Found this interview and thought id share it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0uKw-lMR70&feature=related. I dunno if its already been posted before, but heyho, With Ryo on the left and theo on the right, both could terrorize the defenders with there speed, also with Ramsey/Cesc/Wilshere feeding through balls to them. Or does he look too leightweight to be in the prem.
Same here. Looks too small and lightweight to me. Another Wenger "who are yer?" signing from the look of it. Ahh the joys of a strange yoof policy. Where's the experience going to come from?
miduppergunner Wenger has never said that Miyachi is going to be a key player for us so it is unfair to assume that he will be used as one. A youth system is about getting the best young talent available, not for getting experienced players. Wenger has his faults but this is not one of them.
He definitely looks like an Arsenal type of player, quick, skillfull and tricky to handle. Time will tell if he makes it at the top level, but I think he has the raw ingredients.
robin-van-fiberglass. Quite agree with you re youth policy needing to reap the best of "youth" out there. But, in the case of Arsenal we have so many "quality" youth players they are loaned out - 20 this season wasn't it? - and sadly very very few of them make the first team. It would be a wonderful life if they all made the grade. But they don't. And what Arsenal really, really need at this moment is top grade experience.
But having loads of quality youth teamers can only be good for us though can't it? The worst case scenario is that they leave for free but even so thats better than not having them in the first place. I sill think there is no harm in having loads of players in a youth system.
Surely the worst case scenario is that young players are used to plug gaps in the team and do an adequate (but not good) job. There is then less impetus for the club to bring in proven top quality players and the squad suffers over time. I'm not saying this to have a pop at Arsenal, but they are one of the clubs where you could say that the availability of decent youth players who may get better has held the team back in some areas.
But that isn't a problem with the youth system, that would be the managers fault for over-promoting players. Barcelona's excellent youth system hasn't stopped them spending money has it?
Not necessarily the manager, could be the board of directors being unwilling to spend when a player is already there, or the youth coaches overpromoting the young players. And of course maintaining a top class youth system is expensive, so there is always pressure to justify it in the form of players in the first team. I agree that having a great youth set up isn't a problem in itself, but if you focus too much on the youth players you can develop tunnel vision that stops you recognising your own weaknesses. And of course if you have too many youth players then you may end up not giving them enough individual focus or game time, and thus end up with loads of decent youngsters but no one who really stands out. Barca don't have a problem with this right now as their most recent generation has all been top class, like Utd's in 1995. But even with them you could argue that the pressure to push Busquets into the team drove Yaya Toure out, which has left them weaker than they were in 2009. Also imo Pedro is the weakest of their attacking three, but is kept in cos he was home grown and thus cheaper than bringing in a better player.
I think we can agree on the basic point that having a good youth system is not a drawback. It can lead to bad consequences for the club due to poor decisions or overestimating it but in itself a good youth system does not cause problems. I think they are a better team than they were in 2009 and Busquets is better for them than Toure was. As they dominate the ball so much and their pressing is so good they do not nee a physical holding midfielder so much, just someone who can close down space really well and start attacks through incredibly reliable passing. Busquet may not be a better player overall than Toure, but he is better for Barcelona than Toure was. Besides if they need someone who is a tough tackler they have Mascherano. Also Pedro is a pretty damn good player, he just gets overlooked because he is playing with the best ever Spanish striker and the best player in the world. Earlier in the season Guardiola said that within 20 yards of goal Pedro is as good as Messi.
