Youngsters On Loan Watch

[MutableEarth]

Ballard is a decent prospect but I don't think he's really someone to consider for Arsenal. We talk about Holding not being good enough for more than a back-up role for Arsenal, and think where Holding was at 19, 2 years younger than Ballard is now.

I don't think we need to really think about people like Ballard in terms of first-team setup at Arsenal, the idea is to get as much profit from him. Monlouis and Awe (and Rekik, probably?) are the guys with first-team potential if things go right.

When we signed Holding, he was already 21. Ballard is already as experienced at the same age and even has a promotion under his belt as well as international caps against stellar opponents. I'd consider Ballard to have a higher ceiling than Holding.

That said, I think viewing Ballard as a potential sellable asset isn't a bad thing - just that I think we have to be very careful about that. Better prospect than given credit and has defied expectation regularly.

 

[RunTheTrap]

Has Azeez started or played for Portsmouth yet?

 

[MutableEarth]

Has Azeez started or played for Portsmouth yet?

Was on the bench last week, will probably start on Saturday.

 

[MutableEarth]

TJJ not very popular with the Blackpool fans at the moment sadly. Missed a sitter today apparently. Does need to score more goals, the one thing his game needs at this level.

 

[Maybe]

TJJ not very popular with the Blackpool fans at the moment sadly. Missed a sitter today apparently. Does need to score more goals, the one thing his game needs at this level.

Wonder if there is time to retrain him for a different role. From my memory, I never thought that he would be a reliable goal scorer, but was always useful in everything else.

 

[MutableEarth]

Wonder if there is time to retrain him for a different role. From my memory, I never thought that he would be a reliable goal scorer, but was always useful in everything else.

He's played wide a lot for them and he's always been very good as a #10. I still think he can work as a CF but he needs to perhaps toughen up a little bit. I think the biggest problem for TJJ is simply his injury record. He'd have had much more experience otherwise.

 

[Maybe]

He's played wide a lot for them and he's always been very good as a #10. I still think he can work as a CF but he needs to perhaps toughen up a little bit. I think the biggest problem for TJJ is simply his injury record. He'd have had much more experience otherwise.

Why are they complaining then if he is playing out wide? Can't remember him ever playing there...

Yeah #10 sounds great, I love the way he keeps the ball and brings others into the game. Would be a nice fit for Burnley, they seem to play exactly that type of game

 

[MutableEarth]

Why are they complaining then if he is playing out wide? Can't remember him ever playing there...

Yeah #10 sounds great, I love the way he keeps the ball and brings others into the game. Would be a nice fit for Burnley, they seem to play exactly that type of game

I think he's probably struggling with the Championship. I can kinda understand that - he hasn't actually had much League 1 football because of how often he got hurt. This is his first step-up for a Blackpool team that doesn't have a lot of creativity. It might be better for them if he does player a slightly deeper role for them IMO.

 

[Geofranco]

I think he's probably struggling with the Championship. I can kinda understand that - he hasn't actually had much League 1 football because of how often he got hurt. This is his first step-up for a Blackpool team that doesn't have a lot of creativity. It might be better for them if he does player a slightly deeper role for them IMO.

The injuries def affected his progress. It was always hard for me to evaluate TJJ. Clearly intelligent and technical, but not very explosive as an athlete and also not very clinical in front of goal. Just crazy how all the CF prospects had something the other is missing. If TJJ had the poachers instincts of Nketiah and the raw power of Balogun, he'd be a top prospect cause his game is so much more rounded than the other two.

 

[MutableEarth]

My son with the game winning assist

 

[Tomb Bombadil]

My son with the game winning assist

I hope he will get a start soon. He should be playing every game in Feyenoord

 

[Kav]

Did Malen and Nelson play together at Arsenal?

 

[Maybe]

Did Malen and Nelson play together at Arsenal?

They did, but not for long. If I remember correctly, Malen had some issues with injuries at Arsenal, and it was Nelson's first season at u23. Malen left after that, which is a shame as our wide options were dreadful in the first team, with players like Walcott and Chamberlain getting too much

 

[Ciscoo]

Did Malen and Nelson play together at Arsenal?

They did for a time. That was one of our strongest ever cohorts of forwards: Malen, Nketiah, Mavididi, Nelson, Coyle, Fortune and Smith Rowe.

It’s funny how youth football goes. Nelson was the obvious standout, Nketiah shifted Malen to the wing and Smith Rowe was the dark horse.

 

[Barry]

Azeez starting a few games, getting some praise for his performances finally.

'Wow': Some Arsenal fans love what Miguel Azeez has done at Portsmouth

Arsenal fans have taken to Twitter to react after hearing how Miguel Azeez has fared at Portsmouth in recent weeks, after breaking into the starting XI.

www.hitc.com

 

[avenellroad]

Seems like Pompey fans are happy for Azeez to be sent back. Maybe it wasn’t the right move for him?

Always annoys me how Chelsea seem to get their loans spot on for their academy players whilst we lurch from bad to worse in our choice of clubs. Seems the only loan that has worked out for a youth player here has been the ESR one to Huddersfield

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Seems like Pompey fans are happy for Azeez to be sent back. Maybe it wasn’t the right move for him?

Always annoys me how Chelsea seem to get their loans spot on for their academy players whilst we lurch from bad to worse in our choice of clubs. Seems the only loan that has worked out for a youth player here has been the ESR one to Huddersfield

Our loan players unfortunately for them always get long term injury in loans and be in team that isn't preforming. Ballard yesterday his team announced he out for 2 months that not help

 

[Jack_The_Lad]

I agree we could do better but praising chelsea is ridiculous. The amount of talent they send out on loan each year is crazy. Something's gonna stick to the wall if you keep throwing **** at it.

Seems like Pompey fans are happy for Azeez to be sent back. Maybe it wasn’t the right move for him?

Always annoys me how Chelsea seem to get their loans spot on for their academy players whilst we lurch from bad to worse in our choice of clubs. Seems the only loan that has worked out for a youth player here has been the ESR one to Huddersfield

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I took a gander over at a Pompey forum. Keep in mind they went out 1-2 at home to Harrogate in the FA Cup...Azeez played the entire game in central midfield.

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"We certainly learned everything we need to know about Azeez. Fancy dan with no future here. Absolute garbage from him again today to go along with Williams who is always rubbish.i can only assume we were trying to lose in the last ten minutes. Nothing else could explain the bizarre performance as we gave them the ball and let them run into our area time after time. Insult to the fans who paid good money and braved the cold. Shameful performance."

"Lots of fancy footwork, today, but no end result."

"Azeez needs to go in January"

"Azeez was ineffective. Far too deep to make a difference."

"I very much hope we are not going to have to rely on Azeez (or a similar replacement) in the cold weather and crowded games over Christmas and beyond."

"Only positive thing about Azeez at the moment is we can send him back soon. Useless fancy dan."

"Azeez? Not convinced he will want to stay and maybe is just not ready for real men's football."

"Send back Azeez!"

 

[Barry]

I took a gander over at a Pompey forum. Keep in mind they went out 1-2 at home to Harrogate in the FA Cup...Azeez played the entire game in central midfield.

-----------------
"We certainly learned everything we need to know about Azeez. Fancy dan with no future here. Absolute garbage from him again today to go along with Williams who is always rubbish.i can only assume we were trying to lose in the last ten minutes. Nothing else could explain the bizarre performance as we gave them the ball and let them run into our area time after time. Insult to the fans who paid good money and braved the cold. Shameful performance."

"Lots of fancy footwork, today, but no end result."

"Azeez needs to go in January"

"Azeez was ineffective. Far too deep to make a difference."

"I very much hope we are not going to have to rely on Azeez (or a similar replacement) in the cold weather and crowded games over Christmas and beyond."

"Only positive thing about Azeez at the moment is we can send him back soon. Useless fancy dan."

"Azeez? Not convinced he will want to stay and maybe is just not ready for real men's football."

"Send back Azeez!"

Fan reaction to a bad game, or something more fundamental? I heard that he did pretty well in the last couple of matches he started? This is why you send the young players out for experience to be fair, most of them won't be good enough for Arsenal until they are 21/22 and battle hardened, if at all.

I've watched a bit of Azeez (far less than some on this forum) and he looks to have a cracking long range shot and a good passing range but he's a bit switched off at times. Needs to work on that, definitely.