Upon waking on Saturday morning, and after a tough week at work, I did what all sensible, mature 50-something male adults do at that time and reached for my computer and started to feverishly tap tap tap away at the controls (or ‘keyboard’) to bring up the app for my favourite fantasy.
I’ve been playing football Fantasy Premier League for about ten years and started doing so in a half-arsed bid to ‘broaden my knowledge’ of the players of other teams. I was invited into a small league of gentlemen, some of whom I actually knew, most I didn’t. Over the years my teams have ‘graced’ around 40 online leagues, most of them featuring teams managed remotely by people I’ve never previously heard of, let alone met. As someone who rarely gambles, fantasy football is as good an alternative way to follow the Premier League as I can imagine and has provided an added dimension to my enjoyment of the game which invariably lasts from the first lunchtime kick-off on a Saturday through to the last fixture of the Game Week (or ‘weekend’ as it used to be called).
I mention all this by way of giving any stray reader the heads up on the parlous state of my own football knowledge. In all this time, I have only ever won two leagues. Just twice have I ended the season top of the league – one was a group of five participants, another a small group of 20. The very first thing you learn about fantasy football is how little you have learnt about football despite supposedly following the game for almost five decades.
I’m currently at a season-high 13th place in The Tollington league of 50, a full 120 points behind the leader, a certain James Lowe. The Tollington is the rammed pre-match Islington pub of choice for around 6,000 of us most matches, and located a short walk to the ground. Despite this, I’ve never actually met James, who, over the course of the season so far, has established an all but unassailable lead over my team equivalent to around 5% of the points so far. For a game of small margins, it’s a huge lead.
Unfortunately I can not even claim James has been lucky because, as with the real thing, we all know everything magically, and a tad randomly, evens out perfectly over the course of the season. James also, clearly, knows more about football than me.
There is a second reason I mention this by way of the post-Watford write-up.
As part of my frenetic online fumbling around first thing Saturday, I moved young Hector Bellerin into my fantasy football side. Given the ropey nature of our post-Xmas form, this was something of a gamble but one shared by 25% of other players of the fantasy game.
With even greater prescience, I added the even younger and less experienced Alex Iwobi – someone selected by no more than 0.3% of the entire Fantasy PL rank and file. Bellerin’s form this season has led to him being one point behind the highest ranked defender on FPL. It’s a remarkable achievement for the player who is someone I’ve followed closely since his move to the club in the same swap deal for Cesc Fabregas, when Barcelona paid the club around £30+ million in cash. Plus Hector.
Another dumb deal by our hopelessly out of touch manager there.
And of course, both Hector and Alex played splendidly against Watford, despite my frankly inspired selection threatening to put the hoodoo on both of them.
Bellerin was the last Arsenal player I was lucky enough to meet before I stopped working for the club and it was the morning after his phenomenal assist for Ozil in the dying seconds of the Bayern Munich clash last October, that he briefly entered my world. It was known he was in the stadium for filming duties but I had no idea he was heading in my direction until he popped out of the lift in the Directors’ Entrance of the Emirates. At 5’ 10” he is taller than I imagined him to be although to be fair, the closest I’d previously got to the guy was watching him play for the Under 21s on numerous occasions when he was invariably a blur on the landscape, such is his blazing pace when charging down the wing. Faster than Walcott, they say. Faster, even, than Usain Bolt, over 40 metres. But likely twice as modest, as I shook his hand and truthfully told him his assist to Ozil the previous evening, less than 14 hours earlier, had led to my favourite goal of the season so far.
To which his response was “Really?!”
Yes, of course it was Hector, it was a stunning effort.
So I could be forgiven for selecting Bellerin on Saturday morning for my Fantasy side but Iwobi was a far greater gamble. That he would even play was reason enough for sensible people to avoid picking him but play he did, score he did, and establish himself as one of the break-out talents of the season, that he also surely did.
It seems to have become a ‘thing’ this season that unless a team scores first, winning a game is said to have become something of a mountain to climb. Teams – at least those playing Arsenal – seem to go one up then shut up shop. We can batter them for the rest of the game but invariably the opposition goalie will have his game of his season (or career) and overcoming an early deficit, especially with the Emirates crowd reduced to their now traditional near-silence, seems to be the hardest thing in the world. So Iwobi’s remarkable cross to pick out a marked Sanchez in the fourth minute was just what was needed to set the tone of a match that went on to become something of a master-class of midfield domination, good defending and effective, exciting cutting edge attack.
That this was Sanchez’s first Emirates goal since his October brace against Man U is an unwelcome stat likely to crop up in any subsequent analysis of the season but yesterday, Alex to Alexis in the 4th minute was enough to set the place alight.
The seventh minute saw a moving tribute to our former number 7, David Rocastle and the presence of his family in the Arsenal Directors’ Box was poignant. In some ways, the tribute represents the Emirates at its best. It has been said that when Rocky first played for Arsenal he couldn’t see the goal from the half-way line. Contact lenses transformed his game and he went on to become one of Arsenal’s most favoured and fondly remembered sons. To this day on his frequent stadium tours, Charlie George speaks gently of the guy whose shirt is now stored in the time capsule buried beneath the Emirates.
On 38, Alexis to Alex pretty much sealed Watford’s fate on a day they hardly threatened to make a game of it. So two full league games, two goals for Iwobi. His first at the Emirates, an outstanding performance in Barcelona and a debut for Nigeria earlier in the week. There is so much to be admired in the 19 year old’s game and his development over the 13 years spent at the club. My only regret is he has not qualified to play for England. Perhaps he preferred to play for Nigeria but one can’t help but wonder if the FA have missed a big, big trick here.
The manner of Bellerin’s deflected goal in the 48th will be one for Heurelho Gomes, the Watford goalie to forget. Much like his comment earlier this month that “Small Arsenal won’t win the PL title”. Going on to concede four goals against such a small side must surely represent the low point of his season. Maybe his mind was on the FA Cup semi-final the Watford fans delightedly reminded the home fans of.
Our own fans gently pointed out we’d actually won the thing, once or twice.
The welcome appearance of Joel Campbell and his even more welcome assist to the much Twitter-maligned Walcott at the death, was pretty much the perfect end to a perfect afternoon for the Gunners.
For me, Joel is up there with Iwobi, Bellerin, Monreal, Coquelin and Elneny as THE break out players of the last 18 months or so. All players few had previously heard of, all likely mainstays of the first team for the foreseeable future, all players sourced, nurtured and selected by a manager routinely disrespected by sections of the club’s own supporters but rightly still revered all around the football world.
And what of the context of the win itself? Spurs went on to drop two points on Saturday evening but much will depend on Southampton’s visit to Leicester later today before the true measure of yesterday’s win can be made. To say we can only win with the pressure off is errant nonsense as we are clearly still in with a shout for first place.
That it is only a shout and not a fully-fledged expectation is the only regret of another injury-ravaged season. That the season initially promised so much – especially on the back of an outstanding 2015 – makes Wenger some sort of victim of his own success but the remarkable consistency of his Arsenal reign in some ways makes it harder for many to again settle for 4th, 3rd or 2nd place in the league.
The nature of the demolition of a previously vibrant Watford side, made to look poor by a resurgent Arsenal squad teeming with talent, suggests we will do better next season, especially given the emergence of those new names mentioned previously.
This season’s unlucky goals ruled out for non-existent off sides, the penalties resolutely not given in our favour, the scenes of carnage in the club’s medical facilities – statistically, all this must, eventually, surely turn in our favour.
At some point, Arsenal will simply run away with the league.
This season, however, I’d settle for a championship decided on goal difference.
You can remind me who you are on Twitter @arsenalandrew.
Positively Arsenal 
Malen and McGuane on for Mavadidi and Bennacer, about half an hour left
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Malen scores with a header at a corner, only 3 minutes on the pitch.
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Arsenal down to ten men, Bola sent off for a bad challenge, will be extremely difficult to get the win now. 15 minutes left
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5 minutes of injury time to be played
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game over, 2-2, city win 4-3 overall. AFC dominated early on, scored, then let city score twice against the run of play. Got it back to 2-2 but then had a man sent off.
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Craig Pawson has been put in charge of Arsenal’s clash with West Ham.
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Eddy please don’t ruin my Monday with reference to the official (pg)MOB selection process IBSF
–
Thinking about the squad and team. I have the impression that Chambers has been marked for a CB berth. With Kosciely having some tendon issues (a summer tournament and no rest ahead now that Didier has or had disciplined him for that prescient moment of madness in Ukraine – gulp!), with the BFG approaching coaching age I think there’s no need to send him loan next season to get the minutes.
I hope the corporal can make a recovery in time for the start of next season. Bellerin has been outstanding, jaw droppingly brilliant, and he’s missed whenever he doesn’t play. I believe that coming back from an injury like he has means that Jenkinson will be in a position to be the perfect cover, If he needs to kick on the season after so be it but he’ll need to rebuild strength and confidence first: AFC are sorted at RB and CB and I think LB for next season at least!
Looking at Iwobi who jumped the gun ahead of gunners like Maitland-niles, Toral, Hayden etc…I wonder if any of them will catch up with him (& Chambers etc.) or will Willock or someone else who played tonight sneak into the squad? Wish I could’ve gone but I had to work!
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I feel that Gibbs will move on in the summer, he will want to be first choice somewhere.
Wenger said on .com today that there are 6 lads in the youths who are/or have Arsenal’s future, he would not name them all but did name Reine-Adelaide, Willock and Nelson, he said all 3 basically train all the time with the first team squad. Nelson is still officially a schoolboy player, so its amazing how well he is progressing, so young. Of the others who played tonight, for me Bielik stood out the most, he has played all season for the U18’s, U19’s and U21’a as a CB, and has improved a lot, reads the game well, and with his midfield background its no surprise that his passing is very good. Would also say he is the only one of our youths who actually looks like a fully grown man, so many of the lads either small or slightly built.
Malen has, anytime I’ve seen him this season, showed real signs of quality, again he is a bit on the small side.
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Our U18’s and U21’s have a real lack of left backs and central defenders.(Partly due to injuries and partly due to some players not progressing enough yet).
Several players just have not progressed well enough and it has seen guys playing out of position at left back and CB, for example Bola is our regular U21 left back, but due to lack of options at CB in the U18’s he plays there at that level, and U21 winger Robinson plays left back for the U18’s. Central defender, DaGraca is a full time pro, but just has not pushed on enough and has been unable to get in the youth cup team.
We have many good prospects for right back, but its been a position that has been badly hit by injures this last two seasons, which has seen midfielders used there. Johnson and Moore the two big prospects there, if they can stay fit, and Moore is also able to play left back, but he has barely played in a year.
Stefan O’Connor made his first team debut last season, at RB, but he is a CB, soon after he got injured and has struggled to stay fit this season, he had a short loan deal with York, but got injured there too and came back to AFC.
all this playing lads in new positions might prove very good in the long run, not just for the players themselves, but for AFC too. It might make the players far more complete players, and with a greater understanding of the game.
The one thing that we should all remember when watching the youth teams is that, yes team success would be great, but the real aim is getting them to progress to become first team regulars in the not too distant future.
from the last time we won the FA Youth cup, 2009, many of them got first team games, but only Coquelin and Wilshere are now in our first team squad. But the youth cup team of 1984, that lost at the semi final stage provided us with Adams, Keown, Hayes, Thomas, Quinn, Rocastle, who all won League titles and cups with us.
so the question is, which youth team was the most successful, 1984, or 2009.
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by the way, Ainsley Maitland-Niles who is out on loan at Ipswich, played 30 games for them so far, to go with his 3 last season for AFC, would have been eligible for the U18’s tonight, if he was still here, and not out gaining useful first team experience, or if he had been sent out on a youth loan, which allows for the parent club to still use him in youth games(like we done with Henri Lansbury in 2009). But clearly Arsenal think its much better for AMN to get first team football, than stick around here to aid the U18’s in their attempts in winning the FAYC, much like how in 2009, Arsenal did not use Aaron Ramsey in our youth cup team, cos he was getting games in our first team.
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ArsenalAndrew @ArsenalAndrew 2h2 hours ago
@TheGoonerholic At least the AFC U18s learn early what it’s like to have to play against 12 men.
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Leo
@_LS87_
@Blackburngeorge @GeoffArsenal tonight was as close to a senior game as they can experience – poor ref, shit atmosphere and twitter abuse
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Conte for Chelsea job.
A proven cheat and con man.
A perfect fit.
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debsthegooner @DebstheGooner 3h3 hours ago
Arsenal never get any luck at any level
everybody’s bellerin
@DebstheGooner It’s not luck. Systematic tilting of the playing field at every level. Something is rotten in the state of football.
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Why are Leicester so hard to beat? Likely cos all decisions go their way?
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on this day in 1987
http://www.arsenal.com/history/grahams-glory-years/nicholas-double-wins-littlewoods-cup
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Arsenal U21’s have a decent chance of promotion this season, they have 4 games left, Friday 8th the play at home v Newcastle, Monday 11th away to top team Derby, Thursday 14th away to Swansea, and finish on Monday 18th at home to WBA.
Derby are top with only their game v Arsenal to play, and they are 8pts clear of AFC. Aston Villa are second 1pt ahead of AFC, with 2 games to play.
Arsenal are 3rd, with the 4 games to play. So AFC need 8pts from their 4 games to get promotion, 9pts should mean winning the division. 4 games in 10 days is a hectic schedule, they very well might have the added advantage of having Jack Wilshere for some of those games.
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usual bullshit from the AAA/WOB, at the news that Iwobi is set to sign a new five year deal, on a reported £30,000 a week, its all “lad has done nothing yet to warrant that”, “will be an excuse not to sign the players we need”, “why not half that with promise of new contract if he keeps improving” etc etc etc
these same people have complained for years that we don’t
pay the going rate
are not producing players from our academy
building a deep squad
staying on top of contract renewals
yet when we do all of the above in one go, they still complain, and to think they claim that whenever we bring in a new manager they will give him a fair go before turning on him. It just won’t happen, these kind are only happy when whinging and complaining about all things Arsenal.
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Eddy,
I don’t think the readers of PA care for what those who wanted Moyes Coyle etc. as AFC manager have to say about the footy.
We knew they’d be groaning at the first run of poor results. Attacking the manager he moment he might not win a trophy (and before during and after the FA cup victory).
Tell us something we don’t know!
Thanks for the comments on the youth team players. My guess is a smart agent would advise Gibbo to hold out for another season, he’ll be first choice he season after for sure like you say there’s no left sided Bellerin lurking, or said agent could advise him to follow MD? You’d hope not.
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Gibbs has performed better for England then the Tottenham Clogger ever has or ever will be capable of. He’s probably a better choice then a fit but still rookie Shaw. Hard for Hodgson to pick him if he’s not starting but he’s the best choice atm for England.
I hope he has a smart agent!
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On the comparison of the two youth teams, one from the eighties and more recent, one was managed by pat rice if my research was correct and the other was managed by Bould.
Not so much a question for, it is a tradition. A consistent one. One to be proud of.
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fins Bola might very well be a Bellerin in waiting, as I said he has impressed as left back for the U21’s, but with a lack of another quality CB in the U18’s he plays there in that team. Also Tafari Moore, although a right back for AFC, was a regular left back for England youth teams, he just needs to remain fit and then we might see if he can force his way into the first team.
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Yeah fins Rice was manager of the youths in 84 and Bould in 09, and now its another ex player Gatting, who everytime the youths lose gets abuse from twitter land and blog world.
What blame is left over from Gatting is aimed at Wenger, odd that, considering he don’t coach the youth teams, but it fits with the latest soundbite – endemic failures – its all the way down, they have us believe, AFC becoming the first English team to win the U17 Futures cup only last week, is conviently ignored of course.
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GATTING – IT’S A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW
By Lloyd Webb
Steve Gatting says losing in the FA Youth Cup semi-final to Manchester City is a “bitter pill to swallow” despite Arsenal’s encouraging performance.
The under-18s drew 2-2 in Monday night’s second leg at Emirates Stadium, consigning them to a 4-3 aggregate defeat despite taking the lead in both legs of the tie.
It was a great game for the under-18s to play, especially at Emirates Stadium, and the biggest game of the season. They didn’t let themselves down. At times, we played some really good football
Chris Willock and Donyell Malen were on target in front of more than 4,000 fans at Emirates Stadium, and Gatting says his side were the better team for periods of the game.
“I thought the first half was excellent,” he told Arsenal.com. “It was a bitter pill to swallow coming in a half-time 2-1 down when City had hardly got into our half. Saying that, it could have been down to our poor defending. It was disappointing.
“Over the two games, there were points when we were the better side by far. In both games, we went goals up and couldn’t hold on to it.
“We had some harsh decisions from the referee that didn’t go our way, too. When we were attacking in their half, we had some good opportunities and put the balls into the right areas. At the other end, we weren’t decisive enough with our decision-making.
“It was a great game for the under-18s to play, especially at Emirates Stadium, and the biggest game of the season. They didn’t let themselves down. At times, we played some really good football.”
Copyright 2016 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160405/gatting-it-s-a-bitter-pill-to-swallow#JgIZZYTOJBWahG5t.99
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http://player.arsenal.com/videos/7627/wenger-on-youth-development?autoplay=true
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around four minutes in he has something that seems to chime in with todays football problems.
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did something happen tonight for all this whinging blaming Arsenal and Wenger for Liverpool refusing to honor Suarez’s buy out clause in 2013, and Suarez being not interested enough in a move to Arsejal for him to be willing to challenge the decision in court, was there some new revelation or something
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Excellent Andrew – young players are so much more polished than even the early days of Arsene, physically, tactically, even what they eat and (dont) drink.
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fecking hell, does wenger ever learn, more bloody youth signings, does he not know its the first team that needs signings
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160406/new-u-9s-players-welcomed-to-the-club?
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Writers’ block?
Well done, Eduardo, keep the ball in play, even if it means quoting the unquotables.
All the clubs want to play in the Champions League. Only on e club can win it each year.
Only one club can win the EPL each year. At the moment 3 other clubs may participate in the CL!
All clubs are not equal, the Arsenal will have 27 TV appearances, whilst for some unknown reason, Bournemouth 7 and Watford and Stoke 8. If Sky are correct.
For me, the ultimate goal of a football club is not to make profits, but to challenge for trophies, is NONSENSE.
Without financial stability, the club cannot continue. No player will sign for a bankrupt football club, even if the player is a first creditor. Ask David James, or any former Portsmouth player.
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Wenger’s press conference for West Ham game is tomorrow morning at 9, live on Arsenal.com. He is sure to be asked loads of silly questions about Jack Wilshere.
There will be team news and fitness updates, and we might find out if Wilshere will play in Friday’s U21 game V Newcastle – live on Arsenal player.
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Daniel Storey @danielstorey85 3h3 hours ago
Think the transfer fees of the four CBs tonight is the highest ever (£35m Silva, £50m Luiz, £32m Otamendi, £42m Mangala). It hasn’t shown.
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wilshere and rosicky set to play for u21’s tomorrow
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ramsey back in training and might make the squad for saturday
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Wenger: “Ramsey could join in – he had a good training session yesterday. Flamini fit. Wilshere & Rosicky will play with U21s.”
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TEAM NEWS: RAMSEY, WILSHERE, ROSICKY
Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Saturday’s Premier League fixture against West Ham United:
on the latest team news…
We have a similar squad available. Ramsey could join the squad again because he had a good training session on Wednesday and would normally have a final test on Friday. There’s a possibility he could be back in the squad.
on Flamini…
Flamini is in a similar situation to Ramsey.
on overall injury situation…
Santi and Alex [Oxlade-Chamberlain] are the only injuries now. At the moment we [are waiting] on Alex coming back to fitness and Santi to practise. They should not be too far. Overall, the injury situation looks quite good.
on Rosicky and Wilshere…
Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere will play for the under-21s on Friday night.
You can watch Jack and Tomas return to action live on Arsenal.com. Click here to find out more
Copyright 2016 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160407/team-news-ramsey-wilshere-rosicky#y2v3V285xAeZGr70.99
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Marc Bola @MarcBola27 2h2 hours ago
Pleased On Signing My First Professional Contract At My Dream Club @Arsenal❤️
Arsenal FC @Arsenal 6h6 hours ago
Congratulations to academy midfielder Savvas Mourgos on his first professional contract: http://arsn.al/t9ciUv
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http://insidearsenal.com/why-it-is-so-important-that-we-have-a-full-and-open-investigation-into-epl-refereeing-corruption-now/
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Where have all the mice gone – to church?
I thought I would have a gander at Stan the main man’s employment prospects and the foot soldiers!
Account Executive Hourly Rate = $10.44/hour!!
Or, $34,736 full time.
5. 20 Oct 2015
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Logo
“Press Operator”
StarStarStarStarStar
Former Employee – Anonymous Employee in Denver, CO (US)
Recommends
Neutral Outlook
Pros
I worked for KSE Imprints. It was a good experience for what it was. The floor staff was very willing to teach as much as they could.
Cons
They were not very forthcoming with the amount of upward mobility that was actually available within the company. This might be because there was not very much upward mobility.
Advice to Management
A big part of working in a hot warehouse printing T-Shirts is the moral(e) of the staff. I am not sure how one might improve the moral, that is up to the management to decide.
No 401(k) match, this is a pension contribution scheme. over there.
No sick leave!
The Emirates staff at £10 per hour (per Ken Friar’s letter to Islington Council).
Checking Bloomberg, Ken and the other Arsenal directors appear on the KSE affiliated board, with E. Stan.. Kroenke.
COTG.
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Evening NOTH
The regular posse are meeting Ms Alabamagooner on her visit to blighty.
In the meantime BvB Dortmund are 0-1 down before 1/2 time.
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Jule Niles interference costing her son, Ainsley Maitland-Niles once again, when will she learn to butt out and let her son just get on with the job.
http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/29426/?
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Tonights U21 game will be difficult to manage for Getting, with both Jack and TR7 having to come off after an hour that leaves only one tactical or injury sub. For those who like to criticise the youth coaches should consider the many different responsibilities and circumstances they face, especially at the end of the season when winning and extra integration of next season’s U21’s are a necessity.
I won’t see the game because I’m away so I’ll have to keep up to date on here, so Ed please keep me posted.
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U-21S: ARSENAL V NEWCASTLE – PREVIEW
By Lloyd Webb
Playing with established internationals is nothing new for Julio Pleguezuelo – and he’ll get another taste of that on Friday night.
Jack Wilshere is expected to make his return from a nine-month absence, while Tomas Rosicky is sharpening up his match fitness after a two-month lay-off.
Serge Gnabry will also be looking to continue his fine form for Steve Gatting’s side, and under-21s captain Pleguezuelo can’t wait to lead Arsenal out in front of the Emirates Stadium crowd.
Jack is a great player on the ball. The vision he has on the pitch is amazing. Rosicky and him have the experience from a first-team level and it will help our position. They will know what to do with the ball and it will help us a lot offensively
“It is always a good feeling,” he told Arsenal.com. “We won’t have a crowd as big as the first team, but we always get great support there. We play there three or four times a season but it is an incredible feeling. It is such a nice pitch and an incredible surface. It is a very nice place to play.
“It is always good to play with first-team players too, because they are at that first-team level and they will help us a lot. It is always good to keep learning. It is more of a reason to enjoy the game.
“Playing alongside them is always very good, and if I’m going to be a captain, I need to help them as much as I can and I’m sure they will do the same thing for me.
“Jack is a great player on the ball. The vision he has on the pitch is amazing. Rosicky and him have the experience from a first-team level and it will help our position. They will know what to do with the ball and it will help us a lot offensively.”
Arsenal have beaten Newcastle once this season – 2-1 at St James’ Park – but Pleguezuelo expects a tough game.
“We played them at the beginning of the season and they were a very good side in possession,” he said. “They were strong physically.
“They were very good in possession, and even when they went down to 10 men, we still struggled to keep the ball. It will be a very interesting game.”
Our live video stream of the game is free to view for all Arsenal Members. Click here to register for FREE Digital Membership.
The show starts at 6.40pm (UK time) with former Gunners Adrian Clarke and Stephen Hughes in the studio. Dan Roebuck and Max Jones are on commentary from 7pm.
You can also stream this match live on the iOS version of the Arsenal App!
Tickets for the match are available at £4 adults and £2 concessions here.
Copyright 2016 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/match/report/1516/pre/under-21/u-21s-arsenal-v-newcastle-preview#jF54BKPzlMy1C41p.99
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Wenger’s latest comments will not please the AAA/WOB, he says Jenkinson has a future at Arsenal and will compete with Bellerin for the right back slot. So those demanding we sign a new right back, with Debuchy likely leaving this summer, will be sadly disappointed.
I have said it before, but even if, as reported up to 9 senior players leave this summer, Arsenal will not go on a massive spending spree, well it could be a massive outlay, but for me it will not see a lot of new signings, it will mostly be, “Internal solutions”. Jenkinson could well be joined in the senior squad by any of Toral, Hayden, Maitland-Niles, Akpom, Zelalem, and even some of the youths like, Bielik, Pleguezuelo, Crowley, Willock, Hinds, Nelson and others
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Ed, cheers for all the AFC news and updates this week.
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That’s good news about Jenks Ed. I’m glad he’s going to get a chance to play at Arsenal as he was looking promising and hopefully his 2 years on loan have given him more consistency.
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Arsenal Under-21s starting XI: Macey, Sheaf, Bielik, Pleguezuelo, M.Bola, Wilshere, McGuane, Rosicky, Crowley, Gnabry, Mavididi
substitutes: Keto, Pileas, Willock, Reine-Adelaide, Malen
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