One thing the typical spectator will have noticed when watching Arsenal this pre-season is the increased participation of the club’s young English players in first team activities.
A new generation of players, including Jay Simpson (the League One player of the year), Gavin Hoyte, Henri Lansbury, Mark Randall and the wonderful Jack Wilshere have given Arsenal fans even more optimism (well, the optimism one can have bar a defensive midfielder and a central defender) preceding the start of the new season as they slot in beside attacking midfielders Ramsey, Nasri and Bischoff.
Many onlookers have criticised Arsenal’s foreign youth policy but it is hard to argue against it when you see Rafael Van Der Vaart signing for Real Madrid for £10.3m and a footballer who has half the talent in David Bentley signing for Spurs for roughly £17m. In the modern game, Arsene Wenger is right to feel a responsibility for the finances of the club, buying cheap, selling for a profit.
The other option would be to find a billionaire and run the club as a business making loss after loss as Chelsea have done. Peter Kenyon, the Chief Executive has spent his time voicing his concern over ‘gimmick’ players rather than attempt to balance the books for the West London club.
The News Of The World report that the club had to buy cheap and sell one big name each year caused widespread panic, but the patchwork of quotes attributed to Wenger were actually of the Frenchman speaking of the Olympic Lyonnais model and their finances. Yet starting a sentence with ‘The club…’ opened an avenue for the tabloids to report the quote in an incorrect context. And adding actual figures next to this inaccurate quote actually created controversy among Arsenal fans and an unneeded panic spiral.
Yet, while players fail to make the grade at Arsenal, they forge successful careers due to the youth training they receive at London Colney. Players including the likes of Steve Sidwell, James Harper, Fabrice Muamba, Jermaine Pennant, David Bentley, Matthew Connelly, Ashley Cole, Matthew Upson, Stuart Taylor, Jerome Thomas and countless others have successful careers as well in the top two divisions of this country. The club do well from these sales, with sell-on clauses bringing home a tidy sum, with a reported 40% of Bentley’s fee landing in the Arsenal bank account.
Yet it is this new generation that has mouths watering, with Wenger not wanting to limit the development of this new generation. This is evident through handing the 16 year old Jack Wilshere Gilberto’s no.19 shirt as he looks to make an impact on Arsenal’s season. The fleet-footed winger has been compared to many great players; with the hyperbolic claiming he is similar in style to Liam Brady, now Arsenal’s Academy Director, and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.
Yet the closest comparison seems to be Joe Cole, who can be seen as the most free of the English midfielders in terms of creativity and style. Former Gunner Stewart Robson has even suggested his footballing intelligence has already surpassed Theo Walcott, while his trademark (cut in from the right and play a reverse pass to the striker) has shown his ability to appreciate the weight of the pass and his ball manipulation.
Any fears over his physique were dispelled by his energetic display in the Emirates Cup, as he made a wonderful cameo, embarrassing Javi Garcia, the converted Real Madrid centre-back, whilst also taking on Michel Salgado in a tussle. For an attacking player, his execution of the tackle is very clean and he is infective in his style, urging on his team-mates through his mature actions on the pitch. Do not be surprised if this youngster makes waves in the Carling Cup.
Arsene Wenger has been right in his attempts to shield the schoolboy from publicity, but the impact of his appearances have weakened his manager’s attempts to respect his development in peace. The new generation will prove the doubters wrong. Alongside foreign imports, such as the brilliant Dutchman Nacer Barazite and Spaniard Fran Merida, the depth and quality of Arsenal’s squad will increase as the youth players develop and compete for places in the first XI.
Here are a few others to watch:
Henri Lansbury – The teenager has been likened to Steven Gerrard in his style of play, and is also quite versatile but unfortunate with injuries.
Mark Randall – Alongside Wilshere is the closest to breaking into the first team. He started games against Blackburn in the Carling Cup and Sunderland in the league. Is a classy passing midfielder.
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