Arsenal
Food For Thought: 5 Youngsters From Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea And Manchester United To Have An Impact Next Term
It’s that time of the year again. Pre-season training has started; new managers have started work, and new players too. Teams are strengthening their squads for the upcoming season whether by making marquee signings, or one’s for the future.
However we are so focused on where Edinson Cavani is going to play, that we lose sight of the good young players that are being signed or being given the chance to solidify their place in the first team.
Here are five players that I think can do that in 2013/14
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – Arsenal
OX showing his flexibilities
It’s a no brainer isn’t it? You don’t have to be an Arsenal fan to see just how good “the Ox” is. While Chamberlain has played a role in Wenger’s first team plans over the last season it is obvious to me that he isn’t the first name on the team sheet. His performances last season for club and country were extremely encouraging and should earn him some more playing time for the upcoming season. It’s his place to lose.
Iago Aspas – Liverpool
Aspas has been highly rated in Spain for years, but not everybody can play for Real Madrid and Barcelona. The 25 year old moved from Celta Vigo to Liverpool this summer and has been touted as a replacement for Luis Suarez. However, if Liverpool can keep hold of Suarez the addition of Aspas would be a potent addition to an emerging offense that also includes Daniel Sturridge. Aspas is clinical in front of goal and a threat from distance too. Add that to his good-to-very good passing ability (which helped him amass 7 assists last season), and Liverpool has the perfect focal point for Brendan Rodgers’ system should Suarez leave, and a massive additional threat if he stays.
Marco Van Ginkel – Chelsea
Marco van Ginkel
Van Ginkel is being touted as “one for the future” by Chelsea fans, but I think we’ll see him contribute quicker than we think. With a midfield role in Mourinho’s midfield still up for grabs, Van Ginkel has demonstrated for Vitesse and for the Netherlands that he is mature beyond his 20 years. He would be the perfect fit for Chelsea’s deep-lying playmaker role, and can mature playing alongside the player he was signed to “replace” – Frank Lampard. Van Ginkel is a very similar player to Lampard, a box-to-box midfielder with superb passing ability and an eye for goal. The sky is the limit for the Dutch youngster.
Wilfried Zaha – Manchester United
Zaha set the Championship alight last season, helping Crystal Palace to gain promotion to the Premier League for the first time since 2004. Manchester United quickly moved to snap up Zaha for a cool £10 million and while originally it looked like an investment for the future, David Moyes looks to have Zaha firmly in his first team plans for this season. Not only is Zaha fast and skillful he’s about six feet tall too, making him an aerial threat as well as one with his feet. A more dynamic winger than Antonio Valencia and a physically stronger one than the easily-felled Nani – Zaha could, and should, force his way into the Manchester United starting eleven this coming season.
Phil Jones – Manchester United
Why does everybody forget about Phil Jones? Defenders aren’t sexy, we know that, but Phil Jones is still just 21 years old. Watching Phil Jones play at Blackburn, I knew he would make the step to a “top-four” team before long. So when Manchester United signed him in the summer of 2011 it was a crucial step in his development. He may have not been a first team regular for Manchester United thus far, but that has nothing to do with his ability. With Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic ageing, Phil Jones’ time is now. In addition to being a defensive stalwart, Jones can play very adeptly in midfield if needed. He’s a great passer, a superb tackler and he gives everything. Watch for Phil Jones to be a future Manchester United and England captain.
Special Mention: Luke Shaw – Southampton
Luke Shaw
Shaw is already a first team regular for the Saints. He’s 18 years old. Shaw looks set to stay with the Saints for the upcoming season and I applaud him for turning down some big offers to do so. Another classy product of the Southampton youth system along with Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, he made 29 appearances last season, look for him to add to that this year. Shaw is another young player who is maturing beyond his years and could soon be one of the best fullbacks in the Premier League.
Other notable players to watch: Steven Caulker (Tottenham), Lewis Holtby (Tottenham), Jake Livermore (Tottenham), Yaya Sanogo (Arsenal), Wallace (Chelsea), Andreas Cornelius (Cardiff), Nicklas Helenius (Aston Villa), Luis Alberto (Liverpool), Adam Campbell (Newcastle), Robbie Brady (Hull), Serge Gnarby (Arsenal).
Arsenal
Emily Fox Commits Arsenal to Championship Treble Pursuit as USWNT Defender Targets Every Available Trophy Following Consecutive PFA Recognition
Emily Fox has articulated explicit championship ambition for Arsenal, establishing the club’s comprehensive trophy pursuit philosophy requiring unwavering commitment across all available competitions.
The United States Women’s National Team defender’s unequivocal assertion that elite institutions “have to go for all of them” combined with her consecutive PFA Team of the Year recognition establishes credible foundation supporting genuine championship aspirations rather than merely aspirational rhetoric.
Arsenal’s narrow previous season defeat through draw accumulation combined with their Charlton Athletic 5-1 demolition establishes encouraging competitive foundation suggesting tactical sharpness supporting their championship objectives.
Fox’s immediate second-half impact despite not starting validates her elite status transcending purely starting lineup consideration, suggesting her availability provides meaningful tactical flexibility supporting Arsenal’s demanding fixture schedule throughout their multi-competition campaign.
Elite One-Versus-One Defending Provides Championship Foundation
Fox’s characterisation as elite one-versus-one defender combined with her ability to “surge relentlessly down the right flank” establishes complete attacking and defensive profile meriting championship-level confidence.
Her PFA recognition reflecting her dual-faceted influence across both ends of the pitch validates her significance extending beyond purely defensive responsibility, indicating genuine elite performer capable of meaningful attacking contribution supporting Arsenal’s creative requirements.
That comprehensive capability combined with her demonstrated consistency establishes credible foundation supporting Arsenal’s multi-trophy pursuit.
Draw Accumulation Represents Championship Addressable Challenge
Arsenal’s previous season single loss contrasted against their six-draw accumulation establishes quantifiable competitive adjustment requirement rather than fundamental capability deficiency. That marginal defeat suggested by draw patterns rather than defensive collapses indicates realistic trophy pursuit achievability through continued tactical consistency and draw-conversion improvement rather than requiring wholesale squad reconstruction.
This statement feels strategically important for Arsenal’s competitive trajectory. Rather than pursuing conservative single-trophy focus, Fox and Arsenal establish ambitious championship mentality demanding elite performance consistency across all available competitions. Her championship commitment combined with her demonstrated elite capability positions Arsenal favorably for sustained trophy pursuit throughout their anticipated season.
Arsenal
New UEFA Regulation Blocks Arsenal From Away Fixture Against Slavia Prague as Champions League Draw Implements Consecutive Opponent Restriction
Arsenal have discovered their comprehensive Champions League group phase opponents following yesterday’s draw, establishing their competitive schedule whilst navigating newly implemented UEFA regulation preventing consecutive away fixtures against identical opposition.
The regulation denying Arsenal’s away travel to Prague combined with Liverpool’s blocked Anfield Real Madrid fixture establishes systematic competition balance philosophy limiting repetitive home-venue matchups across three consecutive seasons, suggesting deliberate competition structure enhancement prioritising varied competitive experience.
Arsenal’s previous season 3-0 Prague demolition combined with their current away-fixture prevention establishes genuine competitive advantage preservation rather than purely administrative regulation, validating UEFA’s systematic approach toward ensuring fresh competitive challenge distribution.
That regulatory framework combined with Arsenal’s established grouping suggests meaningful competitive foundation supporting their European championship aspirations following their previous season Budapest final disappointment.
Regulation Implementation Prevents Competitive Staleness
The regulation prohibiting three-consecutive-season identical home-venue fixtures between same opposition establishes competition diversity philosophy suggesting UEFA recognises value in fresh tactical challenges across multiple seasons. That systematic approach spanning multiple elite clubs including Liverpool alongside Arsenal suggests comprehensive competition restructuring philosophy rather than arbitrarily targeting individual institutions, indicating genuine competition-wide implementation rather than selective application.
That regulation combined with Arsenal’s established grouping establishes meaningful competitive foundation supporting sustained elite challenge throughout their group phase campaign.
Arsenal’s Comprehensive Grouping Establishes Elite Championship Foundation
Arsenal’s pairing with Real Madrid home fixture combined with Bayern Munich away establishment alongside their additional elite opposition encounters (Dortmund, Lille, Napoli, Betis) establishes genuinely demanding group phase schedule requiring sustained elite performance consistency. That competitive balance combining established elite opponents (Real Madrid, Bayern) alongside ascending threats (Lille, Dortmund) suggests meaningful championship-level testing supporting their European ambitions.
This regulation feels strategically important for Arsenal’s European trajectory. Rather than viewing the Prague away-fixture prevention as disadvantageous, their comprehensive grouping combined with their Real Madrid home advantage establishes meaningful foundation supporting their championship defence objectives.
Their Budapest final disappointment combined with this season’s elevated competitive scheduling suggests genuine opportunity for meaningful European progression throughout their demanding group phase campaign.
Arsenal
Gabriel Jesus Trains Separately From Arsenal Squad as Napoli Pursue Serie A Striker Target Ahead of Transfer Window Closure
Gabriel Jesus has been training away from Arsenal’s established squad structures as negotiations continue regarding his potential Napoli departure, establishing genuine transfer uncertainty transcending purely speculative transfer gossip.
Massimiliano Allegri’s explicit preference for the Brazilian striker combined with Napoli’s continued pursuit suggests substantive engagement rather than peripheral interest, validating Jesus’ separated training status reflecting genuine transfer progression likelihood.
Jesus’ contract expiration approaching next summer establishes genuine Arsenal leverage motivating their attempted final-window cash generation, suggesting institutional recognition that current transfer opportunity represents their last meaningful financial recovery prospect. That urgency combined with his training separation indicates deliberate negotiating position rather than purely disciplinary measure, validating Mikel Arteta’s transparent communication regarding individual player management during transfer uncertainty periods.
Napoli Pursue Strategic Striker Solution Following Lukaku Departure
Romelu Lukaku’s Fenerbahçe agreement established necessary financial foundation enabling Napoli’s Jesus pursuit, suggesting systematic striker replacement philosophy supporting Allegri’s tactical requirements. That structured approach indicating Napoli’s deliberate attacking reinforcement strategy rather than reactive desperation suggests genuine championship-level investment supporting their Serie A competitive objectives.
Jesus’ reported hesitance regarding Napoli relocation combined with Napoli’s measured pursuit suggests potentially contentious negotiation requiring sustained diplomatic engagement transcending purely financial arrangement.
Arteta Maintains Transparent Player Communication Throughout Transition
Arteta’s explicit recognition of individual player circumstances combined with his emphasis upon meaningful conversation quality establishes mature management philosophy prioritising honest engagement during transfer uncertainty. His characterisation of difficult conversations as “inevitable” combined with his satisfaction regarding their substance suggests appropriate institutional handling of complex personnel situations requiring simultaneous competitive focus and individual player accommodation.
This transfer situation feels strategically important for Arsenal’s financial planning and squad management. Rather than pursuing indefinite Jesus retention despite his evident transfer interest, they facilitate realistic transfer negotiations whilst maintaining squad professionalism.
That balanced approach combined with their recognition of his contract timeline suggests pragmatic institutional decision-making supporting long-term squad sustainability throughout their upcoming competitive campaign.
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