If Carling Did Great Young Footballers…
Aug 6th, 2008 by 'holic
It was a dress-rehearsal for this season’s Carling Cup at Huddersfield. I was thinking as kick-off approached that we are astonishingly fortunate at the moment to witness the real talent that is bubbling up just underneath what would be perceived as the first-team.
In all the years I have followed the Gunners I don’t think I have seen so much young quality in the set-up, and I used to watch a lot of reserve team football. Terry Neill got the benefit of the O’Leary/Brady/Rix/Stapleton/Devine/Price generation, developed in the Mee years. George Graham inherited and combined Adams, Thomas, Rocastle, Merson, Campbell, and others.
The generation with whom all will probably be compared was the Bertie Mee group. The regular starters of the 1971 double side incorporated the likes of Rice, Simpson, Storey, Kelly, George, Armstrong, Radford, and Kennedy.
This current crop for me is capable of achieving a great deal, but they have a problem that the Mee, Neill, and Graham generations never faced. They have a group of great players ahead of them, and only a handful of them will probably make it at the Grove. Others though will benefit hugely from those who just fail to make it at Arsenal.
Some of the football tonight was a joy. We were a little awkward defensively, and that is not exclusive to the young players at the club, but the attacking football was just breathtaking in parts. In the opening half we effectively had our reserves up against a very experienced Football League side, and this was a taster of this year’s minor cup competition. The 0-0 scoreline at the break could very easily have been 2-2. I suspect Le boss would quite happily take that side to a club from that level later in the autumn.
Both sides were weakened at the break and made further changes as the second-half progressed. The likes of Frimpong and Sanchez Watt were probably new to a lot of viewers, me included. We had the better of the contest again, but had to come from behind to snatch the victory our performance deserved.
Watt took advantage of a smart Simpson set-up to equalise before the impressive Barazite turned cleverly to clinch the win. A week from now not many of those involved in Yorkshire will be starting the Champions League qualifier, possibly only Walcott, but one has to be confident that this group can take us on another long and exciting Carling journey.
30 Responses to “If Carling Did Great Young Footballers…”
1st pint. Cheers..
ER….hUDDS TOWN are actually league 1
they gave us a good game and you slightly overexaggerate the awesomeness of our youth players
passing was wayward, especially 1st hald, and frankly a few of them were really poor
if wilshere can get into the 1st team, i hope barazite and merida too
plz no more randall
If only Jackster was here
Heh, evening Jacks.
Sorry Lacey, it’s an age thing. Championship was a generic term but you are right. I’ll change it to Football League, thanks.
Don’t be harsh on any of the lads. Those who impress most at 17 and 18 aren’t necessarily the ones who make it…
Morning ‘holic, pint please – oh, I’ll go a pickled egg aswell.
Frimpong has to make it – just has to – on name alone.
Hey ‘holic.
Good stuff again mate.
I’ll have a pint and a bag of pork scratching please.
Darts anyone?
Is it true that Wengers said hes going to make a top class experienced sighning or as usual is it just another one of this mad mans lies?
Id wager its the latter seeing as times fast running out. We all know he hasn’t the ability to sighn ready made players, true hes sighned players in the past who have turned out to be great money spinners for our beloved board but when he bought them they were average.
I think Arsene has the dream job now, win fuck all year after year living off past successes, have a section of clueless fans praise everything you do and best of all pay yourself a huge wage increase every few months.
Yes I think its pretty obvious now to all but a few braindead fans who cant think for themselves apart from the spin and bullshit that comes from the club nowadays, that dear old Arsene hasnt got it anymore, he hasnt the ability or know how to compete when it matters with the superior managers but is now happy to take the obscene money he now pockets. The board of leeches are happy to pay him so much because they know they have the best youth team manager in the world who keeps on producing big money players for Barcelona and Madrid year after year so he covers his own wages.
However at the end of the day its not about producing players for the top spanish teams and the sooner the minority of you wake up to Wengers lies and bullshit then the sooner we can get back to being about winning and competing. Sadly this wont happen untill this greedy self obsessed man is shown the door.
Morning H.
Paulie, if you have nothing constructive to say, why bother to come onto this site.
Do you want an arguement?
Who do you support?
Where do you live?
How old are you?
Male or female?
Your go!
what was that paulie?
Much as I like and admire Paulie I must admit he is getting a bit on the
boring side. He obviously has too much time on his hands.
Maybe he should look to the his spiritual side.
I recommend the Westboro Baptist Church …
@Lacey: I agree with your comment, we gave the ball away way too easily in the first half.
As for Barazite, I thought he would have been the one to step up to the first team this season. He has been consistently the best performer in the reserves, and in my opinion he is better than little jack.
Another season in the reserves will be of no use to him.
@paulie, why must it always be about you?
Paulie, you mong. Do you even believe what you write yourself? I doubt it. Do you even go to games? I doubt it.
Start your own blog called ‘I’mafuckingtwat.com’ or something, then you can rant and rage all you like.
Woodbine I agree, you are a fucking twat. You nerdy twats havent a fucking clue and yet come on here talking endless bollox. Wise up ass holes, you know I speak for the vast majority of fans now, Wengers long past it now , I know it and thing that hurts is you know it. Wake up and smell the coffee you pack of ignorant nerdy bastards.
I was at the game last night and was a little bit disappointed with the match – especially after hopes being raised for a cricket score when Theo almost ran the length of the pitch in the first minute… The first half did seem to last forever as maybe the muggy conditions took their toll. I was hoping for a bit more of a showing from Vela, but I thought Djourou and Gav had their moments and could make a half-decent pairing for the CC campaign this year.
I hadn’t realised just how short Jack was and he didn’t get much joy from the Town defence… Not sure how he’ll cope with any substitute appearances in the Premiership until he bulks up…
Sanchez Watt looked like he could be a handful – hope to see a bit more of him in CC games this year – and overall I think the best football came in the last twenty minutes. Apart from that, the highlight of the evening for me was listening to the Stadium Announcer trying to pronounce the names of the squad…
Still, the result was commendable – especially considering that the first half was played against a strong Town team who were rounding off their pre-seasons, ready for their campaign starting on Saturday. Should be another good Milk Cup run this year for the youth, though!
So you answered my question about going to games, then:
Wise up ass holes, you know I speak for the vast majority of fans now, Wengers long past it now ,
That’s a no then.
Apologies ‘Holic, I’ll leave it there.
I’ve kept meaning to check this page today. Just in case.
No trace of O’Jacks?
only a handful of them will probably make it make it at the Grove.
Shake it, shake it, baby! Well, the repetition adds something, rhythmically, it’s true.
this years minor cup competition
Now, ‘holic, you’ve already done that one recently. This year’s classic mistake?
Are the grandholics to blame? :-p
Good work sub-ed., that is another Jackster I owe you 🙂
paulie, I leave you here for the entertainment value, but abusing other readers isn’t on. By all means keep ranting on as only you can, but keep it civil. You seem to spend more the on the internet, and here in particular, than any ‘nerd’ I know.
Not sure if this is the right venue to ask, but I am going to be in London at the end of the month and wanted to know what my best chance for tickets to the Newcastle game. I don’t want to have to join the silver club or whatever it is. I saw the Wigan game at Highbury and I think that I paid too much.
Many Thanks.
Where are you from Hank?
I live in Vancouver. I was able to make it to Highbury for the last game before we moved to the Grove. I was unsure about getting tickets so I bought on CraigsList ahead of time. I think I could have gotten cheaper tickets from a scalper but didn’t want to risk it.
Really worth looking at joining the Canada or USA Supporters Club, Hank. Links on my front page.
If it is too late to book through them you might find some packages with Thomas Cook through Arsenal.com
Scalpers still charge a premium here.
Packet of pork scratching and a pint o’Strongbow please ‘holic.
Oh and one for your good self too.
Now that is my kind of customer. I’ll have a Famous Grouse with the top off.
That’ll be thirty seven pounds please Hazza 🙂
Just a pot of those cockles please…
*fumbles through loose change…*
I’ll just help myself at the bar, ‘holic, if that’s alright with you….
*smiles winningly*
Listening to Arsene Wenger these days is not too disimilar to reading Arsenal’s match day programme, full of useless hot air. If you’re an Arsenal supporter and want to be entertained or get a feel for public opinion you buy a fanzine like the Gooner, and if you want to know what’s really happening at Arsenal you’ll have to pick scraps from web blogs as you’re more likely to find worthwhile information that way even if it’s time-consuming and insalubrious. Since David Dein left, the Arsenal board doesn’t say anything worthwhile anymore and is becoming increasingly dislocated from the supporters.
Arsene Wenger stopped talking sense – in public – a long time ago. He used to talk sense all the time, but since Arsenal stopped winning trophies pretty much nothing worth listening to comes from the managers mouth other than transparent political speak. Nowadays his post-match interviews are a masterpiece in misinformation.
Today, several comments from Wenger were published on the official website. Talking about Arsenal’s chances of winning the league this season Wenger comments, “We were a short way from winning the League and the Champions League.” This is wrong. Losing in the quarter final of the Champions League is not a short way from winning it – losing to Barcelona 15 minutes from the final whistle is a short way from winning it, losing in the quarter final isn’t. People don’t even remember the losing finalists let alone the losing quarter finalists.
As for the title race, although in the end Arsenal finished 4pts from winners Man Utd, Arsenal were not a short way from winning the Premier League either, they were actually completely out of it by mid-April after a dreadful spell of 2 wins in 13 matches. Four remaining wins when Arsenal’s title hopes were all but dead bridged the gap a tad and gave the illusion it was close, but it wasn’t. You need to win the pressure games, that’s where the title is won and lost and Arsenal failed due to lack of composure, lack of maturity and lack of strength in depth.
Wenger continues: “I am convinced the frustration we got by not winning it last season will come out for good… It will strengthen our resolve to do it this time.”
Personally, I would rather have capable players on the pitch than incapable players with resolve. This coming season we will find out if Wenger has again misjudged the squads depth and the mental composure of its core players, and whether they are mature enough to step up in the face of the injuries that are bound to occur.
Other quotes surround the departure of Gilberto Silva. “He will do fantastically well”, remarked Wenger. “He did not play in our side last season because Flamini came in at a tournament and did well. Fabregas was already in the side too. But when he came into the side he did well.”
Fabregas being in the side actually had nothing to do with whether Gilberto played or not – Gilberto was never a fill-in for Fabregas, and let’s be brutally frank, when Gilberto came into the side last season he was awful. He was completely demotivated and his attitude was unprofessional, so Wenger is completely wrong on that one. A lot of people – not everyone – will have a pop at me for saying that but that’s because they’re blinkered and don’t watch football matches properly. For most, when Arsenal win if someone plays like a plonker they forget about it, whereas I always keep a mental note – because a plonker performance will always damage the team at some point in the future. I don’t see Gilberto doing fantastically well at Panathinaikos, he’ll do ok, but we’ll probably never hear or read about him again from this day forth, but I do wish him luck – a genuine nice guy.
Finally, Wenger comments on Cristiano Ronaldo who appears to have made a cringeworthy u-turn of Adebayor-like proportions and is now staying at Manchester United. “I am pleased first of all [he is staying],” said Wenger.
And if you believe that you really will believe anything.
While Arsenal’s players are having their pre-season friendlies, I am having a pre-season moan – as I am perfectly entitled to. There are 23 days until the end of the transfer window, and Arsenal are short of experience at the back. No amount of “resolve” will win Arsenal a major trophy if Philip Senderos is forced to play 20 games between February and April. That’s not based on one bad season from the Swiss centre-back, it’s based on five unimpressive seasons. I am also dismayed that Wenger has counted out the FA Cup as a viable trophy to chase. I like the FA Cup, it’s a fantastic day out for the supporters and we should be putting out a mostly full strength side in that competition. Football is about entertainment, the fans want to go to Wembley and win the FA Cup, personally I don’t believe they want it treated like the Carling Cup, something to be binned. If Arsenal are going to field weakened teams in the FA Cup then ticket prices should be reduced. I still feel one of the biggest travesties of last season was Arsenal’s 4-0 thrashing at Old Trafford in the FA Cup. Every single travelling fan should have been given their money back after watching the team not bother to turn up in what was the most unprofessional display I have ever seen from a Wenger team. The final result should have been 8-0, that’s how bad it was, my blood boiled that day.
Tonight Arsenal play Ajax in the Amsterdam Tournament and tomorrow Sevilla, maybe I will be in more optimistic mood after watching those games. Generally I am an optimist, but often Wenger sucks the optimism out of supporters through his lack of assertiveness in the transfer market. I can’t put my finger on about what’s happening at the club, but I do believe Wenger is deliberately choosing to fight an uphill battle because it reflects better on him if he fails. He loves the fans thinking he’s skint. Controversial huh? I still trust him though and still think he’s the best man for the job under the current circumstances. I’m also sure that what he thinks privately is completely unrelated to what he says publicly, thank God.
Better post Paulie. You are entitled to an opinion, and when you explain your viewpoint like that I cannot complain. I don’t agree with the conclusions you are coming to fella, and I am worried about the Dein reference. I could go into that further, but not at this time.
Still, I’m glad I didn’t ban you now. Opposing viewpoints are healthy, and I took the time to read what you took the time to write. All I can ask is you do the same with the rest of us.
Paulie, I have read your comments over the last few blogs with interest. I like you are an optimist. I also believe in put up or shut up. I read a lot of your comments, the vast majorirty of which are doom and gloom. However, I read litttle about solutions. If you think we are really in such a state the who do you want as manager and which players do you want us to bring in? I am interested to read your answers. it is always easy to be negative and have a go. Realistic and achievable answers please.