Why are we unable to produce quality strikers through our youth academy, the ones we do produce never make the cut and we end up shiping them off for 'peanuts' compared to the investment we made on them in the first place.
I remember people raving about B.Afobe when he first burst on the scene, but he's been arouund for a bit now and it looks to me that the arrival of Yaya Sanogo (who is the same age) might see him moved on.
I just think we've not had a good return with the youth academy set up over the years, where do you guys think we are going wrong with our youth academy?
Afobe?
posted on 12/9/13
Often the problem seems to be injuries
Fleetwood
Afobe
Henderson
all forward tipped to make the first team who had their careers stalled with a year long injury
dont wory though... Terry Burton will sort it out
posted on 12/9/13
Henderson is a central midfielder
posted on 12/9/13
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posted on 12/9/13
what happened to sanchez watts, luke freeman etc
posted on 12/9/13
Sanchez watt was regularly seen out in Leeds when he was there, i think like JET the problem there was the person rather than the player
posted on 12/9/13
Cause most of the youth generally aren't up to standards. It's like that everywhere.
posted on 12/9/13
Only 2% of kids taken on by pro clubs in England at 16 manage to still be in the pro game by 21. Arsenal’s Academy has much better stats than that over the last ten years, and one looking at your regular first team last season shows even better again, Szczesny, Gibbs and Wilshere. Add in other players from your Academy who are on the fringes of the first team squad like Miquel, Coquelin, Gnabry etc and the stats look very very good.
posted on 12/9/13
Injuries certainly have ruined any chance Benik had, as with a fair few others.
The striker role is also one which is harder to throw a kid in. The pressure to deliver is far greater, thus the risk of throwing an untried kid in is also far greater. A lot of young strikers are used in an unnatural wide forward role, as seen with Benik himself both in the Emirates cup and on loan. Akpom was the same this summer, and of course Nicky B52 had the same treatment.
It is, imo, far easier to throw a kid in a 3 man midfield or in a wide role than it is to throw a kid in at CB or striker role.