Disappointing defeats for Arsenal under-18s and under-16s against West Ham

Arsenal under-18s are three games without a win following a disappointing 3-1 defeat to West Ham at Little Heath this morning.

Shorn of the talents of Benik Afobe, Sead Hajrovic, Oguzhan Ozyakup and Daniel Boateng, the Gunners welcomed back Ignasi Miquel in the heart of defence, whilst livewire Jernade Meade started for just the third time this season.

Dunn

Byles-Obed-Miquel-Evina

Yennaris-Henderson

Deacon-Aneke-Meade

Freeman

subs: Brislen-Hall, Edge, Ansah

In blustery conditions, Arsenal took the lead through a somewhat fortuitous Chuks Aneke effort, his second goal of the season, but, as in the last game against Norwich, they couldn’t sustain their lead.

West Ham had started brightly and came close to taking the lead themselves, but after Arsenal had opened the scoring midway through the first-half, Tony Carr’s Hammers responded with former Gunner Ahmed Abdulla equalising. Cristian Montano then gave West Ham the lead from a tight angle before substitute George Moncur’s driven shot got the better of Dunn to seal the win.

Arsenal used all three substitutes but none of them could make a significant impact and West Ham held on for a deserved victory.

The Gunners will look to arrest this alarming slump when they take on Charlton at home next Saturday having already lost as many games as in the entirety of last season.

Meanwhile, the under-16s suffered a humiliating 7-3 defeat to the same opponents, albeit against a very impressive West Ham side. Joe Jones continued his impressive scoring form, whilst the highly rated Steven Smith hit a double.

U18s preview- Selection problems abound for Bould ahead of West Ham trip

Arsenal under-18s will be looking to halt a two game winless streak when they travel to Little Heath tomorrow morning to take on Tony Carr’s West Ham side.

The Gunners return after a week’s absence having previously picked up just one point from a possible six. A poor performance in the defeat at Ipswich was followed by a 2-2 draw with Norwich after a seemingly comfortable two goal lead was thrown away against the Canaries.

Arsenal remain top of Premier Academy League Group A on goal difference, but coach Steve Bould will be eager for his side to be able to hang on to a lead should they take one tomorrow. The Hammers have had some mixed results so far this campaign, losing 5-2 away to Tottenham and sharing six goals with Southampton in a tumultuous affair. However, they won 2-0 in their last game, away to Portsmouth, and welcome the Gunners full of confidence.

Former Arsenal forward Ahmed Abdulla is one of Carr’s prize assets, as his strike on the South Coast a fortnight ago showed. Conor Okus is another impressive performer and under-16 starlet Dylan Tombides also found the net against Portsmouth on his debut at this level.

That said, Bould rarely reads too much into the opposition before matches, instead focussing on his own side. The ‘keeper situation remains unresolved, as it remains to be seen whether one or both of James Shea or Sean McDermott will have recovered in time to play. If not, James Dunn, the on-loan keeper from Southend, will continue between the sticks. There are other selection issues too, Daniel Boateng serves his suspension for two bookable offences against Ipswich, so Sam Byles is likely to continue at right-back with Ignasi Miquel coming in at centre-back. Oguzhan Ozyakup and Sead Hajrovic are away at the FIFA U17 World Cup, so Emmanuel Frimpong may resume his partnership with Nico Yennaris, whilst striker and joint leading scorer Benik Afobe is with England U17s in Azerbaijan, so Luke Freeman, who also has seven goals at this level this season, may lead the line on his own.

It promises to be an interesting encounter with both sides capable of playing some scintilating football but also possessing defensive frailties. Freeman will be looking to edge ahead of Afobe in the goalscoring charts, whilst captain Cédric Evina will be pushing for another reserve start against Portsmouth at Underhill on Monday.

Whilst the signs are certainly promising for an entertaining encounter at under-18 level, the corresponding fixture at under-16 level could be something special. The Hammers demolished Portsmouth 8-2 in their last game and possess some sterling talents, whilst the Gunners can call upon the prolific Zak Ansah who has been netting at a rate of almost two per game recently. Josh Rees is doubtful because of sickness, but James Campbell should be available again.

Tomorrow is a good opportunity for the under-18s to get their season back on track, and hopefully the coach journey back from Essex will be an enjoyable one for Bould and the boys.

Predicted team:

Dunn

Byles-Obed-Miquel-Evina (c)

Frimpong-Yennaris

Deacon-Aneke-Henderson

Freeman

subs: Meade, Brislen-Hall, Neita, Edge, Aksoy.

Eastmond shows how quickly transition can be made from youth team to first-team + Player ratings

Craig Eastmond’s debut for Arsenal against Liverpool in the Carling Cup last night was an impressive one. He slotted in with ease, winning the ball back on countless occasions in midfield and was involved in both Arsenal goals. He may have been up against two other young players in Jay Spearing and Damien Plessis, but he aquitted himself well and can be proud of his first performance for the club.

It is a measure of how far he has come in such a short space of time that, two years ago, for the FA Youth Cup semi-final with Manchester United at the same venue, he was watching the game with his under-16 team-mates from the paddock behind the substitutes. Last night he found himself thrust into action in a first-team game and didn’t disappoint.

Some people who don’t follow Arsenal’s reserves and youths closely may be wondering where he has emerged from. The talent has always been there, he made his reserve debut as a substitute in a holding role at the back end of the 2006/07 season and impressed with his tackling ability but, at the same time, looked worryingly frail and lightweight. He has now bulked up and can take on physical challengers. Last season he shone as a right-back, playing every minute of the successful FA Youth Cup run and impressing with his rugged approach. Playing there helped him to develop a good tactical understanding of the game, something which he has now put to use on the big stage.

I’ve lost count of the number of players who have been dubbed the ‘new Vieira’, but Eastmond, while nowhere near the midfielder’s ability at present, has always admired the former Gunners captain. He even had his picture taken with him as an under-14 at Highbury in 2005, and is very much in Vieira’s mould.

But it’s not just Eastmond who has impressed of late, Arsene Wenger has referred to Sanchez Watt as ‘ a street player’ because of his slight build and good technical ability, whilst Gilles Sunu and Francis Coquelin have also featured in this season’s Carling Cup run. There was a boost, too, for Emmanuel Frimpong, who was sent to warm up for the first time yesterday. Arsenal drill their players so that they know how to perform in a match situation, and Eastmond is evidence of that. With Coquelin breathing down his neck, he cannot rest on his laurels as his place in the starting line-up for the Quarter-finals is by no means guaranteed. But he is proof that the FA Youth Cup winning youngsters can perform in a first-team environment, albeit just the Carling Cup at present.

Player ratings:

Lukasz Fabianski-7-A couple of hashed clearances and shaky moments, but did well overall and couldn’t prevent the goal.

Kerrea Gilbert-7- Restricted in his forward movements but coped well with Liverpool’s attacking threat.

Philippe Senderos-7-Organised defence well and made some good interceptions. Fortunate not to be penalised for a handball late on.

Mikael Silvestre-7-A solid showing from the experienced Frenchman.

Kieran Gibbs-8-A quality performance with some splendid challenges

Craig Eastmond-8-Slotted in well and broke up play effectively, as well as being involved in the goals.

Aaron Ramsey-8-A classy showing and was involved heavily in the free-flowing attacking play

Samir Nasri-7-Some quality little touches and good forward runs.

Nicklas Bendtner-6-Frustrating in the first-half but responded with the winner.

Eduardo-7-Lacked match sharpness but some good runs.

Fran Merida-8-Stunning goal and excellent technically, faded in second-half

Subs:

Mark Randall-6-Did well in holding the play together

Sanchez Watt-6-Added pace and energy to the attack

Francis Coquelin-6-Didn’t have much time but showed composure.

Carling Cup- Eastmond competent on debut and Merida catches eye with delightful goal

Arsenal’s youngsters took another step on the road to potential Carling Cup glory with an impressive 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Emirates Stadium this evening.

There was intense competition for the holding midfield position this evening and, after some sterling performances for the Reserves of late, Arsene Wenger handed Craig Eastmond his debut. The Wandsworth-born youngster didn’t disappoint, breaking up play effectively by flying into several crunching challenges and also spraying the ball forward usefully.

It was an interesting game with chances for both sides but Arsenal just seemed to have more class on the ball. Two goals of remarkable quality meant that it was 1-1 at the break. First Fran Merida scored his first ever Arsenal goal to open the scoring. Eastmond showed good determination to win the ball and then found the Spaniard who hit a delightful effort into the net past the helpless Diego Cavalieri. If you thought that was special, then Emiliano Insua’s equaliser was something else. The Argentinian left-back was afforded acres of space and launched an unstoppable drive past Lukasz Fabianski, who was making his first competitive appearance of the season.

Arsenal emerged determined after the interval and took the lead through Nicklas Bendtner. The Dane’s performance was incredibly frustrating at times, as he dwelled on the ball for too long and made a hash of several decent opportunities, but he made up for it with a splendid finish to double his tally for the campaign. Despite a nervy last few minutes, Arsenal held on for the victory and now progress to the Quarter-Finals where a guaranteed all Premier League tie awaits.

Aside from Eastmond, who had an impressive debut, there were some other decent performers. Kerrea Gilbert was restricted in his forward movements but did well defensively, whilst his fellow full-back Kieran Gibbs never shirked a challenge. Philippe Senderos and Mikael Silvestre didn’t look entirely composed as a unit but they did their jobs well. Samir Nasri and Merida were at the hub of the hordes of intricate build-up play, whilst Aaron Ramsey made some good driving runs and showed impressive technical ability. Up front Bendtner tried hard even when it didn’t always come off and Eduardo’s class was evident in his movement and touches, even though his match fitness is understandably lacking. Three subs were made, with Mark Randall and Sanchez Watt replacing Eastmond and Bendtner who went off to rapturous applause. Randall slotted in well and did a good holding job, whilst Watt showed good energy and desire but couldn’t find the net against the team he supported whilst growing up. Francis Coquelin replaced the other goalscorer Merida in the final change, and asserted himself well.

Liverpool did cause Arsenal a few scary moments, but this was an impressive performance from a Carling Cup side, albeit a slightly more experienced one than usual. Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham are amongst the possible opponents for the Quarter-Final draw which will be held on Saturday lunchtime. The Gunners will be confident of beating any of those here at Emirates, but an away tie may prove testing. For now, though, they can be proud of a good team display. It was a night to remember for Merida and Eastmond, but certainly not for those Liverpool supporters who faced an agonisingly long journey back home.

Carling Cup preview- Wenger taking competition seriously with Liverpool in town

Arsenal take on Liverpool tonight at Emirates Stadium in what is sure to be a memorable occasion. It may only be the Carling Cup and the likes of Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard might not be on show, but it should be something to savour nonetheless.

The above will be true if the incredible 6-3 victory at Anfield from three seasons ago is repeated, in which Julio Baptista scored four goals in a bizarre match. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has said that he feels his current squad is much stronger than the one which capitulated then. Tonight will tell.

Both sides faced tricky tasks to reach this stage. Arsenal beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0 in what was ultimately a convincing victory but only after the sending off of former Gunner Jerome Thomas and the introduction of Mark Randall and Carlos Vela, who just seems to thrive on playing in this competition. Liverpool, meanwhile, required a David N’Gog strike to edge past a gamely Leeds outfit and seal their place in the draw.

Now they meet and it should be something to savour. Liverpool are on a high following the pivotal win over Manchester United on Saturday and, even though the majority of the players who featured in that game won’t be involved tonight, the good vibe will surely reverberate around the whole squad. Arsenal are looking to fulfil Arsene Wenger’s belief that this can finally be the year when they end their trophy drought.

Wenger is certainly taking this competition more seriously than he used to. In his post-match press-conference at Upton Park, the Frenchman stated that it will be a ‘mixed’ side against Liverpool and he subsequently revealed that Samir Nasri, Lukasz Fabianski, Eduardo and Nicklas Bendtner will all start the game having recently recovered from injury. Fran Mérida is set to feature having watched the West Ham game from the paddock behind the substitutes, although the bad news is that Jack Wilshere, Nacer Barazite and Armand Traore, who all featured in the last round, have been ruled out through injury. The back four of Kerrea Gilbert, Philippe Senderos, Mikael Silvestre and Kieran Gibbs is likely to remain intact, whilst Vela and Aaron Ramsey should also start. Francis Coquelin should beat off competition from Mark Randall, Craig Eastmond and Emmanuel Frimpong to start in the anchor role.

Liverpool will hope to hand a debut to summer signing Alberto Aquilani, although the midfield player is not ready to start a game just yet so will take his place amongst the substitutes. N’Gog, who sealed the win against United on Saturday, could start as could Ryan Babel, Jay Spearing, Martin Kelly, Philip Degen and Andriy Voronin. Defenders Andrea Dossena and Sotiris Kyrgiakos, a Euro 2004 winner with Greece, have recovered from injury and could be involved.

It should be an encounter to savour and, for some of Arsenal’s youngsters, an opportunity to test themselves against high-quality opposition. Both sides will go full throttle for the win and some of the young Liverpool players who lost to Arsenal over two legs in the FA Youth Cup final may seek revenge.

Predicted team:

Fabianski

Gilbert-Senderos-Silvestre-Gibbs

Coquelin

Ramsey-Merida

Bendtner-Eduardo-Nasri

subs: Szczesny, Randall, Watt, Sunu, Bartley, Frimpong, Eastmond.

Update: Vela is not in the squad

Afobe hits brace for England U17 to keep up great form

Arsenal striker Benik Afobe scored twice as England U17s began their European Championships Qualifying campaign with a 6-2 demolition of Kazakhstan in Lima, Azerbaijan.

England took the lead through Luke Garbutt with just two minutes on the clock before doubling it fourteen minutes later thanks to William Keane’s strike. Afobe made it three with a powerful run and finish before a brief fightback from the Kazakhs saw them score two quick-fire goals to make it 3-2. However, Robert Hall, who replaced Ipswich youngster Conor Wickham, struck a brace before Afobe completed his double to seal the win late on.

England’s next fixture is against Azerbaijan on Wednesday, with the final qualifier against Serbia scheduled for Saturday. Afobe has enjoyed a great start to the season, finding the net seven times in eight Premier Academy League fixtures. His absence for the under-18 match with West Ham on Saturday will cause a conundrum for coach Steve Bould, but Afobe is clearly enjoying his football at present and is certain to sign his first professional contract when he turns 17 in February.

The majority of the qualifiers for the Elite Round of the UEFA u-17 European Championships are already known, with some Arsenal representatives already qualified. Sead Hajrovic’s Switzerland finished runners-up to Czech Republic in Group 13 and so have qualified, whilst Ben Glasgow, Callum Webb and Sean McDermott all helped the Republic of Ireland to top Group 6. The Elite round will take place throughout March 2010.

Staying with the international theme, the FIFA U17 World Cup continues today with two Arsenal youngsters poised for action. Hajrovic’s Switzerland take on Japan in Lagos, whilst Damian Martinez will be hoping to keep a clean sheet when Argentina face Germany. Martinez, signed from, and subsequently loaned back to, Independiente in the summer, is an agile stopper with good reflexes and has a good command of his penalty area and his back four. When he eventually does link up with Arsenal, which is expected to be next summer, he will add to a growing number of impressive young goalkeepers in Arsenal’s ranks, including  James Shea, Sean McDermott, Luke Chambers, Yilmasz Aksoy and Riece Charles-Cook.

FIFA U17 World Cup- Ozyakup scores with Hajrovic and Martinez also in action

The 2009 FIFA U17 World Cup in Nigeria kicked off this weekend, with all three Arsenal representatives at the tournament involved in the first two days of action.

Oguzhan Ozyakup made the biggest impression, equalising for the Netherlands against Columbia with a cooly taken penalty after the Dutch had gone behind following a Fabian Castillo strike. However, Deiner Cordoba struck to ensure that it was the South Americans who emerged with all three points.

Damian Martinez, the promising goalkeeper signed in the summer and subsequently loaned back to Independiente, kept a clean sheet as Argentina beat Honduras 1-o on Saturday. Sergio Ajauro scored the only goal of the game, with Martinez making a succession of fine stops.

Arsenal’s other representative at the tournament, Sead Hajrovic, came on as a 72nd minute substitute as Switzerland beat Mexico 2-0. Switzerland, who had Oliver Buff sent off for two bookable offences, won thanks to a Pajtim Kasami strike and an own goal from Jose Rodriguez.

Simpson has proved himself in the Championship but Arsenal chance seems a world away

Jay Simpson made it four goals in three games for QPR by scoring the decisive third goal in their 4-2 victory over Derby in the Championship last night.

Simpson has settled into life quickly at Loftus Road, displaying the clinical finishing which saw him first rise to prominence for the Arsenal under-18s during his formative years at the club. His movement off the ball is also notable, as is his ability to link up well with his team-mates, and he is well on his way to replicating Nicklas Bendtner’s exploits in the division whilst with Birmingham City three seasons ago.

Yet therein lies one of the problems which Simpson will face in the long-term. Arsenal have an array of tacking talent at their disposal, with the likes of Robin van Persie, Eduardo, Bendtner, Carlos Vela and also Theo Walcott able to lead the line. The switch to a 4-3-3 means that nominal midfield players such as Tomas Rosicky and Abou Diaby can operate in the forward positions, whilst the significant improvements made by Gilles Sunu and Sanchez Watt will mean it will be incredibly tough for Simpson to get a look in as far as the first-team is concerned when he returns to North London.

Arsene Wenger said on Friday that young players face a big decision between the ages of 18 and 21 to decide whether to remain at a club and fight for their place or to move elsewhere in search of regular football. Simpson will be 21 in December and, the chances are, he will plump for the latter option on a permanent basis, whether it be at QPR or anywhere else in the Championship.

He scored twice on, to date, his only start in the first-team and endeared himself to the Millwall fans whilst in League One. He also had a loan spell in the Premier League with West Brom last season, although he only mustered three goals. His attacking qualities are clear but he will have to make a decision on his long-term future at some point. He is on loan at QPR until the end of the campaign and should conclude the season there. Thereafter, his chances of returning to Arsenal in a first-team capacity are limited to say the least.

It would be a shame to lose a talent such as Simpson, who boasts Arsenal history having scored the first-ever hat-trick at Emirates Stadium, albeit in an FA Youth Cup match, but sometimes you have no choice. The likes of Sebastian Larsson and Fabrice Muamba have carved out decent careers for themselves in the Premier League having left the Gunners and Simpson could be joining them in the not too distant future.

Simpson’s start to the season has been electric, but unless a change of radical proportion occurs between now and May, it is unlikely he will be an Arsenal player this time next year.

Lansbury continues great form with brace and assist for Watford

Arsenal loanee Henri Lansbury continued his excellent form with a well-taken brace for Watford against Sheffield Wednesday in the televised Championship clash last night.

Watford dispatched of the Owls with a comprehensive 4-1 win and took the lead via Adrian Mariappa’s close-range finish. Lansbury then opened his account for the evening with a great finish following a jinking run. Wednesday pulled one back through Marcus Tudgay, but Lansbury continued his dominance by teeing up John Harley for the third before completing the rout himself by tucking home from the returning Tom Cleverley’s pass.

Lansbury has settled quickly into life at Vicarage Road and there are already mumblings that his loan deal, which runs until the end of the year, could be extended for the whole season. Like Jay Simpson at QPR, he is clearly enjoying his football at his temporary club and his experience gained there will no doubt stand him in good stead for his future career.

Four other Arsenal loanees are expected to be involved today, with Simpson’s QPR travelling to face Derby in the late kick-off. He has scored three goals in his past two matches and will be looking to continue his scoring streak. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’ Blackpool travel to Swansea, whilst Gavin Hoyte’s Brighton host Oldham in League One. Havard Nordtveit’s Nuremburg face Hoffenheim later today, with Pedro Botelho’s Celta Vigo playing Rayo Vallecano tomorrow.

Difficult days for Murphy as he finds himself out of limelight

Whilst fellow 2007 scholars Gilles Sunu and Sanchez Watt made their first-team debuts in the Carling Cup third round against West Bromwich Albion last month, another clinical striker from that batch was left out of the matchday squad altogether.

Rhys Murphy has always shown his predatory instincts in front of goal when called upon, bursting onto the scene as a schoolboy with a prolific debut campaign for the under-18s and finding the net for his country at various age groups. Yet the Shoreham-by-sea youngster has reached a stage in his career now where he is seeking regular football, yet it is proving incredibly difficult to come by, even in the reserves.

Murphy has seen his progress hampered over the last few seasons by a catalogue of injuries and has fallen behind the aforementioned Sunu and Watt in the club heirachy. He may have scored crucial goals against Tottenham in both the FA Youth Cup and Premier Academy League last season, yet still cannot command a regular place on Neil Banfield’s second-string team-mate, let alone a place in the Carling Cup squad.

He started and scored the only goal in the 1-0 win over Stoke at Underhill and subsequently found the net against Olympiacos under-20s, but his last two games have left little to be desired. Against Chelsea, having come off the bench, he failed to find the net and followed that up by spurning a gilt-edged chance after being teed up by Watt against Wolves this week. It must be incredibly difficult for Rhys, who is now too old to play for Steve Bould’s under-18s and is limited to cameo appearances in the Reserves. He was even forced to play out of position on the right flank against Wolves and this experience was no doubt detrimental for his character.

Yet he is made of stern stuff and will surely bounce back from this situation. A lot of fans who follow Arsenal’s reserve and youth teams are fans of Murphy and he has shown terrific courage and endeavour to confront anything that has troubled him in the past.

He must now remain patient and wait for his chance. How that comes remains to be seen but football changes so quickly and you have to be able to take advantage of any situation. Watt or Sunu may pick up injuries or, after the conclusion of what will hopefully be a successful Carling Cup campaign, will, in all probability, go out on loan, leaving Murphy with a chance to shine in the reserves.

Whenever he has been down in the past, Rhys Murphy has simply just got back up again. It shouldn’t be any different this time around.