Do you want Luis Suarez?

[SteveO 35]

Drogba scored 16 goals in 40 game during his first season and Giroud scored 17 in 47 so by your definition Giroud had a terrible season. Your blind faith to this team is laughable. Clearly you are being a wum

I saw Drogs play loads in is first season. He was very poor every single time - missed chance after chance, terrible touch, his diving was unconvincing.
Please block me if you don't believe I'm posting honestly.

As I said, you might not personally rate the likes of Welbeck or Sturridge

Wellbeck scored how many last season? Pretty much a conversation stopper.
Who 'produced' Sturridge? Not Liverpool they paid a club who signed him on a big Bosman FFS.
IMO we didn't produce a top striker with Andy Cole because he never made it with us

How many international goals did those two players get and how many PL games did they play? Hardly a crime for Welbeck when he's got Van Persie, Rooney and Hernandez playing alongside him

Sturridge was widely sought after from the minute he first appeared in Man City's academy......aren't they a big club?

Andy Cole was well before Wenger as you know.....so who can we claim in the past 17 years has gone on anywhere of note and done the business?

I can't believe you can even begin to stand over our record in this department.

Look at every PL striker - they all started somewhere.......but NONE of them with us. Even producing an Andy Carroll standard player would be a start.

We have packed off dozens of second raters to shit leagues throughout the world who were here for years supposedly benefitting from some of the world's finest scouting, coaching and facilities in Europe's number 1 city. IT IS A FUCKING JOKE

[highburyJD]

Sturridge was widely sought after from the minute he first appeared in Man City's academy......aren't they a big club?

losing young players is not producing a top striker

[SteveO 35]

Sturridge was widely sought after from the minute he first appeared in Man City's academy......aren't they a big club?

losing young players is not producing a top striker

My point is that we don't even produce any that are good enough to make it elsewhere. Everton managed to produce Rooney but he didn't stay there beyond the age of 18......who gets credit for his development?

I challenge you to think of a single ex-Arsenal youth striker of the last 17 years (one that wasn't stolen....so that rules out Anelka) who has gone on to have a decent career in a top league. If you have to think about that for more than 5 minutes then my point is proven.......JD, we are supposed to be a top European club with huge resources......do you honestly not think we should at least be able to look at one or two ex-Gooners doing the business somewhere else, that we might even have earned some sort of knock-on fee from?

Even little clubs like Charlton produced better in the likes of Defoe whilst we were trying to develop the latest wonderkids from across the world

[highburyJD]

I challenge you to think of a single ex-Arsenal youth striker of the last 17 years (one that wasn't stolen....so that rules out Anelka) who has gone on to have a decent career in a top league. If you have to think about that for more than 5 minutes then my point is proven.......JD, we are supposed to be a top European club with huge resources......do you honestly not think we should at least be able to look at one or two ex-Gooners doing the business somewhere else, that we might even have earned some sort of knock-on fee from?

there's not many Dickov, Merson (started up top), Jay Bothroyd, the Irish boy at Celtic
but really a decent career? Who cares what they do elsewhere?

We've sold strikers for decent cash that's what matters if they don't make it at the Arsenal.
Isiaih Rankin, Quincy and that bloke who was POY at Millwall may all be shite
but we got decent money for them...

I challenge you to think of a single striker who made it at ManUre, Chelski, Bayern, Barca, Real Madrid (no Anelka means no Raul), Juve or AC MIlan from their youth teams .... It's just hard to tell how good strikers are gonna be till they're 20

(bet there's one I've forgotten)

[officepest]

I challenge you to think of a single ex-Arsenal youth striker of the last 17 years (one that wasn't stolen....so that rules out Anelka) who has gone on to have a decent career in a top league. If you have to think about that for more than 5 minutes then my point is proven.......JD, we are supposed to be a top European club with huge resources......do you honestly not think we should at least be able to look at one or two ex-Gooners doing the business somewhere else, that we might even have earned some sort of knock-on fee from?

there's not many Dickov, Merson (started up top), Jay Bothroyd, the Irish boy at Celtic
but really a decent career? Who cares what they do elsewhere?

We've sold strikers for decent cash that's what matters if they don't make it at the Arsenal.
Isiaih Rankin, Quincy and that bloke who was POY at Millwall may all be shite
but we got decent money for them...

I challenge you to think of a single striker who made it at ManUre, Chelski, Bayern, Barca, Real Madrid (no Anelka means no Raul), Juve or AC MIlan from their youth teams .... It's just hard to tell how good strikers are gonna be till they're 20


(bet there's one I've forgotten)

Bojan Krkic. Played over 100 times for Barca before being sold on and subsequently going back.

[highburyJD]

would you be happy if we signed Krcic?
scores less than 1 in 4, not guaranteed a start at Ajax...

[officepest]

would you be happy if we signed Krcic?
scores less than 1 in 4, not guaranteed a start at Ajax...

Probably not, but he did come through the ranks at Barca, which I thought was what you were asking? I think he was a bit unlucky though as a lot of his appearances were as sub for Messi.

His career probably needs kick starting - who can you think who used to be good at that sort of thing?

[highburyJD]

he did come through the ranks at Barca, which I thought was what you were asking?

SteveO frequently criticises our youth team for not producing strikers
I was pointing out hardly any of the top clubs do.

[officepest]

he did come through the ranks at Barca, which I thought was what you were asking?

SteveO frequently criticises our youth team for not producing strikers
I was pointing out hardly any of the top clubs do.

In which case I'd say you both have a point.

[Red Gunner]

I challenge you to think of a single striker who made it at ManUre, Chelski, Bayern, Barca, Real Madrid (no Anelka means no Raul), Juve or AC MIlan from their youth teams .... It's just hard to tell how good strikers are gonna be till they're 20

(bet there's one I've forgotten)

There's this short Argentinian guy who joined Barcelona when he was 13 and he actually turned to be a half-decent striker. Can't remember his name though

[highburyJD]

I challenge you to think of a single striker who made it at ManUre, Chelski, Bayern, Barca, Real Madrid (no Anelka means no Raul), Juve or AC MIlan from their youth teams .... It's just hard to tell how good strikers are gonna be till they're 20

(bet there's one I've forgotten)

There's this short Argentinian guy who joined Barcelona when he was 13 and he actually turned to be a half-decent striker. Can't remember his name though

what age was he nicked from Newells? (said the man scrabbling for an excuse)

[Red Gunner]

I challenge you to think of a single striker who made it at ManUre, Chelski, Bayern, Barca, Real Madrid (no Anelka means no Raul), Juve or AC MIlan from their youth teams .... It's just hard to tell how good strikers are gonna be till they're 20

(bet there's one I've forgotten)

There's this short Argentinian guy who joined Barcelona when he was 13 and he actually turned to be a half-decent striker. Can't remember his name though

what age was he nicked from Newells? (said the man scrabbling for an excuse)

He was thirteen:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... onel-messi

[highburyJD]

so... I had totally forgotten the best player in the World
but I'm gonna try and stand by my point - Messi is a force of nature, not sure I'd even call him a 'striker'.

It is exceptionally difficult to develop strikers. Most top strikers are bought because movement and finishing confidence are qualities that often come to the fore later.