I agree with luvgonzo it has to be a mix, but again our biggest problem on the field, a leader! We are cyring out for someone to set an example, grab a game by the scruff of the neck and thrash it out, someone who can take stock of whats going on around him in a football match and plan appropriately. If arsenal can crack this nut we will do so much better this year.
The Miyaichi decision won't be taken until mid August at the earliest. It seems like it is taking a long time, but remember that we only get 1 application a year, if it fails then there is no appeal. Thus every effort had to be made to make the application as convincing as possible. As for our youth, we have many very good young players. However, there are many obstacles between them making it and not. The fact that our first team lacks a solid backbone, leaders and experience makes it that much harder for the kids to step up. The United kids of almost 2 decades ago came into a winning team, with the likes of Schmeichal, Pallister, Bruce, Irwin, McClair and Keane alongside them to guide them. In comparison our kids step up to a team with a dodgy defence, the likes of RvP and Vermaelen missing games, the captain a youngster himself and arguably with his mind elsewhere, the backbone of the team full of players with massive question marks over their heads , and a load of players who fail to stand up and be counted when it matters. Benik Afobe is a very decent player. Far more likely to make it in Arsenals first team compared to Chuks Aneke, who failed to shine once JET and Benik went out on loan, and is in desperate need for a loan spell himself. Saying that, Afobe has a lot of hardwork to do to make the grade. Yes, there is a lot of over-enthusiastic praise for our youngsters. But at the same time there is also an over-critical group who are all too quick to dismiss a players quality. A group who believe if a player isn't world class at the age of 18 then he will never be good enough. A group who believes that Arsenal should have a squad of 25 world class players with no room for players who are willing to do a job for the team even in positions they are not natural to (hence the booing of Eboue, the criticism of Bendtner when he is played on the wing etc).
