General Reserves Talk

[krengon]

Yeah we will have to wait and see what the plan is. IMO he really should have at very least give Nketiah and Willock more minutes this season. They have done well when they get minutes and deserve more game time.

Emery has now got a full season at the club following u18 and u23 so he will have better idea in the summer about all these players! Will be interesting to see what his plan is!

preseason will give us an idea.. Honestly, I think it's very unlikely Nketiah or Willock will make it here now, can see them both be moved on soon unfortunately. Might be the best for them too, they are at a stage where they need competitive minutes to develop further.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

preseason will give us an idea.. Honestly, I think it's very unlikely Nketiah or Willock will make it here now, can see them both be moved on soon unfortunately. Might be the best for them too, they are at a stage where they need competitive minutes to develop further.

I have to disagree.

Willock is still only 19 year old so he should still have time IMO! He has been one of the standout player this season and really should be in manager mind after this season! He really should be getting Elneny minutes which are very few and should go into developing rather than average squad filler IMO.

Emery has then invested a lot of time with Nketiah around the first team. Constantly on the bench. I hope there is a room for a slightly bigger role for him next season if we move Welbeck on. We need 3 strikers for next season and I think Nketiah can be that third striker!

 

[krengon]

I have to disagree.

Willock is still only 19 year old so he should still have time IMO! He has been one of the standout player this season and really should be in manager mind after this season! He really should be getting Elneny minutes which are very few and should go into developing rather than average squad filler IMO.

Emery has then invested a lot of time with Nketiah around the first team. Constantly on the bench. I hope there is a room for a slightly bigger role for him next season if we move Welbeck on. We need 3 strikers for next season and I think Nketiah can be that third striker!

Depends on who comes in I guess, but just because Elneny will most likely leave, I don't think it's guaranteed Willock will get those minutes.. Nketiah has been our default 3rd choice striker this season after Welbeck went down, but has barely played.. If Welbeck never got injured he would have played a lot and even started quite a few games, Nketiah didn't get those minutes and I don't see Willock getting it either even if we don't bring in another midfielder.

They'll probably get loaned out next season, but I can easily see them being sold within 2 seasons too. It's hard breaking through at a top club, so they could still live up to their potential and become great, but I don't think they can afford too many more wasted years now.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Depends on who comes in I guess, but just because Elneny will most likely leave, I don't think it's guaranteed Willock will get those minutes.. Nketiah has been our default 3rd choice striker this season after Welbeck went down, but has barely played.. If Welbeck never got injured he would have played a lot and even started quite a few games, Nketiah didn't get those minutes and I don't see Willock getting it either even if we don't bring in another midfielder.

They'll probably get loaned out next season, but I can easily see them being sold within 2 seasons too. It's hard breaking through at a top club, so they could still live up to their potential and become great, but I don't think they can afford too many more wasted years now.

Yeah well, I'm hoping that this season has been about Emery getting to know them and next season they will be trusted more. I like them both a lot and they are still the strongest players from u23 so hopefully they get more time to impress next season.

 

[Maybe]

What Emery did to Nketiah is not only bad for the lad, it's also a very bad message to other young players who will need to decide if they sign long term contract with us or not.
AMN would be in the same position but he was "lucky" with Bellerin's injury.

 

[MutableEarth]

What Emery did to Nketiah is not only bad for the lad, it's also a very bad message to other young players who will need to decide if they sign long term contract with us or not.
AMN would be in the same position but he was "lucky" with Bellerin's injury.

He backed himself into a corner. Welbeck justified his selection early on but those IMO could have been Nketiahs minutes. When Welbeck unfortunately got hurt as he often does every season, it left Emery with only Nketiah - except now he doesn't have the game time, momentum or trust of Emery. Had he been loaned at the start of the season this could have been avoided. He would have had more games and would have scored.

I think Emery will do a bit better with the academy grads next season - but he needs to walk it like he talks it otherwise there will be an exodus.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

I think Nektiah will be definitely loaned out next season hope to German club

 

[Wrighty4eva]

I think Nektiah will be definitely loaned out next season hope to German club

If that's the case, that's it for his career with us im afraid.

 

[MutableEarth]

If that's the case, that's it for his career with us im afraid.

I think he'll be fine. Could go either say but I think he'll be successful. Once the first goal goes in its curtains.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

I think willock deserve his chance ahead of Elneny

 

[9jagooner]

I remember we had a discussion a few pages ago where some felt Nketiah, etal should stay rather than go on loan.
My point then and still my position now is if these boys feel they are ready, they should go on loan and prove themselves.
Training with the "big boys" has its merits but after a while, it loses its novelty, if any.
I hope Nketiah pushes harder for a loan next season. Go and prove yourself and force the manager to think about you.

 

[Wrighty4eva]

I think he'll be fine. Could go either say but I think he'll be successful. Once the first goal goes in its curtains.

Oh I don't doubt he will be successful, just not at Arsenal.

 

[MutableEarth]

I remember we had a discussion a few pages ago where some felt Nketiah, etal should stay rather than go on loan.
My point then and still my position now is if these boys feel they are ready, they should go on loan and prove themselves.
Training with the "big boys" has its merits but after a while, it loses its novelty, if any.
I hope Nketiah pushes harder for a loan next season. Go and prove yourself and force the manager to think about you.

Its gotta be the right loan though IMO. We have a real poor record with sending them to the right teams and it kills their momentum IMO. The onus isn't only on the youngsters to perform. In theory, I would prefer loans but I just don't trust the club to get it right.

 

[al-Ustaadh]

Disappointed. I really thought we’d win today. Sounds like we played like **** and Emery was thinking ahead to Napoli too much.

 

[SingmeasongSong]

I think willock deserve his chance ahead of Elneny

Elneny deserves no more chances at all, to be honest

 

[MutableEarth]

I think willock deserve his chance ahead of Elneny

Willock has done everything he needed to do and still doesn't get the rub. Unfortunate but likely because he plays in a position not considered to be a problem for Emery.

Defo needs a loan

 

[9jagooner]

Its gotta be the right loan though IMO. We have a real poor record with sending them to the right teams and it kills their momentum IMO. The onus isn't only on the youngsters to perform. In theory, I would prefer loans but I just don't trust the club to get it right.

I see where you're coming from and you're right, we've not done well in some past cases when it comes to sending players out on loan.

However, when you look at some of the young players who have come through to the first team, a very high percentage of them had previously gone on loan before cementing their places in the first team. In fact, asides Cesc and recently Iwobi, I can't think of another youth player who made it at Arsenal who didn't first go on loan.

The loan isn't just about them proving themselves on the pitch, it also helps them understand the day to day rigours of the game which helps with consistency. Go and look at the AMN thread now and see how fickle fans can be. Will Nketiah be able to handle the abuse when he goes 3 to 4 games without scoring or when he misses a sitter in a very important game?

The young players should also loose this entitlement mentality (I am not saying they have as I don't know them personally). Arsenal FC Academy is to help you develop your football skills. There is no guarantee that you will play for Arsenal. It's up to you to you to show what you have to offer whether at Arsenal or somewhere else.

But then, I come back to you initial point, the loan move has to be well planned.

 

[krengon]

If Elneny was unavailable today does anyone seriously think Willock would have started instead? I think it’s way more likely Emery would have risked Ramsey or gone for a more creative solution like Iwobi at cm or something.

It’s not a good situation for him, should have gone out on loan in january at least. I don’t see it being any different next season either, so we definitely need to find a good loan for him then.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

If Elneny was unavailable today does anyone seriously think Willock would have started instead? I think it’s way more likely Emery would have risked Ramsey or gone for a more creative solution like Iwobi at cm or something.

It’s not a good situation for him, should have gone out on loan in january at least. I don’t see it being any different next season either, so we definitely need to find a good loan for him then.

Just very hard to see Emery constantly having time for Douzy who barely has had a handful of decent games this season but not time for few of our academy products. Guess there is only room for one young player in the first team and yes indeed it would have been difficult to start two 19 years old kids in the midfield today. But my point bringing Willock into this debate is only to highlight how pointless player Elneny is.

 

[MutableEarth]

U23s later. Derby will probably stream on their website - I'll miss about half am hour of this at the beginning.​

U23s have little to play for but fitness and momentum. I expect a strong-ish line-up with Willock and Nketiah in it. Okonkwo replaces Iliev again.

Okonkwo
Osei-Tutu Mavropanos Sheaf Pleguezuelo
Gilmour Willock
Amaechi John-Jules Saka
Nketiah

My lineups are usually wrong so will be interesting to see what Ljungberg does.