The Class Of 08 Aim To Blunt Blades
Sep 22nd, 2008 by 'holic
For the second year running the Young Guns Carling Cup adventure includes a test against Sheffield United. The Yorkshiremen were hit by a three goal salvo at Bramall Lane last season, but the Gunners second string were bolstered that night by Eduardo and Theo Walcott.
This time around it looks very much as though Arsene Wenger is intending to put a very inexperienced side out in the third round. We have long suspected that sixteen year old Jack Wilshere would get a start in this competition, but the official website is reporting that he may not be the youngest player on show.
The advent of Arsenal TV means that large numbers of us have already had a glimpse of some of the lesser known participants in the live reserve match screenings and youth team highlights. This will be a huge test for them and they will have to be at their best if we are to make progress.
I like the look of the likely spine of the side. Keeper Lukasz Fabianski impressed in pre-season, Johan Djourou was unlucky to lose his place in the back four when Kolo Toure returned to fitness, Aaron Ramsey has already shown he is able to create time and space for himself in midfield whilst up front, Nicklas Bendtner was simply outstanding at Bolton on Saturday.
Around those will be a number of players for whom this will be a wonderful test, and a marker of how far they have progressed. Alongside Ramsey and Wilshere we may well see Mark Randall and Fran Merida, and it is in midfield where I feel the contest may be won or lost.
If those four can provide a service to Bendtner and Carlos Vela I suspect we will be able to advance once more. If the Blades deny them space and make them nervous it could be a long night. I’ll take the talented and enthusiastic youngsters to edge it, and the ‘holic pound once again will be ventured on a 2-1 win. By the law of averages I will be right once this season!
Arsenal-Land Coming Back
If you haven’t already seen, Arsenal-Land is rising Phoenix-like from the flames of a server catastrophe. I know how fortunate they are, and I am delighted for them. It may be a short while before they are one hundred percent operational, but my congratulations to Darren and his team for overcoming a potential calamity. Welcome back.
27 Responses to “The Class Of 08 Aim To Blunt Blades”
Cheers!
Itยดll be interesting as always to witness the next batch of young players coming through and Iยดm hoping to see Merida, Frimpong and Thomas and alongside the likes of Jack, Randall and Ramsey.
As long as we have a spine of Djourou and Song in defence and bendtner and Vela up front we have a fairly strong CC team and at home I believe we have a good chance of progressing.
Great news that Arsenal-land is up and running again because their articles are always a very good read.
Keep up the good work Holic!!
I have a nagging feeling we might lose this game. The team we’re sending out tomorrow is the youngest we ever have and that worries me. especially since the blades will kick their studs in tomorrow.
I also feel a premonition of a loss tomorrow. I can’t really explain why, but the youngsters have been doing so well in this competition for years now. Sooner or later we are bound to be at the receiving end of a Carling Cup upset and I agree with Ole Gunner that Shef. Utd. will be fired up for this one. I hope I am wrong, because I really think this competition is a great opportunity for giving the youngsters some much needed experience.
If we fall behind to an early goal and the blades “park the bus”, will our youngsters have the mental strength to turn the game? I’m not sure.
I think we may underestimate the winning mentality that has been drummed into these ‘young guns’. Wenger clearly goes to great lengths to chose his players for their mental as well as physical strengths/abilities/attributes – call it what you will. They will be fired up!
Not forgetting there is a certain amount of ‘experience’ in the form of Fabianski, Djourou, Song (if he plays), Ramsey, Bendtner,Vela.
I’ll predict a 2-0 win ๐
hey , what’sup with the negative prediction. the boys will receive a session with 30-year-experience sport psychologist before this game , just like the 1st team got before the bolton’s match. They will be on fire
We are class. 4-1.
Bendtner, Vela, Djourou, Song and Fabianski are all full internationals while the rest of the players all play internationals at some level (apart from Randall) so I don’t think there’s too much to fear.
Agreed Fabs Dad. Youth and experience are there more plenty than perhaps apears at first glance. It’d be great to see Bendtner and Vela on the scoresheet. Excellent tonic for confidence.
Fucking OhGay OhGay!
Pint please.
T’other gaff’s fucked today. Very annoying.
Very much looking forward to Wilshere and Vela tonight, should be a great experience to start infront of capacity crowd.
In the words of Ricey, Blogs they’re making you look a cunt.
Disaster Recovery – my arse!
Haha, what was I saying earlier, Esso?!
Always reliable, always comfy.
What a joke!
Get the round in Silva, ham and cheese roll aswell, if you could?
Thats no way to talk about your elders and betters, young Silva.
Anyway what about Saturday. Is it ‘enery the eight’th I am I am’ or do I join the ‘queue’, like?
Haha, I meant the other gaff!
*Gets round in*
Get them down ya…..
I’ll PM you tonight Esso. 100% on the Henry, looking a bit ohgayohgay-ish on the q, if be honest. On the case until the last minute tho’
Dyy as a nuns cu*t round ‘ere at the mo’
Rightio, time to head off then.
If the landlord’s around, there’s a pint in for you sir ๐
Cheers, ‘holic…
A drink, for me?
You can come again mush…
Goodbye to the ‘holic pound. It was nice knowing you ๐
Ah, 15/2 for a reason.
Got any money Mr ‘holic?
Cold Heineken please ‘holic
Have much enjoyed your level headedness in recent times so have one yourself sir
This performance tonight, so far, represents a complete destruction of all doom. Or should do. All right we have a dodgy centre-half pairing and we might not win anything this year, but what a journey we are on with Le Boss
Is there another Manager out there who could put out a team of teenagers, pretty much, and get them to play like that?
4-0
‘A goal of real class and quality…It’s like watching the football equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotter’s youth team.’
Simon Brotherton – Five Live
Cheers LSPG,
and Pip, no money, my pound was lost about the same time as your life savings, but I’ll happily buy you a Guinness on Saturday. Are you up for the Hullstravaganza?
Hey ‘Holic,
We didn’t get to watch the thrashing in the States, but I caught the details from Sky. 6 nil? Hullo!!! All these AW haters across the pond should swallow their tongues, or, at the very least, you shouldn’t let them belly-up to the bar with us gooner faithful. I think we are in grand shape because of the youngsters; a hat-trick for Vela? Are you kidding me?
Speaking of drinks, how about A JW Red, please? Just put it on my tab.
Cheers!
Hey Guys!
I’m SEA Gunner from Singapore and I’ve been supporting the Arsenal since 2005. I’ve just started a blog at http://www.arsen-all.blogspot.com and would appreciate it if you guys could check it out, perhaps give your comments and stuff. Cheers!
SEA Gunner
Ha ha…great comment on this morning BBC news. In referring to last nights pretty emphatic result, the reporter said “it was men against boys – only in this case the boys were the clear winners!!!!”.
I like that. Le Boss gets it spot on again ๐