U18 Premier League
Manchester City 4 Arsenal 1 (Hinds)
An Arsenal U18 side composed entirely of schoolboys suffered a 4-1 defeat away to their Manchester City counterparts today. City found themselves three goals to the good inside 23 minutes after capitalising on some poor Arsenal defending, but the impressive Kaylen Hinds, making his first start up front, pulled a goal back for the Gunners before the interval. Joe Nuttall, however, struck again for City after the break to complete his hat-trick and make it 4-1.
Coach Carl Laraman rested his entire FA Youth Cup squad ahead of Monday’s tie with Everton, whilst Arinse Uade, Leander Siemann, Tom Dallison and Jordan Brown were also unavailable due to injury. Laraman handed debuts at this level to midfielder Chris Toonga and attacker Chris Willock, whilst four further schoolboys, Stephy Mavididi, Aaron Eyoma, Femi Olomola and Aaron Eyoma earned their first call-ups on the bench. George Dobson, Tyrell Robinson and Hinds, meanwhile, made their first starts after coming off the bench against Blackburn Rovers last weekend. City also fielded a rather young side by U18 league standards.
Huddart
Moore-O’Connor-Bola-Robinson
Dobson-Toonga
Maitland Niles-Smith-Willock
Hinds
subs: Mavididi, Eyoma, Olomola, Ejaria.
City took the lead through striker Joe Nuttall with just three minutes on the clock, before winger Bersant Celina doubled their advantage from the penalty spot seven minutes later. Nuttall then struck again before Hinds reduced the deficit for Laraman’s side.
Any hopes of that goal reinvigorating the visitors soon dissipated, however, when Nuttall completed his hat-trick just before the hour mark with a fine strike past Huddart.
Arsenal have now taken just four points from a possible twelve since the commencement of the new league after Christmas, and face Aston Villa at home next week.
With thanks to @AFCFixtureNews
how old were the man city players? Did they rest players too?
City’s team were 14-16 too, they have a field underage policy with the development over results belief. They’d lost both games before today.
Was an U16 game U18’s game cancelled!
Think you’re right.
Correction was an U16 game but played instead of the U18’s fixture for the points. Both teams had no U18’s playing.
Angus Gunn @AngusGunn01
No game today 😡. Hope the 16s can win our points though @TosinAdarabioyo @keanB07 @BrandonBarker96
That was a under 18 game , because you had the FA youth cup game a few days after you took a very young squad, still represented the under 18s though.
Uade Bola mavididi olomola eyoma ejaria where the hell do we find these schoolboys? i have just looked on my sons school list and i cant see any names like the ones arsenal have. i am sure we are human trafficking kids from all corners of the globe! (joke)
before all the anti-racists get on me im not racist im married to an asian with mixed race kids of our own. but given the poor crop of youngsters currently at the club which is obviously causing major disruption amongst the coaching staff perhaps its time to take a look in the home counties?
Right, so the ‘names’ (ie. colour) of these kids is what’s causing the bad results and we should look for players from the “home counties” (ie. white). Nope, that’s not racist at all!
they are all born here you idiot, of African heritage.
Can’t help but laugh your thought process.
Are you serious? An english name doesn’t mean they will be better.
I see the released Denzeil Boadu is playing at West Ham now.
@ bc, you can only look on the area around you, and due to past immigration you’ll find a great deal of African and Asian families in thw Arsenal acadamy carchment area. Doesn’t mean they are any less British or commited.
U16, liar, City’s side was the same age.
Very poor dispay by u16s whole team from goalkeeper to forwards nowonder they are getting released
I’m not surprised about the result, even if Arsenal were playing a selection of younger U15/16’s boys – because Laraman is tactically inept in how he sets up and plays his teams. My neighbours lad was with Arsenal 2 years ago (now at West Ham) and Laraman was his coach. I used to watch games on a regular basis at Hale End and it was shocking to see how he used to coach and direct these these kids on the field, he really seemed to have no idea – no obvious strategy or formations, just lots of random shouting which just confused the players. I can’t think what Arsenal/Liam were thinking when they appointed him for the 18’s, but they’ll surely have to think again when all the results start to tumble, especially on the back of a poor U18’s campaign so far.
Laraman is Liams mate. How many coaches and young players have left hale end due to him. no quality coach will work with him, so hale end cannot cannot attract top class players or coaches. Word has spread on brady / laramans quest for total control of u16s to u8s and anyone with half a brain is leaving asap. The players now at u18s level as seen v Everton are not good enough with the younger years getting worse.
Chris Wilcox is one to look out for, gifted attacker