Watt’s eventful season takes another turn with Crawley loan

Back in August, when Sanchez Watt was told that he was unlikely to have a long-term future at Arsenal, few could have foreseen that he would, temporarily at least, force the club to reverse that decision with the purplest of patches in front of goal for the second string at the start of the season.

Seven goals in eight games prompted the club to offer him a contract extension and also drew loan interest from several clubs, with Watt eventually electing to join League One side Sheffield Wednesday on an initial one-month deal. In hindsight, it was probably not the best decision to make as the Hale End product, who turns 21 next month, struggled to adapt to Wednesday’s style of play and concerns were also raised about his physicality during the four games that he played for the Owls.

He subsequently returned to Arsenal and trained with the first-team ahead of last week’s game with Manchester United before featuring in the Reserves’ defeat to Fulham on Tuesday evening. Although not at his sharpest, his performance was enough to prompt Crawley Town of League Two to attempt to secure his services on loan. It was an offer that Watt duly accepted and he will now spend the rest of the season attempting to help his temporary side earn promotion to England’s third tier.

It is believed that Watt also had offers from several Championship and League One clubs, but chose Crawley as he relished the challenge of fighting for the title. Crawley are currently second in the table and are locked level on 52 points with both Southend, where Watt spent a rather unsuccessful spell in 2010, and Cheltenham.

If his spells at Wednesday and Southend didn’t yield much in terms of performances, Watt has shown during his two separate spells with Leeds that, if he plays in a side suiting his strengths, he can prosper. Although he struggled for goals during his time at Elland Road and, particularly during his second spell there was somewhat hampered by injury, he helped to create several opportunities and endeared himself to Leeds supporters with his hard-working performances.

His latest move to Crawley may be seen as a step down by some and he is, in a literal sense, going down a division, but such an opportunity may be just what he needs to get his career back on track. Despite the aforementioned contract extension, it seems rather unlikely that he will make a long-term breakthrough at Arsenal, with Joel Campbell and Benik Afobe considered brighter prospects.

Watt, who played a prominent role in the under-18′s double-winning success three seasons ago, is yet to feature for the Arsenal first-team outside of the Carling Cup and, bar an unexpected turn in events, that seems unlikely to change. Success at Crawley, however, would go some way towards enhancing his overall profile within the game.

Reserves’ winless run extends with Fulham defeat

Premier Reserve League 

Arsenal 0 Fulham 1

Arsenal Reserves are without a win since November after losing 1-0 to Fulham at Motspur Park this evening. Arsenal started the brightest and dominated the opening half an hour, but Fulham assumed control thereafter and held on for victory.

Lukasz Fabianski made his return from injury in goal, whilst there was also a start for captain Ignasi Miquel at left-back. Sanchez Watt started up front having returned from a disappointing loan spell with Sheffield Wednesday. Oguzhan Ozyakup, meanwhile, returned from injury.

Fabianski

Hoyte-Angha-Monteiro-Miquel

Eastmond-Ozyakup

Meade-Gnabry-Ryo

Watt

subs: Martinez, Wynter, Ebecilio, Rees, Ansah.

Fulham created the first opening when Bjorn Helge Riise’s cross was met by Alex Kacaniklic, but the former Liverpool youngster, who scored against Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup Final in 2009, couldn’t turn the ball goalwards.

Arsenal then started to grow into the game, with Watt almost threading through Jernade Meade before Miquel skewed an effort over from a corner. Gnabry, who was perhaps Arsenal’s brightest spark in the opening period, demonstrated his vast potential with a sublime piece of skill, then Craig Eastmond shot wide after exchanging passes with Ozyakup.

Neil Banfield’s side continued to threaten, with Ryo making his first meaningful contribution when his cross was met by Watt, but the striker could only direct his effort straight at Csaba Somogyi in the Fulham goal.

Somogyi then kept out Meade’s tame effort, before Fulham ended the first period in the ascendancy with a flurry of opportunities in quick succession. Marcello Trotta fed Patjim Kasami who saw his effort go just wide, the latter then went similarly close with a well-struck free-kick and Trotta missed by a somewhat wider margin following good work form Kacaniklic.

Kasami was certainly causing problems for the Arsenal defence, and Fabianski was called into action to palm away an ambitious acrobatic effort from the striker. The Polish goalkeeper then had to be alert to clear the danger following an untimely loss of footing from Gavin Hoyte with Trotta in close proximity.

Fabianski made another save from Trotta and, despite the hosts having enjoyed a sustained spell in charge of the game, the last chance of the half fell to Arsenal, but Somogyi would not be beaten by Watt’s effort.

Fulham would emerge the stronger immediately after the break, however, and made Arsenal pay for some sloppy defending. Elton Monteiro’s clearance gave the ball away in a dangerous position and Hoyte was unable to get rid of the danger in time. Kacaniklic took full advantage, slotting the pall accurately past Fabianski.

Arsenal then introduced Zak Ansah in place of Gnabry, and Watt had another effort saved, but Fulham continued to exert pressure, Trotta testing Fabianski and Rafik Halliche seeing his free-kick deflect wide.

Arsenal utilised their two remaining substitutions by bringing on Kyle Ebecilio and Josh Rees for Meade and Ryo. The latter had struggled to impose himself on the game and seemed to be somewhat ill at ease with the physical requirements of the encounter, which is perhaps why he hasn’t featured for the first-team outside the Carling Cup this season.

Rees saw a shot trickle into the arms of Somogyi and the other new introduction Ebecilio seemed to spark more life into Arsenal’s attacking movements, Ozyakup slotting the ball through for his compatriot who was just beaten to the ball and Watt heading over following an incisive cross from Martin Angha.

Gnabry inspires u18s demolition of Portsmouth

Premier Academy League 

Arsenal 5 (Toral, Roberts, Gnabry, Akpom, Jeffrey) Portsmouth 0

Arsenal under-18s returned from a two-week break to record an emphatic 5-0 victory over Portsmouth today.

Coach Steve Bould handed schoolboy Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill his under-18′s debut at left-back, whilst Serge Gnabry returned to the side after international duty. Anthony Jeffrey recovered from injury in time to make the bench, whilst Martin Angha, Josh Rees, Kyle Ebecilio, Zak Ansah and Samir Bihmoutine were left out ahead of the Reserve fixture against Fulham on Tuesday.

Charles Cook

Bellerin-Hayden-Fagan-Ormonde Ottewill

Toral-Wynter

Gnabry-Olsson-Neita

Roberts

subs: Vickers, Glasgow, Jeffrey, Akpom.

After a somewhat scrappy start to the game at a blustery London Colney, Arsenal took the lead when Gnabry threaded through Jon Toral and the former Barcelona youngster slotted home his third goal of the campaign.

Portsmouth’s threat was sporadic, with Arsenal goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook having little to do other than pluck a corner out of the air. At the other end, Roberts rather rushed his shot when through on goal, then Gnabry failed to make a clean connection with a shot as he lashed over.

The visitors started to grow into the game as the opening period wore on, Antelmi hitting a shot wide, then Butler wasting a well-placed free-kick. Charles-Cook was then forced into his first stop of the day, before Arsenal almost doubled their advantage through Nigel Neita, who shot just wide after more good work from Gnabry.

The latter would turn provider for Arsenal’s second soon after, however, when his lofted ball found Roberts, who ended his goal drought with a well-placed header.

Gnabry was at it again in the second half, shooting over with an effort of his own, before Isaac Hayden made a rare foray forward from the back and brought a good save out of the Portsmouth goalkeeper. A perceptive pass from Kris Olsson then set Toral free, but the young Spaniard blazed over when he could have got his second of the game.

Gnabry wasn’t disheartened, though, and made it 3-0 with a spectacular run and finish to take his tally to six goals in as many starts at this level.

Olsson then had a chance to make it four but shot straight at the goalkeeper, then a moment of hilarity ensued when Antelmi succeeded in rounding Charles-Cook, leaving himself with an open goal, but lost his footing before he could make any meaningful contact with the ball.

Arsenal then introduced Akpom and Jeffey for Roberts and Neita. Hector Bellerin surged forward from right-back to deliver a teasing cross but nobody was on the end of it, then Akpom became increasingly to the fore.

First, he set up Gnabry, but the German couldn’t find the net, then Akpom latched onto Olsson’s ball finished comfortably to make it 4-0.

Ben Glasgow entered the fray, then Jeffrey marked his comeback with his fifth goal of the season after applying the finishing touch to an impressive move.

It was a fitting end to what was one of Arsenal’s best performances at this level this season, and certainly their best result.

Gnabry was particularly to the fore, and the German youth international cannot be too far away from being promoted to the Reserves on a regular basis if he continues in this vein of form.

Portsmouth may set bottom of Academy League Group A, but Arsenal can still take much from today’s game and will hoping for more of the same away to West Ham next month.

In brief: Hajrovic/Murphy/Watt/Wellington/Botelho

Sead Hajrovic has joined Barnet on an inital one-month loan deal. The Swiss defender, who joined Arsenal as a scholar from Grasshoppers in the summer of 2009, has established himself as a key member of the Reserve side in the past couple of seasons and is set to benefit hugely as he gains his first experience of the professional game in the familiar surroundings of Underhill.

Striker Rhys Murphy has joined Scottish side Hibernian on a three week trial. The 21 year old, who first shot to prominence following his clinical form for the under-18s whilst still a schoolboy, has been plagued by injury problems during his embryonic career and is thought to have been told that he is free to leave the club. Murphy, who has started the past four Reserve games, experienced a disappointing loan spell with Brentford two seasons ago and failed a trial with Rangers last summer.

Another striker, Sanchez Watt, has returned to the club after failing to make an impact during his short loan with Sheffield Wednesday. Watt, who began the season in blistering form at Reserve level, couldn’t establish himself at the League One side and is likely to seek a further loan spell in the next few weeks.

Wellington has seen his disastrous spell with Levante come to an end, with the Brazilian loanee subsequently joining Spanish second division side Alcoyano on loan for the remainder of the season.

Fellow Brazilian Pedro Botelho, who is likely to leave loan club Rayo Vallecano shortly, was arrested last Sunday for traffic offences. The incident, which saw the left sided player reverse into an unmarked police car and fail a breathalyser test, is likely to be the death knell as far his time at the Spanish club is concerned.

 

Arsenal’s Monakana joins QPR on trial

Jeffrey Monakana, one of several second year scholars to have been told that he is free to leave the club after not being provided with assurances regarding a professional contract, is currently on trial with Queens Park Rangers.

Monakana, who is nominally a right-winger but can also operate as a central striker, steadily rose through the ranks at the club’s Hale End Academy, and signed scholarship forms at the start of last season, making 42 appearances for the under-18s in the ensuing period, as well as making his Reserve debut this season.

However, he was left out of the squad for the FA Youth Cup defeat to Derby last month and was substituted in each of the past four Premier Academy League games that he has started for the club. QPR, who signed Callum Webb from Arsenal in similar circumstances earlier in the season, were alerted to the situation and Monakana was an un-used substitute in their Youth Cup victory over Everton last week.

During his time at the club, Monakana has impressed with his speed and ability to deliver precise crosses but, for an attack-minded player, his return in front of goal has been lacking, finding the net on just five occasions since his scholarship began.

That, and the continued progress of Josh Rees, are thought to be the key reasons behind Arsenal’s reluctance to offer a contract, but, if the sprightly youngster is to leave then he will be able to do so with his head held high having not let his commitment waver during his time at the club.

Several of the 17 players who signed scholarship forms with the club in the summer of 2010 have since departed. Jamie Edge is at West Bromwich Albion, whilst Steven Smith joined Leicester and Webb could soon be reunited with Monakana at QPR. Alban Bunjaku remains likely to leave the club following a disagreement with coaching staff, with the technically talented youngster now preparing for trials with Rangers and Celtic after a proposed move to West Ham fell through.

Ben Glasgow and James Campbell are likely to join Monakana in being released, after they were both also left out of Arsenal’s ill-fated Youth Cup campaign. Martin Angha, Zak Ansah, Elton Monteiro, Kyle Ebecilio, Nigel Neita and Josh Rees have all signed professional contracts, with Jordan Wynter, Reice Charles-Cook, Samir Bihmoutine, Philip Roberts and Reice Charles-Cook also likely to be retained.

Scotland could be next stop in Bunjaku saga

The ever intriguing saga surrounding Alban Bunjaku has taken another twist, with the creative midfielder preparing for trials at further clubs after a move to West Ham United failed to materialise.

The 17 year old is still contracted to Arsenal despite having been told that his future lies away from the club following a disagreement with coaching staff concerning a lack of opportunities in the Reserve side.

Bunjaku recently spent time on trial at West Ham, turning out for their under-18 and second string sides, but, despite the Hammers being interested in signing him, they were unable to match Arsenal’s demands for a fee and he has subsequently returned to London Colney on a temporary basis.

There have been suggestions that Nottingham Forest are also interested in securing Bunjaku’s services, although his next destination could be Scotland, with both Rangers and Celtic prepared to offer him trials.

Bunjaku’s final destination remains uncertain, although a future at Arsenal seems increasingly unlikely.

 

Rees secures point as Reserves draw with Villa

Premier Reserve League

Arsenal 1 (Rees) Aston Villa 1

Josh Rees emerged off the bench to secure a point for Arsenal Reserves against Aston Villa at London Colney this afternoon. Rees levelled with an instinctive finish from inside the area to end Arsenal’s run of three consecutive defeats.

Shea

Hoyte-Boateng-Hajrovic-Angha

Eastmond-Toral

Ebecilio-Murphy-Ryo

Park

subs: Charles Cook, Brislen-Hall, Ansah, Rees, Monteiro.

Neil Banfield made four changes from the side that lost 2-0 to Sunderland last week. Ignasi Miquel and Nico Yennaris were rested following their FA Cup exertions, so Martin Angha and Jon Toral, making his first start at this level, came into the side. James Shea started in goal, whilst Kyle Ebecilio was also restored to the starting line-up. Ryo Miyaichi and Ju Young Park kept their places.

Villa have tended to dominate these encounters in recent years, so it was of little surprise that they took the lead in the third minute when Michael Drennan headed past Shea to open the scoring.

Shortly afterwards Shea had to be alert to keep out a fierce effort from Gary Gardner after the Villa player had seen his initial effort from a free-kick strike the wall.

After a blistering start from the visitors, Arsenal gradually began to gain a foothold in the game, and Ryo, having almost got through moments earlier, had Arsenal’s first meaningful effort on target when he saw his shot saved following good work from Park and Toral.

Gardner then hit another effort wide, before Park, perhaps in a reflection of his lack of luck since joining the club, struck a post following a precise through-ball from Rhys Murphy.

Villa ended the opening period in the ascendancy, but Arsenal, inspired by the introduction of Rees for Park at the interval, would find an equaliser early in the second period.

After Martin Angha surged forward from left-back and saw his cross blocked and Shea made another impressive save from Cameron, Arsenal levelled when, following Murphy’s pinpoint cross, Daniel Boateng saw his header blocked and Rees was on hand to steer the ball into the back of the net. Having scored his first goal of the season for the under-18s against Norwich at the weekend, Rees was amongst the goals again as he drew the Gunners back into the game.

Villa were not a spent force yet, however, with Johnson and Gardner both coming close, whilst, in the interim, Arsenal introduced Zak Ansah in place of Ebecilio in search of an extra attacking outlet.

However, despite both sides seemingly being desperate to secure a winner, it didn’t come, and, given Arsenal’s improved performance after having gone behind, they certainly cannot be begrudged a point.

 

Freeman leaves permanently as class of 2008 dwindles further

Four years ago Luke Freeman, then aged 15, joined Arsenal amid a blaze of publicity. Today he is back in the lower leagues on a permanent basis having sealed a move to Stevenage following a successful loan spell at the League One club.

The ensuing period was filled with peaks and troughs for Freeman, but one quality shone throughout, with his trademark determination and enthusiasm endearing him to fans and coaching staff alike.

A fringe part of the side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2009, he was more heavily involved in the Premier Academy League triumph that season, as indeed he was the following campaign, as he carved out a niche role for himself on the left wing despite having joined the club as a centre-forward.

A loan spell at Yeovil followed, but, despite a bright start there, injury meant that it was soon curtailed before he returned to the Reserve side at the end of last season in emphatic fashion, scoring several spectacular goals in the process.

He started this season in the second string once again, but jumped at the chance to join Stevenage when they enquired about his availability on loan. He has certainly impressed thus far, which prompted the offering of a permanent contract, but his departure from Arsenal does seem a little hasty considering the praise that was lavished upon him by Arsene Wenger upon his arrival. In late January 2008, Wenger said: ”He is only 15-years-old of course so we need to be patient but he’s a very interesting prospect. He is another one for the future.”

Talk at the time centred on how Freeman would lead the way in an English revolution of players coming through the youth ranks at Arsenal. It didn’t quite materialise as anticipated but there is a steadily growing core of Arsenal educated players in the first-team squad, with the likes of Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs and Emmanuel Frimpong having come through the ranks at the club.

Freeman leaves Arsenal with the best wishes of everybody at the club, although it would be fair to say that he has now found the level that best suits his current ability.

His departure does raise another interesting point in that, of the club’s scholarship intake of summer 2008, only Frimpong and Conor Henderson still remain at the club.

Of the others, Cedric Evina is currently at Charlton and Roarie Deacon joined Sunderland last summer, but Rhema Obed is flitting around non-league clubs and Sam Byles and Oliver Nicholas are free agents.

 

 

 

Miquel and Yennaris draw Henry praise

January 9th, 2012 will forever go down in history as the day when Arsenal’s record goalscorer marked his return to the club with the most dramatic of winners, but Thierry Henry, amidst his wild celebrations, found time to lavish praise on some of the younger members of the Arsenal side that prevailed against Leeds last night.

Nico Yennaris and Ignasi Miquel were still schoolboys when Henry left the club to join Barcelona in 2007, but both acquitted themselves well against the Championship side last night. Miquel was making his tenth first-team appearance, and has now played in all four competitions this season, and, despite being faced with a potentially daunting task in taking on Tottenham Hotspur loanee Andros Townsend, he coped admirably. In addition, wiith Francis Coquelin having succumbed to injury, the tall Spaniard could be handed his first Premier League start away to Swansea on Sunday.

Yennaris, whose only previous involvement prior to last night was in the Carling Cup Fourth Round win over Bolton Wanderers, made an unexpectedly early foray into proceedings when he replaced Coquelin in the first period at right-back. Yennaris was his usual tenacious self and also got forward on occasion, although Johan Djourou is expected to return to the side at the weekend.

Nonetheless, the young duo had evidently made an impression upon Henry, with the Frenchman remarking: ““Obviously I am going to grab some headlines and stuff like that but Nico Yennaris and Ignasi Miquel at the back, along with some of the other guys, played really well. I was at the end of a great move but as I said many times, it is all about the team. We went through and that is the most important thing.”

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may well have been one of those ‘other guys’ Henry was referring to, with the former Southampton winger turning in a lively performance on the right flank before being replaced by Theo Walcott. Ryo did not emerge off the bench, with a loan spell still a likely option, whilst Damian Martinez’s inclusion served to underline his promotion in the Arsenal goalkeeping pecking order.

U18s edge past Norwich

Arsenal under-18s started the New Year with a slender victory over Norwich this morning, further enhancing their chances of Premier Academy League success in the process.

Josh Rees scored the only goal in the second period with his first strike of the season after returning from injury. Ben Glasgow, James Campbell and Jeffrey Monakana, who were left out of the squad for the FA Youth Cup defeat to Derby, all missed out again, whilst schoolboy Chuba Akpom was afforded a start up front at the expense of Philip Roberts.

Charles Cook

Bellerin-Monteiro-Hayden-Bihmoutine

Ebecilio-Toral

Rees-Olsson-Neita

Akpom

subs: Vickers, Wynter, Fagan, Roberts.

With the game against Ipswich, which was due to take place next weekend, having been re-arranged for February 3rd, the under-18s are not scheduled to be in action again until they face Portsmouth in a fortnight’s time.

Meanwhile the under-16s were also victors against the same opponents, winning 3-1 with the prolific Jordan Brown scoring a hat-trick.