A very young Arsenal side went away from home and beat FC Vorskla 3-0 to top our Europa League group. Goals from Emile Smith Rowe, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Willock gave Unai Emery’s side the win they needed, and it was a lovely glimpse in the future and how much talent there is coming through the academy.
Read the Vorskla 0-3 Arsenal match report
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Let’s not get carried away. The Volska team is probably the 2nd worst team we will play this season (behind Sp*rs), but it was so enjoyable to watch our academy step up and win a 1st team game. Medley looks like he could be an option at LCB and Nketiah showed he’s capable of being the right winger we need, great feet.
BAH HUMBUG!
But BRAVO for the Sp*rs comment!
How do we know they are behind Sp*rs? Have they played Sp*rs this season?
Ok, read it again. Got it, finally. Sorry. Yes. bravo.
I don’t think anyone is really getting carried away with this result mate
Dear Santa, please don’t let Arsenal mis-manage these young players. Keep ’em signed and do it early!!!
And we still have Reiss to come back after playing some serious football
Carl Jenkinson is so good he doesn’t need eyes to read the game
Ridiculous that they took Emile’s second goal off him. More merciful than correct refereeing.
And Willock looks like he could make the grade when/if Rambo goes
It was fairly similiar situation to Mane’s goal. Nketiah went for the ball. We must be consistant. If most Arsenal fans (including me) said it was offside against Liverpool then it was the same for yesterday.
What a thoroughly enjoyable night. These kids are alright. Reminded me of when Vela, Wilshere and co tore shefield Wednesday to shreds in the carling cup years ago.
Whoever scouted Guendozi; give him a raise Stan!
*Sheffield United. If it matters
Yeah you’re right. Was in such high spirits I got the names muddled. Still, great performance by the kids back then
Oh it matters….my ex had an affair with a sheff Utd fans, fucking hate them with a passion. It matters .
The Vela dink days.
The Sir Chips we deserved, but not the one we ended up with.
I have a man crush on Vela
Given the incident he had with the Mexican National team, he might appreciate your man-crush.
Hmmm, look back at the team v Sheff U that night and hope we can do better with the futures of our current crop. Best from then was Wilshere and – surprisingly – Ramsey, with bit credits for Flapianski and Lord Bendtner. Lots of the others were lauded as the future but didn’t really make it.
Good win! The opposition was very average yes, but we were playing in -12 DegC! So, good job by the youngsters stepping up. Willock and Smith-Rowe were especially good and Jenks did well to slot in at CB when the team needed him to, and put in a solid performance. Do we top the group now irrespective of the next round of results? If yes, then I think the youngsters should have a game at the Emirates against Qarabag. They deserve it. Well done!
And now onwards, let’s have us some Spuds….COYG!
Yes, we have won the group. The best Sporting can do is tie us on points, and we have the tie-breaker (head-to-head) over them.
I don’t think I’ve seen an unearthed gem like Guendouzi in a long time. Industrious, assured, and creative. And hes only 19! Bravo to Sven and Emery for having the balls to play him consistently. I don’t think it is stated enough, but it was actually quite the risk to play a teenager from Ligue 2 early on in the season for a new manager trying to establish himself.
It’s not a risk if he’s good enough – which he is 🙂
Guendouzo is well built for his age, he holds onto the ball and uses his frame really well, same can be said of Smith-Rowe.
Thoroughly enjoyable game, Nketiah was a menace throughout, thought he was our best player on the night.
When you think, Guendouzi is 19 and Torriera is 22 with Smith Rowe at 18, we are looking very good for many a year.
I agree some of his passing and flicks over the top are ridiculous to try for his age. He has no fear and works his bollocks off for the team. What a star he is going to be. Please stay!
jenko at Cb even against this lot was impressive. Thought Eddie was fantastic, could have scored a couple but his overall play was excellent particularly in the 2nd half. Massive respect to Elneny, real professional and irreplaceable squad player
OK, it’s Vorskla, but seeing these young guys play with so much confidence and skill is heartening. Ramsey could see that he was playing alongside his heir apparent in ESR; nice to see them both score today. Hats off to Emery for starting Jenko–he deserved that. I always figured he could be an emergency CB, though he’s far down the depth chart there, especially when Chambers returns. Nketieh could use a loan spell, I think. He’s great to have here now that Danny’s out, but as the competitions get to their later stages (if we’re still in them), he won’t… Read more »
Can’t wait to be back in CL. Some of these europa opponents even make Jenkinson look good. That said, well done the young lads today. We were in control of the game, penalty maybe a bit soft but then we were denied a goal for a wrongly called offside. Elneny and Guendouzi controlled the middle of the park today. Willock put in a great shift today. Just ahead, good movement from Smith-Rowe and Ramsey but Nketiah was excellent. I won’t be suprised if Welbeck is moved on in the summer to make way for Fast Eddie. His instincts are superb… Read more »
Most pleasing aspect. We finished with 6 teenagers on the pitch who all played well. Emery will bring these kids on. Arsenal after a number of years underachieving now fill me with hope for a return to the glory days
Let’s also appreciate the professionalism being shown by Ramsey. We get none of the sulkiness or press noise from him that we saw from certain other short-timers like Alexis and Robin Van Cunty. He just accepts his status and appears to willingly put in a shift as sub, or as part of the second string in a freezing cold semi war zone. Huge credit to him and his leadership. i will be very sorry to see him go. (But i still think Blogs is overly generous with his Rambo ratings! 🙂 ).
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oh cmon blogs even ya emojis are so tendicious, sort it out man!
Steady. He got a run out with the kids against a pub team. Enjoy the view of the derby from the bench, Aaron.
Just to give some context. Van Persie and Sanchez wanted to leave the club so they were unhappy with proceedings. Ramsey doesn’t want to leave, emery has decided he is not good enough. Could not agree more. Wish him well and he could be very good for a mid table team.
Is it just me that wants Rambo to stay?
Nope. Looking at the way he used the ball in the build up to the 1st goal I felt very sad. It’s subtle but so classy. You can argue it makes the goal. I am very sorry that he is going. I don’t really get it.
When was Van Persie sulking? He was always professional at Arsenal and even after he went to United he was respectful. You like him or not but Arsenal would probably be much worse today if it hadn’t been for his last season. Let’s be thankful for that.
Van Persie wanted to stay … but he had enough of players like Denilson, Djourou, and Almunia in the squad.
Just like most other Arsenal supporters.
Not going to pretend Jenko is an unearthed gem (to para-phrase an earlier comment) but, credit where its due, he played well tonight.
I was disappointed to see Nketiah react poorly to smith rowes goal and a later miss
Yes, on the one hand you want him to be annoyed at missed chances but then you don’t need the prima donna bits until you’re as good as Ronaldo. I think he can become the next Ian Wright but needs to recognise it’s a team game.
Some of you have absolutely no idea what these young guys sacrifice to make it at a club like Arsenal. No idea.
Even Ian Wright, well before he came to Arsenal, was extremely single-minded about scoring goals and played every game like it was make or break for his career. Nketiah showing his emotions reveals how much pressure young strikers are under. Nothing wrong with him showing that, provided he played well for the team. So focus on the man’s good performance and cut out the lazy tabloid smears like “prima donna”. It’s really not helpful.
I’ve downvoted you because whilst I mainly agree with what you’ve said my natural instinct was to feel uncomfortable about Eddie’s reaction…
So what you’re saying is even against rational thought, reason and evidence, you just felt it’s best to ignore that and just go with your emotional response?
Should I guess what you voted for in the referendum?
You probably shouldn’t bring politics into sport because all it does it cause anger and animosity.
At least it was honest. He is a striker after all.
Honest yes and instinctive certainly and maybe he feels if he doesn’t score he won’t get selected, but if he can bring people into play and hold up play (as he did) then he will always have a place in the team. The bottom line regardless of what we as fans think of his reaction, it’s what the manager makes of it that really counts.
I think he reacted to his own miss (prematurely) and not ESM’s goal. And a striker that is not disapointed at missed chances well they are not strikers. In the end he had a good game and contributed really well to ESM’s goal.
All hail Joe Willock the new Thierry Henry according to bt sport
Hyperbole of the highest order, still for any media outlet to be saying nice things about our players should be grabbed with both hands I guess.
I didn’t want this game to end man! It was fun. Hope our youth players get more chances like this, they were amazing really.
Holding better be involved this weekend. We need him and his ball control vs Spurs with their pressing. Nice to see Ramsey put in a good effort, wonder how much we will get for him in January as it seems clear Emery plans to sell him.
Impressed with Willock the most, largely because I didn’t rate him before when he played as a deep-lying midfielder. Sure he was tidy and technical, but as that deep CM kinda reminded me of an Elneny/Denilson type; clean, technical and keeps the ball ticking but doesn’t do much with it. With so much competition in the forward spaces and the arrival of Guendz, I was sure it would spell the end of old Joe. But sure enough, he’s been immense at the U23s this season (our best player) and is transformed as an attacking midfielder. Actually looks more like his… Read more »
All the kids were great. Enjoyable game of football. But MATTEO, the kid is a real gem and he surprises me everytime he have the ball. He will be the best midfielder in the world in less than 3 years. I will enjoy watching his decision making improvement.
It was an enjoyable watch and lots of potential in there. It was good to see a team selection that mixed experienced squad players with young up and coming players. Jenkinson needs a special mention as his positional awareness was good and one thing he has over our other centre-backs is that he is quick! At FB his technique lets him down a little in the attacking third, but at CB that’s less crucial. Yes, I know it’s only Vorskla, but still he did well. Smith-Rowe was the other stand out player, for me. Once he learns a bit more… Read more »
But where are the subs faces?