The Under-23s Thread

This game also shows why Smith was so important. His ability to get the ball forward and keep possession really helped us last season. I can see us losing a lot of games like this due to these type of lineups from Bould. Cant say I care enough about a PL2 campaign to be Bould out but I would still like to see better.

 

Brighton has the better passers in midfield. Some really nice sweeping balls into the middle.

 

I hope Saliba doesn't play like this for the senior team. I imagine he won't as he'll have actual midfielders to pass to in midfield but he's really been forcing the route one balls today, like Luiz under Emery at his worst.

Those straight balls into the right channel are painful to watch.

 

That was a nice run from Oyegoke.

 

Really disappointed not to see a better lineup tonight. No Azeez or Cirjan really showed in our poor ability in progressing the ball consistently. Also Oyegoke came on and did better than Alebiosu in 10 mins of football.

I don't like it when managers bow to seniority over an actual balanced lineup. Kinda spoiled the game for me a bit. Was some good stuff here and there though. Thought Cottrell was good and is our best player IMO. Salah-Eddine had some bright moments but I dont like him playing wide. Lewis was inconsistent but when he was good he was really good. Just too few and far in between. Ballard was pretty good too.

 

The only hope in the strange lineup selection is we're trying to put Olayinka in the shop market. Hopefully he gets another loan or even better a sale

 

Yeah, can see Olayinka going to League One like everyone else. Ballard too, he is ready to play proper football now.

 

Bould needs to get Azeez and Cirjan in this team.

 

At the end of last season, I've said that we'll have to wait for a year or two before we have any player ready for the first team cup games.
I wasn't impressed by anyone, Cotrell looks like the most competent player but it's mostly very basic stuff. Shame I didn't see Azeez again, think some of the other players would look better around him. Bould also doesn't strike me as a guy who will develop talent, more like someone with old school habits who doesn't care that much about technique and creativity

On the bright side, u18 looks amazing and most of them will play u23 football next year, so there's always something to be excited about with the Arsenal academy

 

Our boy Reiss knows.

 

Reiss called Saka being a star aswell tbf. He's got a good eye for talent!

https://player.arsenal.com/video/u-23s-tottenham-h-highlights

Highlights of the U23 game everyone. Nobody really comes out of this looking particularly good (it's 4 mins to be fair so not surprised). I think Azeez should be starting these kind of games as it's very redundant having both of Olayinka and Akinola together in the same midfield. This team also misses Matt Smith a lot - he wasn't perfect but he was always well placed to help snuff out attacks at this level. Akinola seems very raw so far, there's good tools to work with but he loses his man on the goal - nowhere near him.

 

I hadn't thought about this but maybe this is why there's been a drive to get players from Europe for the u-23's before work permit rules come in? Ideho, Moller, Rekik (in January), Lewis, Salah-Eddine all signed this summer.

 

I thought we can sign any world class talent as long as they are under 18.

 

Can we watch this?

 

Manutd 1 up.

 

You watching?

 

When Cedric is playing in the u-23's I feel like it's a sign that there might be too many players at this club?

 

No just getting updates from Arsenal academy twitter

 

Of course that's what happen 34 players is too much