League Cup Bonanza

TotalArsenal

A home draw against League One opposition made for a pleasant change and an opportunity for Mikel Arteta to give some of his current generation of youngsters some minutes in a senior match. It was my second visit of the season to the Emirates and I thoroughly looked forward to and was confident of seeing the Arsenal manager pick an interesting squad. He didn’t disappoint.

Bolton Wanderers are not the Bolton Wanderers of the Sam Allardyce era but they’re not a Sunday league team from the Hackney Marshes either, so Arteta needed to be sensible in selecting a balanced team that would allow our youngsters to perform safe in the knowledge that there would be some experience around to lend a guiding hand whilst allowing them the opportunity and freedom to express themselves. Bolton’s goal came from this freedom to express but the old heads steadied the ship and no damage was done. It’s all part of the learning process and why it’s irresponsible to expect the manager of a big serious club to play a team of kids in a senior game.

A brutal run of Premier League, Champions League and Internationals had eaten into the Arsenal squad so much so that 16 year old Jack Porter made his senior debut in goal, 18 months to two years before he was I feel properly ready, but needs must and young Jack performed well all things considered. He had a nervy start but did well when punching clear from a corner from amongst a gaggle of players. The defence didn’t pass back to him as often as usual but had the common sense to protect him and not put him under undue pressure. He could do little about the Bolton goal, probably going to ground a little early but given the experience of playing in front of several thousand Bolton fans who no doubt gave him plenty of helpful tips on his goalkeeping, he actually came out the game with plenty of positives.

Josh Nichols made a good impression in the US tour and he didn’t tarnish that impression with a solid and dependable display at right-back, Arteta was obviously happy with what he saw from Josh as he played the full 90+ minutes. He had to contend with a few robust Bolton challenges early in the game but as his confidence grew so did his performance and he can feel very satisfied with his nights work. Good things happen to you if you work hard and you have talent and Josh is proof of that.

Myles Lewis Skelly is a wonderfully gifted and versatile young man who fitted into the floating role from left back, joining the midfield and creating some excellent openings for his team mates. He linked up with Raheem Stirling faultlessly and as if he’d been playing 1st team for months, he is another from this impressive group who graduated together from Hale End, you won’t get quality like this every year despite your wishes to believe it’s so, but anyone whose watched youngsters come through the youth team as long as I have can tell when there’s a special class of youngsters and we are currently seeing a special group develop. Myles left the field with a leg injury which I hope isn’t too serious because he’s going to get plenty of minutes this season and Arteta will need him.

Ethan Nwaneri is the poster boy from this class of youngsters, every big club wanted him before he signed professional but he trusted Arteta and Arteta has trusted him.
Ethan like Josh played the full 90+ minutes and he scored two goals. I’m sure that there’s plenty more goals to come from him and I’m certain he’ll get plenty more minutes this season. He has a beautiful low centre of gravity as he switches direction and sprints away from opponents, his first goal was a testament to his speed and anticipation as Stirling’s low cross evaded the onrushing Jesus but didn’t evade Ethan who tucked it away. His second goal came via the intelligent anticipation of Declan Rice who dispossessed a Bolton player and passed to Ethan, Declan ran for the return but Ethan had only eyes for the goal and put it away with aplomb.

Declan had earlier scored the Arsenal opener via a deflection from a Nichols low cross and overall enjoyed a satisfying evenings work before being substituted.
Kai Havertz came on and scored the 5th after smart work from Stirling, I always enjoy seeing our tall German hit the net.

Stirling himself ended his goal drought after fine work from Jesus and the imperious Saka who showed us some of his many trick to bamboozle the Bolton left-back and put it on a plate for Raheem.

Kiwior got the chance to play centre back as did Califiori and both sailed effortlessly through the match eventually being replaced by Gabriel and another debutee in Maldini Kacurri. I didn’t see much after the Havertz goal as I had to leave early, therefore I missed the debut of Kabia who replaced Stirling on 81 minutes.

So 4 debutees and 2 earning their full debuts in a very compelling and competitive cup tie against experienced, seasoned professionals looking to cause an upset. In another era Arsene Wenger would be lionised as a purveyor of youth by playing 6 youngsters, but, alas some still carry a pathological dislike of our present manager so 6 youngsters playing in the 1st team will be dismissed and ignored.
It says much about them I suppose!

Honourable mentions in dispatches for Jesus, who worked tirelessly but cannot buy a goal for love nor money, Jorginho who was like everyone’s favourite Dad going around spreading a calming influence and no doubt a calming word and Martinelli who despite doing enough running in recent matches to win a marathon still came on and fizzed about.

Credit to the players, credit to the fans, many able to visit the Emirates for the first time in ages, credit to the Arsenal coaching staff and credit to Mikel Arteta who proved irrevocably that he will use youngsters, but only if they’re good enough…

By Allezkev

36 thoughts on “League Cup Bonanza”

  • Thanks Total, I thoroughly enjoyed the game and unfortunately missed Kabia’s debut and a great save by Porter. My son has to be up for work at 4am so we left early to miss the crush and get him home, he’s probably paying for it today but it was great spending time with him, children and grandchildren are such a blessing.

  • Stu, that is wonderful news amigo, it must have an immensely worrying time for you but the Big Guy came through for you and your Mum.

  • Kev, it was a joy reading this again. Your enthusiasm is infectious, and I love what you are saying about Lewis Skelly and Nwaneri. I also thought the youngsters done well and it reminded me of a similar league cup game I attended back in 2006, when Jack Wilshire stole the show.

    Nwaneri reminds me a bit of Jack and Ramsey; he has a similar level of confidence and technical ability. And yes, his low centre of gravity is a strong quality.

  • I think Arteta was testing an interesting attacking lineup, yesterday. Saka, Jesus, Sterling and Nwaneri were totally bamboozling Bolton at times. I cannot remember so much dribbling ability and forward thrust in the team since the days of Reyes, Dennis, Henry and Freddie. We broke through the lines so easily and I would love to see this sort of attacking line up again and again.

  • No apology needed, Total. I live in a town named Kerikeri, which the residents describe as so beautiful that it was named twice. Similarly the comments above and Kev’s fine post are cert’s worth reading twice.
    Kev, your love of our Arsenal and for your family warms the heart. Yes, “The Big Guy 😉” came through but I think He is keen to get New Zealand’s finest baker up in Heaven.
    LG, yes, mate, Spring has sprung for us. I wish you could see our orange orchard, it is that gorgeous time of year when the trees are resplendently dressed in green leaf, ripening oranges and fragrant white blossom.
    Total, the snapper went down a treat.
    As did that performance against Bolton. Thanks again, Kev for bringing us into the stadium with you and your son.

  • What a great night it must have been, Kev … You’ll be able to brag “I was there” (for his first two senior goals) when Ethan is awarded his first “Ballon d’Or”! And few sides of life are as bright as a night out with one’s son …
    Preston now … I watched their game against Fulham, because I didn’t want to miss Reiss’s debut (he didn’t disapppoint, was Fulham’s best player). They’ll be tougher opponents, for sure. They looked to me like the typical bottom-tier championship team, focused, organized, well-drilled tactically, physically strong, technically clean but limited (the volley they scored was beautiful, though), a bunch of guys who are just where they were always meant to be (I know how derogative, patronizing, this may sound, but this is not my intention, I actually respect this kind of players a lot).
    They won’t make the kind of “Sunday league” mistake the Bolton guy made, which Declan preyed on, but on the other hand they’re deprived of creativity, inspiration. This’ll be the game of their season, in front of their fans, and should Josh, Myles and Ethan (I don’t think any other youngster will be) get picked that night, they will be put to the test.
    I, for one, am looking forward to watching this.

  • Thanks Total for the kind words, if you cannot enjoy your team when they’re playing such wonderful football, if everything you see of your club is clouded in a negative hue then why the hell do you bother? So many on line seem to spend an inordinate amount of their blogging time looking for negatives, I guess it’s part of their character…

    Great to hear from you Stu, it’s been a good week for good news from Kirikiri. I would love to taste some of your Mum’s baking, nobody but nobody made an apple pie like my dear old Mum, she was a wizard in the kitchen.

  • Wise words mon ami, Preston will be a tough nut to crack and we look set to play them in between Liverpool and Newcastle so hopefully some walking wounded will have returned?

    I know you enjoy the yoot as do I, but I believe we’re in the midst of seeing a generation of some outstanding young players developing from the U16’s and U17’s. Academy’s have peaks and troughs and I feel we’re on a peak. Not all of them will make it but the best will.

  • It’s good to go to Preston before the Newcastle away game. This will help the whole team to acclimatise a bit, as this will be another key game so early in the season.

  • Cheers Total,

    Seems as if there’s a concerted effort by some in the media to besmirch Arsenal’s efforts to be competitive, I guess they preferred it when we played pretty football and lost so that they could laugh at us and say that Arsenal don’t like it when you get in their faces – a euphemism for them kicking us.

    This iteration of Arsenal haven’t got a soft centre and that’s irritating to our detractors who want back the Arsenal who lose 8-2 and so they attack us by saying we use the ‘dark arts’ (you know as if Arteta invented it) amongst other thinly veiled insults or derogatory comments, usually from ex-footballers who were in their time major proponents of foul play and cheating.

    I mean has any Arsenal footballer ever tried to deliberately break an opponents leg as Roy Keane once attempted.

  • The Czech’s do it so very well, Total.
    My nephew, John has just been appointed First Violin for The London Royal Academy of Music’s orchestra. I’ll e mail you an example of his playing.

  • Your encyclopedic knowledge of classical music(s) is truly amazing, T.
    I’m not sure that many French people still know about Saint-Georges (his father’s first name). Funnily enough, btw, Georges Bologne is the namesake of the man – Georges Boulogne – who was the coach, manager, professor … who brought some order into the chaos French professional had been up to the turn of the 1970s, and whose name should be remembered every time the national team, in particular, wins a trophy.
    ” Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges ” having been sentenced to oblivion down here, actually speaks volumes about the underlying racism that has pervaded French society for so long – and still does. There’s no clearer evidence of this than (again!) the Olympics’ opening ceremony, of which Saint-Georges and his music were left out, when he should have been the poster boy for what the show was supposed to convey.
    I’m not even sure Thomas Jolly – the guy who was in charge of the show – knew anything about Saint-Georges, otherwise (if we choose not to discuss further Jolly’s choices of ” themes ” and take them for granted), how could he not have seized the opportunity to stage a ” tableau ” of the fencing duel between him and the ” Chevalier d’Éon “, who has gone down in history as one of its most famous ” trans ” heroes?
    Anyway, given what the soundtrack of her young life must have been, there’s no need to investigate much to understand where your star-in-the-making’s artistic calling comes from …
    One word about today’s game – not more because there are so many uncertainties about who in our squad will be available or not. I’d confidently place a bet on Ethan being a starter – he’s the only player in the squad who can replicate some of the things our skipper is used to doing in tiny spaces, and that’s the kind of talent we are very likely to need today!
    COYG!!
    (before you ask) Just watched the game, Stu – what a symphony this was. The back lines shone brightly, but what a player Sititi is, too. Hope your ‘ma loves rugby (mine did – she brought a football player into this world, but rugby was her true passion) – so you were watching this by her side.

  • Hi Legall,

    I always love reading your comments, but this morning’s one is even better than usual.

    I was listening to the unrivalled, brilliant BBC Radio 3 and, to be honest, thought they were playing a piece by Mozart, only to find out it was by Georges Boulogne. It was so harmonious and brimming with positivity and hope for better, and this I associated with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who, through his oeuvre, I see as the bringing to life of our club’s motto ‘Victoria Concordia Crescit’.

    I did subsequently look into Georges history and was not surprised to read he was from the same era and comparisons with the king of harmony had been, and are still being, made. It looks like Georges pushed himself forward as much as he could 200+ years ago and he was multi-talented. Indeed, he would have been a great historical character to focus on at the Olympics. Victory through harmony has still a while to go in France (Netherlands, UK…. and almost anywhere else, sadly).

  • Re daughter and influence, I have no musical talent despite my parents trying to ignite this during my early years. I hated playing piano with a passion but not as much as the musical theory lessons that were forced on me. Luckily, they quickly realised I valued things like football, freedom and friendship far too much to press on with those ‘cultural initiatives’. Of course they had the best intentions but it was not meant for me. What it did mean, though, is that I developed a liking of classical music from an early age, and I have played a lot of this music in Verity’s company, especially when we playing with lego, cars, playmobil, you name it.

    And I often find classical themes in here music writing, so yes, indirectly I may have influenced her a bit.

  • I suspect that we’ll see Ethan off of the bench today and hopefully Myles as well – he is becoming a bit of a favourite of mine.

    I’d imagine that Arteta, with Brighton in mind (nailed-on 3 pointer) won’t take any risks, we need 9 points from the next 3 games not least with City looking on course for a win at St James’.

    I appreciate that folks want to see the youngsters flourish, and they will given time, but needs must.

  • Still a long way to go at St James’,Kev.

    I think you are right re playing youngsters, but would love to see Nwaneri start among the regulars. 😃

  • It’s getting very tasty at St James’

    Great to see so many young players on the bench and not just bodies to make up the numbers but youngsters who the coaches and senior players have trust in.

  • Marti needed this one, badly
    I try to hold my horses there, I really do, but truth be told I think Calafiori looks like the new Maldini. He even makes sense of that “inverted” FB thing I never really liked before …
    As for Leandro, we didn’t see much of him, but in the box he’s definitely the one of ours you want the ball to get to
    There’s no way they’re gonna recover from that second, bring on Ethan, Mikel!
    COYG

  • Thanks Legall, unfortunately, I cannot watch the game here, but radio commentary is good too. Sounds like we are in control, but let’s not get complacent.

  • So much for not recovering … and what a goal, too
    Whether it be Jesus, or Ethan, or Sterling, or two or three of them, something has to change upfront, we’re toothless – Kai is having a bad day at the office, and was a spectator of their first goal, when he should have put his body on the line
    COYG

  • Trossard-in-the-box!!
    Not what we expected today (understatement), but this is the kind of wins titles are made of.
    Glad Kai finally bagged (a very strange) one, but the one who did make an impression today had number 63 on his back!
    COYG

  • Classic game of two-halves, totally controlled 1st 45 with Leicester focused on defence and a hopeful breakaway by Vardy.

    2nd 45 was like your worst nightmare, Vardy buys a free kick by swerving directly across Saliba’s path, I’m not even sure it was a foul and Saliba even got booked – very odd?

    Then the free kick is headed by Justin onto Havertz’s shoulder and deflects past Raya who had the original trajectory covered, cue anxiety. Only for the same player to score again when he volleys past Raya from a cross with the kind of shot he’ll never connect with again in his entire career and it has you thinking of last season and stupid points dropped in games we controlled.

    Credit to the team for keeping their composure and for keeping going, finally we got the luck we earned with some dominant play but it was a bit nervy at periods. Great to see the Nwaneri cameo at such a crucial time in the game.

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