• ! ! ! IMPORTANT MESSAGE ! ! !

    Discussions about police investigations

    In light of recent developments about a player from Premier League being arrested and until there is an official announcement, ALL users should refrain from discussing or speculating about situations around personal off-pitch matters related to any Arsenal player. This is to protect you and the forum.

    Users who disregard this reminder will be issued warnings and their posts will get deleted from public.

General Reserves Talk

  • Thread starter M+D
  • Start date
  • Replies 11,736
  • Views 1,149,962

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
Losing both Musah and Amaechi this past year was annoying.
And Daley-Campbell. 3 very big talents leaving so unceremoniously at a time when they could really be seen potentially as options. Amaechi was probably the most understandable one but the other two was completely baffling.
 

Gooner416

Master of Stonks
Trusted ⭐

Country: Canada
And Daley-Campbell. 3 very big talents leaving so unceremoniously at a time when they could really be seen potentially as options. Amaechi was probably the most understandable one but the other two was completely baffling.
Scratched my head at the fact that he wasn't offered terms, but never rated him in the bracket of Musah and Amaechi. Although, you're so right when VDC could've been an option for us.
 

Geofranco

Would let Saka date his daughter

Player:Saka
Losing both Musah and Amaechi this past year was annoying.

Saka better than Amaechi, so not too bad to lose him. Even though Amaechi has a better touch, bigger frame and more explosive top speed, he always lack a bit of guile in his play. Saka is very intelligent player, which is what is gonna set him apart. Losing Musah is terrible though. Dude has future captain written all over him.
 

Geofranco

Would let Saka date his daughter

Player:Saka
Azeez gotta learn to impose himself on games. I watched that England v Brazil game and he was anonymous for most of it. He has perfect attributes to play the Xhaka role for us in the future. Very smooth player with good athleticism and ability to read the game.
 

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
Azeez gotta learn to impose himself on games. I watched that England v Brazil game and he was anonymous for most of it. He has perfect attributes to play the Xhaka role for us in the future. Very smooth player with good athleticism and ability to read the game.
I would say for someone of his talent in possession he doesn't demand the ball as much as you would expect for sure. A bit of a weird one particularly for a CM like him. I think he is truly at his best when he picks the ball up from deep but he does have a good deal of effectiveness further forward aswell.

 

Country: Iceland
Difficult question, but if you had to pick out the top ten academy talents at the club (in order :p) - including the likes of Nelson, Saka and Nketiah - who would they be @MutableEarth @hydrofluoric acid ?

My list would be something like :
1. Smith-Rowe
2. Saka
3. Willock
4. Nelson
5. Nketiah
6. Balogun
7. John-Jules
8. Azeez
9. Matt Smith
10. Sheaf

Tbf Im not to much familar with current intake of u18 players. Heard they are very good but they have been going through some hard adapting process. Think there are few talented defenders there.
 

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
Will answer this in a bit. Working currently.
Difficult question, but if you had to pick out the top ten academy talents at the club (in order :p) - including the likes of Nelson, Saka and Nketiah - who would they be @MutableEarth @hydrofluoric acid ?
OK so I don't really have a top 10 because progression I've found - especially lately in the case of Reiss Nelson - is not really linear so I very rarely exercise solid ratings. Nelson in full bloom is arguably the best talent of the ones nearer first team football. As ever though, this has not yet borne out in the team, where a sturdier, more direct talent like Saka has shone greatly - his development not only linear but been very steep since he broke into the u18s as a schoolboy and became one of the best players within a month or 2.

I have two categories to be honest- the knowns and the unknowns. The knowns are guys like Willock, ESR, Saka, Nelson and Miguel Azeez (a newcomer). Those are guys I consider dead certs to make it as long as the opportunity exists. I would put Nketiah in that bracket but his position is under a lot of threat from the unknowns - Balogun, John-Jules in particular and now Martinelli (I didn't really count him in either as he isn't an academy talent). Other unknowns include Okonkwo, Clarke, Burton, Coyle, Smith, Cottrell, Greenwood and others. Of that lot, I would speculate most will have a hard time breaking in. Of this group, I think Matt Smith is arguably the most talented with Cottrell close behind. These guys are rounded and capable of playing a high caliber technical game. They lack physical prowess however. Also I would advise people to watch out for the CB Clarke. Hes improved quite a lot and with Ballard and McGuinness injured and Medley just recovering, he could have free reign to build his stock.

Who do I think is the most talented overall? I think all of Willock, ESR, Saka and Nelson have a claim. Nelson is capable of producing spectacular football at his confident best, Saka is an unstoppable force when he gets going and both Willock and ESR are extremely well rounded players physically and technically to a high standard. I think Willock and ESR have the biggest upside. They can dominate games. Nelson still needs to work on impacting games more over 90 mins. Saka I think will peak pretty early but his peak will still be very high.
 

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐

Cottrell getting a shot here. Baloguns absence means he will be with the 1st team on Thursday. Mavropanos getting more needed minutes as well as another outing for Clarke. Would have liked an Azeez start but not with that midfield. I like Azeez over Burton but Burton has been alright this season. Matt Smith getting back into the swing of things.

Kick off in 5 mins.
 

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
So by some stroke of pure misfortune, both John-Jules and Balogun are injured. What terrible timing.

Door opens for Sam Greenwood.
 

Latest posts+

Top Bottom