Morning all.
Arsenal played Leyton Orient yesterday at London Colney behind closed doors. Mikel Arteta’s side won the game but scoreline are irrelevant at this stage of the summer. Now is about minutes for players as they strive to get match fit for the start of the 2024/25 season.
Here’s how Arsenal lined up and what changes were made.
Arsenal XI: Hein (Nygaard 70), White (Rosiak 60), Timber (Rekik 46), Heaven (Monlouis 60), Lewis-Skelly (Nichols 60), Partey (Patino 46), Odegaard (Gower 60), Nelson (Nwaneri 60), Vieira (Smith-Rowe 46), Jesus (Salah Oulad-M’hand 60), Nketiah (Sagoe Jr 60).
Nice to see a number of academy players involved but that was always going to be likely with a number of players yet to return to training. Gabriel Jesus and Emile Smith Rowe scored Arsenal’s goals.
The squad and staff head off to the USA today for three friendly fixtures and I’m sure I’m not alone in wondering who will make the trip. Heaven, Nwaneri, Hein and Nygaard are likely in my opinion, possibly Patino too. Hopefully a few more will join them and take full advantage of any playing opportunities they might get.
David Ornstein has written in The Athletic that Arsenal are accelerating their efforts to sign Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori. Arsenal are now progressing the situation and looking to complete a deal for the 22-year-old as soon as possible, with other clubs looking for a similar profile this summer.
Still, until it’s official, it’s unofficial despite the headlines on NewsNow suggesting otherwise.
What is official, at least from the man involved in the move is that Colin Kazim-Richards, ex Arsenal academy player, has returned to the club where he’ll join the academy coaching team.
I am delighted to announce that I have officially joined the Arsenal Academy coaching staff he tweeted. It is an honour to join a club so renowned for its dedication to excellence and development.
I think it’s fair to say that the academy hasn’t really worked in recent years but when you think of some of the players who’ve left since Mikel Arteta arrived, many were at the club long before he or Per Mertesacker were part of the club in their now roles in 2019 and 2018 respectively.
In some ways it’s no different to the first team squad in as far as it’s being shaped for the future. We can’t blame either Mertesacker or Arteta for letting players go who either or both truly believe won’t make the grade for Arsenal. Yes, it’s a shame so many leave for free or even turn the club down in search of what they perceive to be a better opportunity but it’s not just Arsenal FC who this happens to. I suspect if we trawled through our academy players past and present, a lot would have started out somewhere other than Arsenal. Even Tyreece John-Jules started out at Charlton. (That one’s for you Kev) Eddie Nketiah started at Chelsea yet if he’s sold, it’s Arsenal who’ll make a profit.
Anyway, let’s hope the younger players coming through now show a bit more ability and personality and maybe, just maybe, one or two might soon be doing something for the first team other than occupying a place on the bench.
Catch up in the comments.
Calafiori is closer than we thought, he’s on a beach just outside Calais waiting for a place in rubber dinghy. 😉
Good morning Rico and thanks for the post.
Morning Cicero, I know I shouldn’t laugh but… 😂
John Jules eh Rico, yeah he’s one who very popular with a good mate of ours. But I never knew he was previously a Latic.
Didn’t we have a really thriving academy before Abramovitch arrived and then Chelsea started signing up all the best kids in the South-East and beyond whilst also poaching some out our best youth staff. It’s a policy Man City used under their own petrodollar owners allied to a string on nursery clubs scattered around the globe.
Tbh under Wenger we switched from scouting in the British Isles and went continental, I mean who can forget all the South American youngsters we signed, although funnily enough I can’t think of any?
Wellington, wasn’t he one and Vela?
I used to laugh when fans talked up our ‘academy products’ like Djourou, Senderos, Martinez, Voltz, Gnabry, Fabregas, Eboue, all developed elsewhere.
Arsenal sign Ajax goalkeeper Setford
Arsenal have completed the signing of young goalkeeper Tommy Setford from Ajax.
The 18-year-old has entered the final year of his contract in the Netherlands, is an England U21 international
I did think of him Kev…. 😢
Probably Kev but under Wenger, many youth players featured in the domestic cups but that was about it. Other than Jenks who was signed from elsewhere too.
Maybe that masked the fact that it’s not just now that the players aren’t coming through but for a while. At least now, things look like they could improve.
Mrning Rico and all,
Maybe now that we have signed setford, we might start signing some senior players. and moving more players on.
Hi Geoff, you really are impatient 😂
Rico the way I look at it, the longer you waste time, the more chance another club will walk in and offer the full and get the player.
Impatient Geoff is on the warpath again…. 😄
Root is only 55 runs away from overtaking Brian Lara…
There are only 7 batsmen ahead of Joe Root with Tendulkar probably the only one out of sight…
Yes Rico I agree with you regarding Wenger and the domestic cups but he was Mr Lucky when it came to cup draws whereas Arteta has had to suffer some outrageously difficult away draws in early rounds.
Some nice easy home draws in the League and FA cups are well overdue.
I’m sure much is going on which we don’t know about Geoff.
Agree Kev, and there were far less competitive clubs back then compared to now. Certainly pre Abramovich etc.
Arsenal’s 26-man squad for U.S. tour
Goalkeepers: Karl Hein, Tommy Setford, Lucas Nygaard, Alexei Rojas
Defenders: Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber, Josh Nichols, Jakub Kiwior, Ayden Heaven, Omar Rekik
Midfielders: Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Michal Rosiak, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Ethan Nwaneri, Salah–Eddine Oulad M’Hand, Jimi Gower
Forwards: Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson, Charles Sagoe Jr, Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah
Injuries prevent Kieran Tierney (hamstring) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) from playing any part in the tour.
Why am I not surprised to see Kieran Tierney injured again.
Does anyone know how bad Tomiyasu knee is,
Joe Root has done well to get in touch with the top 7 players, there some big names in there,
He got injured at the Euros. No idea re Tomiyasu though.
Sorry can’t log in
To HH or WordPress?
Tomiyasu getting injured is a real bummer as he isn’t rapid at recovering his fitness.
WordPress:Says it will send me an email but I don’t get one.I have to do a full log in every time I come back to HH
Could always start a rumour that he’s leaving Kev. lol
Have you checked your spam Kelsey?
I did and it was in there but i haven’t a clue what to do and it times out after an hour .It has my other name as well Marbellaron when I lived in Spain for 14 years,both on WordPress .
There is an option to stay signed in I think..
Seems as if England has finally found a successor to Graham Swan – at last
Didn’t realize, Tomiyasu come from Bologna the club as Calafiori.
New post up.