Akpom, Aneke, Afobe, JET

[OneBardGooner]

Oh! come On Flash mate - don't sit on the fence !

[clockender1]

They're all shit

how will we know - Afobe never played for the first team did he ?

it seems pointless us signing non french strikers as wenger never plays them - like afobe and podolski, unless he's forced too.

the forward line is one of the few areas where 'if you're good enough, you're old enough' - but afobe never even got to play for us in 4 years as a professional. if he never looked good enough to step up, why keep him at 18, 19, 20 etc ?

but during that period, we started sanogoals, chamakh, and gervinho (just off the top of my head...) surely a home grown product couldn't have been any worse in the striker role ?

[SteveO 35]

They're all shit

Absolutely - the latest in a long line of 'no marks' - Stokes, Barrett, Aliadiere, Quincy......and now these average Joes.....18 years and still trying to produce a home grown striker

[clockender1]

They're all shit

Absolutely - the latest in a long line of 'no marks' - Stokes, Barrett, Aliadiere, Quincy......and now these average Joes.....18 years and still trying to produce a home grown striker

or Centre back. or Winger. or Defensive midfielder. or goalkeeper.

in fact, what has wenger produced in 18 years ? - gibbs ?

bentley hardly had an illustrious career....Matty Upson perhaps ?

[SteveO 35]

They're all shit

Absolutely - the latest in a long line of 'no marks' - Stokes, Barrett, Aliadiere, Quincy......and now these average Joes.....18 years and still trying to produce a home grown striker

or Centre back. or Winger. or Defensive midfielder. or goalkeeper.

in fact, what has wenger produced in 18 years ? - gibbs ?

bentley hardly had an illustrious career....Matty Upson perhaps ?

Poached from Luton for £2.5m so not sure we can quite take the glory for that one. Bentley - a bloke who had to retire in his 20s due to being....err.....shit !

The best player produced in the Wenger era by far was Ashley Cole and we flogged him for a bag of crisps and the worst captain in living memory for the sake of 5k per week

[clockender1]

cole was scouted under George and mentored by the Famous Five. Wonga only played him due to injury - Silvinho was it ?

so no-one then really. quite the legacy. not.

[northbank123]

Afobe signs for Wolves, £2M deal.

Akpom offered new contract with us, current one expires in the summer.

http://news.arseblog.com/2015/01/akpom- ... nd-circle/

Thank fuck for that

[QuartzGooner]

Why so cynical Northbank?

Do you know what we have in Akpom?
Because I don't, he has barely played a first team game.

But I want to see what we have, because he has done well at every youth level he has played at so far.
And call me old fashioned, a bit of a dreamer perhaps, but I like to give the local (ish) lads every chance to make it with us.

[northbank123]

Why so cynical Northbank?

Do you know what we have in Akpom?
Because I don't, he has barely played a first team game.

But I want to see what we have, because he has done well at every youth level he has played at so far.
And call me old fashioned, a bit of a dreamer perhaps, but I like to give the local (ish) lads every chance to make it with us.

I could reel off all the names of failed academy prospects that make my cynical Quartz but I fancy getting my head down this side of midnight. Even in a successful academy only a (very) small proportion of academy players will go on to make a big impact at the club but things have just not been good enough on that front for us, and our record with strikers is particularly appalling.

To be honest the kid could be the next Messi and he would still have to sit on the bench watching Sanogo and Carlos Vela reincarnate ahead of him in the pecking order whilst he waits to grab any opportunity in a formation that places unrealistic burdens and demands on our striker.

[arseofacrow]

Forget the strikers but obviously London, unlike the last 15/20 years, is producing no centre backs whatsoever. None at all.

Christ, what are they sticking in the water?


Arsenal youth: Average is our game.

[QuartzGooner]

New-four-and-a half-year deal for Akpom.
Makes business sense, but he has a lot to do to prove himself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31120658

[1989]

Great news. Akpom is a real talent. Looks like a proper striker. We haven't produced a striker worthy of the name in ages so hopefully he'll be the one to change that.

[officepest]

Great news. Akpom is a real talent. Looks like a proper striker. We haven't produced a striker worthy of the name in ages so hopefully he'll be the one to change that.

Jury's out.

Afobe scored for fun at McFranchise and we palmed him off pretty quick. Chances are Akpom will be in the Championship next year too.

It would be nice though for one of our prospects to make it.

[Theoperator]

Akpoms off to Notts Forest for the rest of the eseason. Seems a sensible move.

Meanwhile Afobes bagged 8 goals in 14 games for Wolves . Still Im sure that AW will have a buy back clause in his £2m deal

[northbank123]

I went to watch Cardiff v Wolves a month ago and Afobe did nothing at all to indicate that he should be playing at a higher level.