The last "homegrown" striker ?

SteveO 35 · Post by **SteveO 35** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:49 pm

Watching TH14 come on last night and provide one moment of quality that none of our other available strikers could dream of, even against Leeds, just confirmed (as if needed) how desperate we are up front without RvP.

It also throws up another question - when are we going to produce a homegrown striker of genuine PL quality? In other positions we've been able to bring through Wilshere, Cole, Szezcny - not as many as myth would have it, but none the less decent PL / international class players. I don't buy the whole "we produced Cesc" argument but even if you include those stolen from other foreign academies when is the last time we even did that with a striker - Anelka maybe?

I'm genuinely trying to think of the last time one of our academy strikers ever really made the grade. So many have been held up as great hopes too e.g. Aliadiere, Lupoli, Quincy. FFS - people even touted ratface Bentley as the next Bergkamp?

I can't think of any recently.....

Very poor for a supposed world class academy

SWLGooner · Post by **SWLGooner** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:02 pm

Is andy cole recent enough?

hugh jardon · Post by **hugh jardon** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:15 pm

Kevin Campbell was dynamite when he broke into the first team

Gunnersaurus · Post by **Gunnersaurus** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:18 pm

We brought Henry back for two reasons, firstly because we are tight, second simply for cover for players in Africa, that is not a blot on our Academy, I would be irate if someone from the youth team was asked to fill the gap.

It's not a problem exclusive to strikers though.

Compare that to United, they are not tight and they got no players in Africa yet they brought Scholes back, what does that say about their famed academy that produced Beckham, Giggs etc and have lived off those names for 20 odd years?

Chelsea have just sent out McCracken to Swansea when Lampard is so out of form, Liverpool brought back Craig Bellamy to fill gaps.

It's not a problems exclusive to Arsenal, the top clubs are not quick at giving chances anymore although with Jack, Scezceny and Gibbs we are more forthcoming than most.

frankbutcher · Post by **frankbutcher** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:23 pm

No--one good enough for us, but...

Nik Bendtner
Anthony Stokes
Jay Bothroyd
Paul Dickov

clockender1 · Post by **clockender1** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:38 pm

When was the last time any of the top English teams produced a top striker - to my memory it's only been Owen n Rooney in the last 20 years or so.

Most English strikers come from the lower down the table or even leagues it seems - just look at the muppets in the England squad - bent, Defoe, crouch, heskey.

SteveO 35 · Post by **SteveO 35** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:01 pm

clockender1 wrote:When was the last time any of the top English teams produced a top striker - to my memory it's only been Owen n Rooney in the last 20 years or so.

Most English strikers come from the lower down the table or even leagues it seems - just look at the muppets in the England squad - bent, Defoe, crouch, heskey.

Perhaps you're right. I would say that Welbeck and Sturridge are on the path though. We haven't even got one at that level and haven't had for some time now

SteveO 35 · Post by **SteveO 35** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:06 pm

Gunnersaurus wrote:We brought Henry back for two reasons, firstly because we are tight, second simply for cover for players in Africa, that is not a blot on our Academy, I would be irate if someone from the youth team was asked to fill the gap.

It's not a problem exclusive to strikers though.

Compare that to United, they are not tight and they got no players in Africa yet they brought Scholes back, what does that say about their famed academy that produced Beckham, Giggs etc and have lived off those names for 20 odd years?

Chelsea have just sent out McCracken to Swansea when Lampard is so out of form, Liverpool brought back Craig Bellamy to fill gaps.

It's not a problems exclusive to Arsenal, the top clubs are not quick at giving chances anymore although with Jack, Scezceny and Gibbs we are more forthcoming than most.

I don't remember saying that it was a problem that was exclusive to Arsenal. However, while you're on the subject of United, wouldn't you say that Welbeck is a better standard than any striker we've produced for a few years? Sturridge has also shown enough class to suggest that his loan spells are turning him into a decent PL striker (and by the way I know he came from Man City rather than Chelsea). Neither are the finished product yet but have showed enough this season to suggest they could make it

It was a specific question about us and producing forwards, not one aimed at other teams youth set-ups.

It just seems odd that we can't seem able to produce a striker of quality.

Gunnersaurus · Post by **Gunnersaurus** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:13 pm

Like you say, forget Sturridge, he was not produced there, fair point about Wellbeck and if you are being specific about strikers then yes, we haven't, its a bit odd to single out positions when talking about youth development though.

We are either producing players or not.

frankbutcher · Post by **frankbutcher** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:15 pm

SteveO 35 wrote:
Gunnersaurus wrote:We brought Henry back for two reasons, firstly because we are tight, second simply for cover for players in Africa, that is not a blot on our Academy, I would be irate if someone from the youth team was asked to fill the gap.

It's not a problem exclusive to strikers though.

Compare that to United, they are not tight and they got no players in Africa yet they brought Scholes back, what does that say about their famed academy that produced Beckham, Giggs etc and have lived off those names for 20 odd years?

Chelsea have just sent out McCracken to Swansea when Lampard is so out of form, Liverpool brought back Craig Bellamy to fill gaps.

It's not a problems exclusive to Arsenal, the top clubs are not quick at giving chances anymore although with Jack, Scezceny and Gibbs we are more forthcoming than most.
I don't remember saying that it was a problem that was exclusive to Arsenal. However, while you're on the subject of United, wouldn't you say that Welbeck is a better standard than any striker we've produced for a few years? Sturridge has also shown enough class to suggest that his loan spells are turning him into a decent PL striker (and by the way I know he came from Man City rather than Chelsea). Neither are the finished product yet but have showed enough this season to suggest they could make it

It was a specific question about us and producing forwards, not one aimed at other teams youth set-ups.

It just seems odd that we can't seem able to produce a striker of quality.

SteveO - I think the point that you've made is that our youth coaching teaches tippy tappy passing and technicall quality. Lo and behold teaching calmness in front of goal, shooting from outside the area and a clinical ability to poach chances in the box. That's why we have to buy in our strikers.

I think you've stumbled across a really good point actually.

Look at Chamakh and Arshavin. Both instinctive finishers / poachers. They have had it coached out of them. Same with Theo, You can see it clearly in their play.

WENGER KNOWS.

clockender1 · Post by **clockender1** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:15 pm

Sturridge was at villa n Coventry before City.

He's 23, I don't think he's got it.

Welbeck, fair point.

Irish Gooner · Post by **Irish Gooner** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:29 pm

clockender1 wrote:Sturridge was at villa n Coventry before City.

He's 23, I don't think he's got it.

Excuse me? Hasn't got what? He would walk into our starting XI way before shit like Walcott and Gerviniwank. As for Shamuck and the Korean who never get a game. Sturridge can actually play football and run around, unlike any of the above.

On topic, Benik Afobe was the big man according the AKBs along with Aneke. These lads are so brilliant they aint even getting in the bench.

Its down to Wenger though, he would rather dump our local lads and never give them one minute on the pitch, and instead give Chamakh and the other shit gametime week in week out.

augie · Post by **augie** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:31 pm

I would suggest that Stapleton is the last striker we have produced at that level

I will also say that I still do not believe that wellback and sturridge are all that and I doubt if they will ever be truly top level

Irish Gooner · Post by **Irish Gooner** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:34 pm

Its hard to predict, but they are showing promising signs. They probably wont be top level with likes of Rooney and Owen up there, but barring Rooney England haven't any other striker/forward of note, so they will probably be in the England team for a good while.

clockender1 · Post by **clockender1** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:39 pm

Irish - sturridge has only slightly better average than bendtner 4.5:1 against 5:1.

No way is he shearer, Owen or lineker.

The striker role is one where if you're good enough, you're old enough - 23 PL goals in six seasons is not it.