress. The trouble is at Arsenal where expectations tend to run so high, he is a risk in development where teams like Ajax, Liepzig, St Etienne have far more room for forgiveness and patience with younger players in critical areas. In our case, a loss here and… Read more »
Chambers will get good and will get more chances this season. Also agree with you that Mavropanos needs game time after injury recovery and I have full belief he will be getting that this season with papa as his mentor or at a loan in aforementioned clubs About Mustafi…. maybe not the right thing to say in this moment after Emery’s comments but this is an opportunity for him. All he really needs to do is improve his critical focus ability in matches, physically he is blessed with everything a modern defender should have + has experience, notwithstanding the general… Read more »