It seems to me when we were in financial constraints, we were more likely to play our youth players. Now, we seem to just buy them. If we had the money then I doubt Wilshere would have made the team. Most of our best youth players were shop bought - Walcott, OXO, Chambers, Ramsey.....
To be fair Walcott joined at 16 and has been with us almost ten years now, I think we can take some credit for developing him lol
Or do we not take any credit for fabregas either? Despite the fact he never would of had the opportunity to develop into the player he is without joining us.
It's very difficult to know which young players are going to make it, I reckon the odd playerreallystands out even as a kid but most you won't know of they are going to be good enough until they are well into there teen years. It's no surprise to me that so many youth products don't make it at the top.
Also when you consider that we have, or have had, a very young squad, you could hardly see us trying to play more inexperienced youths than we have over the last five years. So it will have been rather difficult for others to get a chance.
I'd like to see more youth players make it rather than just wilshere and Gibbs, but I'd be interested to look at the other top teams and see how many of there first eleven are developed youth players. Utd have none bar the two defenders they are being forced to play by having loads of defenders injured (basically players around bellerin level of development), city have none, Chelsea have terry, no-one who is currently under 30.
Yes, there are teams like Southampton with very good academies who bring through a lot of talent, but they are a team playing at a slightly lower level than we are who are forced to rely on youth due to financial constraints. Would those players who look good at Southampton make it at Chelsea or city if they where part of the youth setup there? Who knows, but it isn't a simple issue.
Also @omogooner - chambers isn't a natural CB, he is a RB who we have used as a CB, so your comment about using chambers out opposition is incorrect, we are currently playing him in the position he has played throughout his short career. We don't have the players to not play at lest one player out others natural position in defence. It's a toss up between bellerin the youth getting game time with chambers moved to CB (ie out of position) or monreal plays out of position at CB. I prefer the bellerin option to be fair as chambers looks comfortable at CB rather than the odd rush of blood to the head.

