”Time has come today”, as the Chamber Brothers once sang many decades ago.
And while the subject matter is radically different, that statement does has some significance for Arsenal at this time in the Mikel Arteta revolution. The poor form that had devastated the club for weeks, even months, has been remedied by a Gunners squad that is leaning more heavily on its long touted youth development.
Players like Bukayo Saka, Joe Willock, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah and others have all demonstrated themselves to be not simply ancillary pieces for the squad, but essential parts to it.
Indeed, as one commentator mentioned during the game against West Bromwich Albion, the energy of these players seems to be pushing the older, more experienced players as well. They play the way Arteta wants, and so he is being left with no choice but to use them more, for which he is reaping benefits for doing.
WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND – JANUARY 02: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal (Photo by Tim Keeton – Pool/Getty Images)
Youth, No Longer Wild, Must Be Trusted For Progress at Arsenal
While these youth players have long been used for domestic cup matches, Europa League and Premier League matches against underwhelming opposition, they have been pushing themselves into more serious playtime. With proper production from more senior members of the first team, breaking in with any consistency felt difficult to imagine in the immediate future, for nearly all the players save Saka.
Yet with poor output from Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Willian, there are and have been opportunities for fresh energy in the form of our own youngters. But in the last three matches, we have seen passion, energy, excitement from not only the youth – of which can be expected – but the veterans as well. And so, as I wrote weeks ago, the only way forward is greater integration of the young with the old; the inexperienced with the experienced.
Through this integration, we can hope to see positive, fluid offensive play, with persistent tracking backwards, which leads to responsible defensive play. While we wish to hold and possess the ball, we have the athletic and technical ability, as has been seen previously, to play counter-attacking football.
Across all the major footballing leagues, the best teams can play whatever style becomes necessary to exposing the flaws of the opposition. Lucky for Arsenal, they have the proper tools in the shed already, with only the need to organize them remaining.
Emile Smith Rowe</a>, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah and others have all demonstrated themselves to be not simply ancillary pieces for the squad, but essential parts to it.</p>
<p>Indeed, as one commentator mentioned during the game against West Bromwich Albion, the energy of these players seems to be pushing the older, more experienced players as well. They play the way Arteta wants, and so he is being left with no choice but to use them more, for which he is reaping benefits for doing.</p>
<div id="attachment_110275" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-110275" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/05/youth-arsenal-future-present/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1294189928-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND – JANUARY 02: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal (Photo by Tim Keeton – Pool/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Youth, No Longer Wild, Must Be Trusted For Progress at Arsenal</h2>
<p>While these youth players have long been used for domestic cup matches, Europa League and Premier League matches against underwhelming opposition, they have been pushing themselves into more serious playtime. With proper production from more senior members of the first team, breaking in with any consistency felt difficult to imagine in the immediate future, for nearly all the players save Saka.</p>
<p>Yet with poor output from Alexandre Lacazette, <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/05/youth-arsenal-future-present/"https://fbref.com/en/players/d5dd5f1f/Pierre-Emerick-Aubameyang?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang</a> and Willian, there are and have been opportunities for fresh energy in the form of our own youngters. But in the last three matches, we have seen passion, energy, excitement from not only the youth – of which can be expected – but the veterans as well. And so, as I wrote weeks ago, the only way forward is greater integration of the young with the old; the inexperienced with the experienced.</p>
<p>Through this integration, we can hope to see positive, fluid offensive play, with persistent tracking backwards, which leads to responsible defensive play. While we wish to hold and possess the ball, we have the athletic and technical ability, as has been seen previously, to play counter-attacking football.</p>
<p>Across all the major footballing leagues, the best teams can play whatever style becomes necessary to exposing the flaws of the opposition. Lucky for Arsenal, they have the proper tools in the shed already, with only the need to organize them remaining.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/05/youth-arsenal-future-present/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Fresh Arsenal? </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-110119" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/05/youth-arsenal-future-present/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1230308044-850x560.jpeg" alt="Bukayo Saka, Arsenal" width="590" height="389" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1230308044-850x560.jpeg 850w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1230308044-768x505.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Arsenal’s English striker Bukayo Saka (Photo by ANDREW BOYERS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>New Year, Same Competitions, But A Fresh Arsenal?</h2>
<p>While the Gunners’ Carabao Cup hopes have been dashed for this season, the FA Cup, Europa League and even Premier League (don’t scoff) remain (technically) up for grabs. All joking aside, at least two of these endeavors are absolutely reasonable to win, while the third might require a bit of help from the top of the table.</p>
<p>In order to get to where we need to go, might we endeavor to bring in more talent during the January window? While the rumor mill rumbles all year long, possible free agent signings like Diego Costa still prick the ears when one hears them.</p>
<p>While the desire for <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/05/youth-arsenal-future-present/"https://fbref.com/en/players/a5db0bec/Houssem-Aouar?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Houssem Aouar</a> of Lyon has waned, other names remain available in the middle of the pitch where the boss surely is not seeing the creativity he needs from his midfielders, despite their undeniably proper effort.</p>
<p>Might we see something? I believe so, for I believe that some names will depart north London and if that is to be believed, then it becomes reasonable to assume that those players will need to be replaced both from internal and external sources.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/PainInThArsenal/status/1346136778424659968</p>
<p>A name like Norwich’s <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/05/youth-arsenal-future-present/"https://fbref.com/en/players/66b76d44/Emi-Buendia?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Emi Buendia</a> makes sense from all sides, but sending Joe Willock, even in a loan deal, would be a nonstarter for me; better to sell Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis, Mesut Ozil (<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/05/youth-arsenal-future-present/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/02/arsenal-assess-mesut-ozil-position/">if at all possible</a>), Calum Chambers and more, as well as to loan out <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/05/youth-arsenal-future-present/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/04/arsenal-william-saliba-nice-6-month-loan/">others to make the wage space and transfer capital.</p>
<p>In the next four matches – one FA Cup and three league – one can easily seefour victories. Against Newcastle in the FA Cup next, Arsenal should once again utilize the young talent in tandem with select veterans and critical players. As the defending champions of this tournament, it is crucial that we come out with a swagger that demonstrates that we aim to win it once more.</p>
<p>After hosting Newcastle in the FA Cup 3rd Round, the Gunners will be welcoming Crystal Palace in a London derby on the successive Thursday. While Palace is no push over and has shown resilience and ability under Roy Hodgson, they should be no match for an Arsenal side that is properly rolling and functioning at a high level.</p>
<p>We then host Newcastle once more in the top-flight just days later; two succsesive victories in such short time against the same opponent is no easy feat, but it will have to be done for the club to continue the rise that it needs to remain in European contention next year.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1346436569746591746</p>
<p>Traveling to Southampton will be likely the hardest of the short-term matches. They have looked good this season, and while it may have been easy to laugh them off earlier in the season, they remain persistent and a true nuisance to teams up and down the table. But four victories, or at least three and a draw, would be something to, in coordination with the previous stretch, truly build on.</p>
<p>But for any and all of these endeavors, whether in January or beyond, will need to be done with the integration and usage of our young starlets. They are pushing us to the places that we wish to go, and so we shouldn’t fight the urge to use them simply because they are not the massive names that we would like, yet.</p>
<p>As our stars continue to round into form this season, from Aubameyang and Lacazette, to <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/05/youth-arsenal-future-present/"https://fbref.com/en/players/529f49ab/Thomas-Partey?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Thomas Partey</a>, Dani Ceballos and the recently ill Gabriel Magalhaes, the youth around them will sharpen and hone their own talents in the process.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="light" data-text="Bukayo Saka Carries Arsenal Burden That Isn’t His Bear" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/12/17/bukayo-saka-carries-arsenal-burden/" data-call-to-action="Related Story"> <div class="story-link-related"> <a class="story-link-related-btn" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-related-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/01/05/youth-arsenal-future-present/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/12/17/bukayo-saka-carries-arsenal-burden/"> <span class="call_to_action">Related Story:</span> Bukayo Saka Carries Arsenal Burden That Isn’t His Bear </a> </div>
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<p>With similar effects being reciprocated in the other direction, it will be difficult to stop Arsenal in the coming seasons, and possibly even in the second half of this season across England and Europe.</p>
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