Right-back situation emphasises benefits of pre-season

This pre-season has been somewhat chaotic from the perspective of the Arsenal academy, with many players stepping up to higher levels.

Josh Nichols, for instance, has spent the majority of pre-season with the first-team, with the right-back impressing during the tour of the USA before featuring against Bayer Leverkusen last night.

The injury to Takehiro Tomiyasu has meant that Nichols has received more playing time than was perhaps initially anticipated but he has taken his opportunity and will now be looking to make his competitive senior debut in the near future.

Nichols’ involvement with the first-team has also had a knock-on effect at U21 level, with Theo Julienne featuring for Mehmet Ali’s team despite having only just signed his scholarship contract.

Julienne, who often plays as an inverted right-back and has also been used in midfield, is one of the most highly-rated players in Arsenal’s new scholarship intake. He will be eligible for the U18s this season but will also hope to feature for the U21s and U19s at some stage.

The fact that Julienne has been with the U21s has created an opening at right-back at U18 level, with schoolboys Saurap Sampang and Abraham Owusu-Gyasi being given opportunities.

Both players are looking to earn scholarships in 2025 and will have benefited hugely from playing in stadiums against senior players when the U18s faced Hitchin and Hendon.

The right-back situation emphasises how the involvement of one youngster with the first-team can have a knock-on effect for other players. All of those who have featured at higher levels will have learned a lot from the experience.

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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird