It’s apt for an absolute Joke of a fanbase.
Arsenal’s academy has quietly become a huge success story for them. On one hand, you have the likes of Iwobi, Martinez and Willock who got them some pretty decent fees. On the other, you have Saka, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri and Downman who look the absolute business. Arteta might be one of the most unlikeable PL managers but if he deserves credit for one thing, it’s that he’s made the most out of that academy in spite of spending almost a billion pounds on new signings.
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Arsenal’s academy has been doing well for decades. At least since George Graham built his title winning side in the late 80’s so I’m not sure Arteta deserves any credit here.
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That’s true but the sheer number of kids now coming through is higher now than I can remember. When my cousin broke through in the late 90s it was 1 every 5 years or so.
arsenal spent well. their squad is balanced. they need to shift some deadwood but id say their window is 9/10.
my favourites to win the league unfortunately - especially if we end window 2 forwards and a Cb down
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It also means that his signings by and large have largely failed as well(With respect to the amount of money spent) . Except perhaps Rice and Ben White
Odegard - Signed under Emery
Gabriel - Signed under Emery
Saliba - Signed under Emery
Martinelli - Signed under Emery
Saka - Youth
MLS - Youth
Nwaneri - Youth
Dowman - Youth
Most of Arteta’s signings didn’t push the needle forward. How bad would it have been without the signings made prior to Arteta and the academy ?. Imagine spending a billion and still relying on 7-8 players in the first X1 who aren’t your signings. That amount of money spent mandates that the first xi is strengthened , not buying 3rd or 4th choice LB’s
Edit - I think Odegaard might have been signed under Arteta. But the point still remains.
that Grey is pure clickbaite.
blocked him last season. didnt follow him but he kept popping up…i block every arsenal fan that pops up in my feed as they spout complete bollox
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From what I remember there was a fallow period in the 90’s but it pretty much picked up again when Wenger was there didn’t it?
The academy produced the occasional gem but when Wenger arrived he began to recruit far more academy aged players from abroad, reducing the chances of homegrown talent even further (Ashley Cole being the notable exception early on).
Jack Wilshere being the next after Wenger had already been there a decade. Local lads were a minority compared with the likes of Fabregas, Clichy, Denilson, Coquelin etc.
In the last 5-10 years, the local talent breaking through has increased markedly.
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Yeah to be honest I’m starting to think they will win it to. I think we have too many gaps.
Though I wasn’t thinking we’d win it anyhow, not sure why all the pundits went for us.
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They’ve played Leeds who had no experience in tactics against their setpieces. And who were dire after their goal was concerned.
The rest of the premier league have that experience. It only takes a couple of draws and a loss in the next 7 games for the arsenal fanbase to be shitting themselves.
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Graham’s first title winning side was remarkable. O’Leary, Adams, Rocastle, Paul Davis, Thomas, and Merson were all academy players. Ray Parlor a little bit later.
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I didnt see the Saka one as I had given up watching the game by that point but went back and watched it today and those ones generally are quite bad. I’d be really surprised if either are available next week and Saka’s could be a couple of months.
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I won’t believe it til I see it.
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Arteta has prior form for rushing back Saka from injury quickly and then giving him a bigger injury.
His treatment of Saka has been woeful to say the least. This goes on and the injuries will pile up as saka grows older.
I think it’s because we are champions, we won the league by 10 points well before the end of the season, we have over delivered on one of our weak points (Wirtz), and replaced/strengthened with incomings, improving or par with replaced players (yes, including Trent). Arsenal’s signings on paper will not close a 10pt+ gap. We are missing Diaz, Trent, Jota and Nunez, and only two of those played a lot of minutes.
The ONLY upside I see from Arsenal is that they have only changed 2 starters, while we are most likely changing 4+. (Arsenal 3 with Eze).
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To me it feels like we’ve taken a side step and are one injury away from a crisis in one or two areas.
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The issue has been less rushing him back and more over burdening him during periods where he really would have benefited from a lighter workload. That really doesnt look like it is even an option for a manager who has learned nothing given what this injury looks like being. But we’ll see.
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He rushed him back last year to play us.
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