The injury problems afflicting Arsenal U21s show no signs of receding after left-back Jernade Meade was ruled out for a further month due to injury. Meade made his first-team breakthrough this season, featuring in the Champions League and Capital One Cup, but suffered a blow to his foot in training recently, ending any prospect of the youngster heading out on loan in this transfer window.
Nico Yennaris and Ignasi Miquel have returned to full fitness, and trained with the first-team squad today, but Serge Gnabry, Craig Eastmond, Sanchez Watt, Daniel Boateng, Kyle Ebecilio and Jordan Wynter are all still sidelined and are unlikely to feature in Monday’s Elite Group fixture at home to West Ham United.
The U18s, meanwhile, have been hit by yet more fixture postponements. Their FA Youth Cup tie with Fulham was called off yesterday due to an icy pitch at Barnet’s Underhill Stadium, with a provisional date of next Tuesday being scheduled for the fixture, which has already been re-arranged four times. Steve Gatting’s side will also be playing catch-up in their league programme after the away game against Middlesbrough, scheduled for this weekend, was also postponed.
There was some positive news concerning Arsenal’s youngsters today, however, as Chuba Akpom and Isaac Hayden joined Yennaris and Miquel in training with the first-team at London Colney this morning. Akpom made the bench for the Champions League trip to Olympiacos last month, whilst Hayden, who can play at centre-back or in central midfield, is also registered to play for the club in the Champions League.
Arsenal will be without Thomas Vermaelen, Mikel Arteta, Francis Coquelin and Lukasz Fabianski for tomorrow’s trip to face Brighton in the FA Cup Fourth Round, but it seems unlikely that any youngsters will make the trip to the coast given the club’s pressing need for trophies.
I hope Hayden get’s a chance tomorrow. Based on descriptions he’s exactly the type of player we could do with.
Also Yennaris has to start getting more chances. I’ve never seen him play remotely poorly in the 1st team and he has everything required to be a top player for us. Potentially captain material IMO.
I completely agree with you!!
It seems we cannot nurture players who are not super talented…
Man Utd is good in this…see players like Fletcher flourishing!!
Have to agree, Yennaris deserves an opportunity.
Everytime he has played whether at right back or midfield he has done well.
Against Coventry in carling cup he was excellent.
Where do you think Hayden’s best position is? and do you think Miguel and Yennaris have the necessary quality to make it at Arsenal?
‘given the club’s pressing need for trophies’
Blimey that’s new. Did I miss something or have we got a new manager ?
[...] The injury problems afflicting Arsenal U21s show no signs of receding after left-back Jernade Meade was ruled out for a further month due to injury. Meade made his first-team breakthrough this season, featuring in the Champions League and Capital One Cup, but suffered a blow to his foot in training recently, ending any prospect of [...] Source: Arsenal [...]
Jeorge, what’s the situation with Eisfeld, is he fit or not?
I was hoping that he might have had a couple more chances in and around the 1st team by now….
Think that the lad has a lot of talent…
he’s fit but i’m not sure why he hasn’t been training with the first-team recently.
We have Ramsey who wenger is determined to make him a world class player which he never will be. We give chances to players who obviously proved they dont have what it takes…. but still we give them chances just because they are young. In Barcelona Guardiola let Cuenca and Tello play ahead of Pedro and Sanchez. In Arsenal we don’t let anyone ahead of Walcott and now Ramsey. Giroud is also someone who is being pet by wenger. This is ridiculous really.
Come on Wenger, stop being a dick and just give chances to whoever Jom thinks you should.
Like to see more academy players being given an opportunity, IMO I think it will mean more to them than others who are bought in. Jack Wilshere prime example.
Supporters would be willing the youngsters on to succeed, one of their own . Similar to Charlie George once upon a time.
Yennaris, Ankeke, Afobe …. integrate them and blend them into teh team.
I wonder if Aneke isn’t being given a chance because Wenger sees Gedion Zelalem as the loooooooooong term replacement for Diaby??? I know he’s only 16 though. We’ll see what happens to Aneke once next season begins. We probably won’t find out anything new, as to how Wenger rates him, until then. Unless Diaby gets injured again and Wenger chucks (no pun intended) Aneke in to fill the void??? I’m just a little confused as to why Aneke hasn’t figured yet at all in the first team.
It’s hilarious to go on here and see some of the comments…Giroud isn’t good enough now??? Ramsey played alright today and was VERY good against West Ham. You were moaning that Wenger got rid of Frimpong too early, in case Diaby or Coquelin are both injured, and now you want him to get rid of another central midfielder in Ramsey too??? Fuck off.
Off topic Jeorge, but do you know if we looked at Beckham’s lads? I see they’ve joined a Chelsea training programme. I was wandering if there is any talent there or if it is just an exercise to seek a little extra media attention?
I know Beckham trained with us a couple of times and we have a good relationship with him, so now he is insistent that his family lives in London, I thought we’d be high on the list of clubs he’d like his lads to be associated with.