Ethan Nwaneri: New Nwan-era?

[Geofranco]

Cesc was more tactically and technically ready at 17, and crucially was amazing in his decision making a la Saka. Nwaneri has the talent to exceed him, but his style, skillset and best roles probably mean it will take him a bit longer - he's more of an end product guy than someone who dictates the game like Cesc

I believe Nwaneri has the football brain, instincts and passing range to dictate play, but he is just so talented further forward that he is always closer to goal. I have seen him control games at U21 level, but he doesn't play deep very often. I don't see any technical weaknesses in his game, he has the mentality too. He does tend to drift in and out of games and I'll give cesc the tactical edge and decision making too. But Nwaneri is not far of from teenager Saka if we are talking about decision making.

 

[MutableEarth]

The comparisons are unnecessary IMO, but what I will say is the biggest difference between Cesc and Ethan is not talent but the fact that Cesc played a lot and Nwaneri is being slowly blooded. Cesc was a complete freak and an amazing player from a very early age.

So is Ethan Nwaneri. Him being handled with cotton wool doesn't change that. I firmly believe Nwaneri would be dominating by now if he was blooded the same way Cesc was, he's that good. Now, I have no qualms about the way he's being introduced, I would even say it's preferable in this instance. But Nwaneri is 100% a super talent IMO.

 

[ArsenesCoatMaker]

Cesc also broke into a team that was one of the best in Europe and was so good we sold Vieira. Cesc at 17 was a MUCH more complete player than Ethan. Ethan has more end product and could be a real star, but Cesc could run games in the EPL and ECL at 17/18 on a regular basis.

Even more than Saka he had elite decision making at an early age, and was spectacularly tactically advanced. Not a knock on Nwaneri who may have an even better career (although unlikely to set up a world cup winning goal), but Cesc as a teenager was one of the best teenagers we've ever had at the club.

Let's qualify 'breaking into one of the best teams in Europe', Clichy and Senderos also managed this and then a raw Song, Diaby and Adebeyor broke through and then Denilson. Let's remember we were the 'youth project' who sold their best player every year.

That aside Cesc and Nwaneri are very different players. Cesc was a DLP meastro from an early age. Nwaneri if he reaches his potential (no guarantees) could be and Alexis Iniesta bybrid

 

[lomekian]

I believe Nwaneri has the football brain, instincts and passing range to dictate play, but he is just so talented further forward that he is always closer to goal. I have seen him control games at U21 level, but he doesn't play deep very often. I don't see any technical weaknesses in his game, he has the mentality too. He does tend to drift in and out of games and I'll give cesc the tactical edge and decision making too. But Nwaneri is not far of from teenager Saka if we are talking about decision making
.

Perhaps, but the difference is we saw it with Cesc straight away at the highest level - I've always been impressed with nwaneri at u18 and u21 level, but he's stylistically different, and more of a final or penultimate action player, whereas Cesc developed that later, but had the tempo-setting controlling vibe very early on.

 

[lomekian]

Let's qualify 'breaking into one of the best teams in Europe', Clichy and Senderos also managed this and then a raw Song, Diaby and Adebeyor broke through and then Denilson. Let's remember we were the 'youth project' who sold their best player every year.

That aside Cesc and Nwaneri are very different players. Cesc was a DLP meastro from an early age. Nwaneri if he reaches his potential (no guarantees) could be and Alexis Iniesta bybrid

Come off it - Between the ages of 17 & 19 Cesc played 96 games for Arsenal, mostly starts, and had become a regular in the Spain team, which happened to be one of the strongest national teams of all time.

By comparison, between 17 & 19, Clichy had 22 games for Arsenal in all comps, Senderos hadn't played a game for us, Diaby had a handful of games in France, Adebayor had shown promise for Metz, Denilson had played 20 games in Brazil and 10 games for Arsenal, and Song played 11 times.

Cesc's first 30 odd starts came in a side that still had Vieira, Gilberto, Edu, Ljungberg & Pires, Reyes and a young (older than Cesc) Flamini.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

A lot of us aren't as young as you are assuming!

By the time Cesc was 18 I was already starting my second career ;-)

Cesc was introduced as a 17 year old, a regular as an 18 year old and it was his team (alongside TH) as a 19 year old. The thing is, at 17 you could tell how special he was, as he was instantly comfortable alongside some of the best player this club ever produced.

Nwaneri looks to have similar confidence, but the way he drifts in and out of games at various levels suggests he is better used as an impact sub at this stage.

The main difference between Cesc and Nwaneri is that Cesc was played in the middle. In a Wenger team, there wass nowhere to hide or the possibility of drifting out of a game in that position. Playing on the flank is totally different. Cesc was also about a year older when he began to start.

 

[Red London]

Does this whole debate matter at all? Especially considering player development isn’t linear.

 

[ArsenesCoatMaker]

Come off it - Between the ages of 17 & 19 Cesc played 96 games for Arsenal, mostly starts, and had become a regular in the Spain team, which happened to be one of the strongest national teams of all time.

By comparison, between 17 & 19, Clichy had 22 games for Arsenal in all comps, Senderos hadn't played a game for us, Diaby had a handful of games in France, Adebayor had shown promise for Metz, Denilson had played 20 games in Brazil and 10 games for Arsenal, and Song played 11 times.

Cesc's first 30 odd starts came in a side that still had Vieira, Gilberto, Edu, Ljungberg & Pires, Reyes and a young (older than Cesc) Flamini.

Those players were older but they were breaking into the same squad Cesc was at the same time. And they weren't particularly good, which is the point. It was a youth project done on the cheap because of the stadium rebuild

Also many of those Invinsibles you quoted were on their way out. It was also a team struggling for top 4 when Cesc moved into the first team.

The other key point is Wenger trusted youth even when they weren't performing and Arteta is very conservative about using youth.

Listen I'm not trying to argue Cesc wasn't an amazing world class youth talent, he was. But Nwaneri would definitely been getting serious game time as a 17 year old in 2006 under Wenger.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

Let's just enjoy this level of talent instead of comparing it. Before you know it Nwaneri is 34 and signing for West Ham Utd.

 

[MutableEarth]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1861131109146284399

There's 2 of them

 

[db10_therza]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1861131109146284399

There's 2 of them

Daaaamn man, what’s junior saying?

 

[MutableEarth]

Daaaamn man, what’s junior saying?

First I'm hearing of him

 

[lomekian]

Those players were older but they were breaking into the same squad Cesc was at the same time. And they weren't particularly good, which is the point. It was a youth project done on the cheap because of the stadium rebuild

Also many of those Invinsibles you quoted were on their way out. It was also a team struggling for top 4 when Cesc moved into the first team.

The other key point is Wenger trusted youth even when they weren't performing and Arteta is very conservative about using youth.

Listen I'm not trying to argue Cesc wasn't an amazing world class youth talent, he was. But Nwaneri would definitely been getting serious game time as a 17 year old in 2006 under Wenger.

Nope - only Clichy. All the others broke in when the invincibles squad was breaking up or had been broken up. Cesc started 25 league games and in other comps when we finished 2nd with 83 points and won the cup.

Nwaneri wouldn't have got as much time because his best roles/positions had more competition, and Cesc was further along at the same age - he literally was u17 world cup best player and top scorer from central midfield and best player at u17 Euros the following year, before he'd even made his league debut.

I'm not trying to diminish Ethan, who may well have a better club career than Cesc, but rather fighting against some of the Fabregas revisionism. What he achieved by the age 21 is seriously out of the ordinary.

 

[lomekian]

Daaaamn man, what’s junior saying?

I don;t know much about him, but he came through the same local training to academy route, and joined Arsenal even younger

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

Cesc was an anomaly at least in terms of Arsenal.

He came into what was still an exceptional side, at 17, in maybe the toughest position on the pitch to master and slotted in like an experienced pro.

For a guy they never really had any physical attributes he was phenomenal at reading the game, even at that age.

Nwaneri looks great, it's nailed on minus injuries that he'll make it here. He doesn't have to be better than Fabregas at 17 to be a star in the making.

 

[Maybe]

Thankfully the current group of academy players is absolute trash so we won't have these debates again anytime soon, probably in 3 years when that Dowman boy gets promoted. Massive relief for Arteta as well

 

[Red London]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1861131109146284399

There's 2 of them

5* skills with that first name

 

[Tnegs]

Those players were older but they were breaking into the same squad Cesc was at the same time. And they weren't particularly good, which is the point. It was a youth project done on the cheap because of the stadium rebuild

Also many of those Invinsibles you quoted were on their way out. It was also a team struggling for top 4 when Cesc moved into the first team.

The other key point is Wenger trusted youth even when they weren't performing and Arteta is very conservative about using youth.

Listen I'm not trying to argue Cesc wasn't an amazing world class youth talent, he was. But Nwaneri would definitely been getting serious game time as a 17 year old in 2006 under Wenger.

This is a weird arc you’ve chosen here. Cesc broke into the invincibles side that still had Vieira in it and replaced him. This happened in 04/05. For reference Alex Song who was the same age as Cesc only broke into the first team in 08/09, a full 4 years later. These are the levels we are talking about. Diabolical too was a squad player until 08/09 which was the beginning of the dark ages for Arsenal. None of the players mentioned became first team starters like Cesc did until much later and after the last great team broke up in 07/08 except Clichy who was 2 years older and got his starting spot when Cole left.

 

[DJ_Markstar]

First I'm hearing of him

What do we pay you for??

 

[GDeep™]

Can we just sign him down to like a 27 year contract asap please?