In answer to your last question, Wenger wold stick with the young guns if we got to the final, remember we were there a few seasons ago?

In answer to your last question, Wenger wold stick with the young guns if we got to the final, remember we were there a few seasons ago?

yeah and lets not forget our so called wonder kide got one hell of a spanking when spurs whooped our sorry butts 5-1

I think you are exactly right. Wenger has failed to introduce to the first team any of the players that are currently in the reserve team. Of course, there are, in the first team, many players who were previosuly in the reserve team, but isn't it about time that the players who are still in the reserve team played in the first team so that new players can then move into the reserve team and then not get a propoer chance in the first team. Why oh why oh why WENGER. Why oh why oh why....

What a big pile of poo... Project youth is exactly that, a project... i.e an ambitious business plan in a footballing would with ramifications as big and profound to the Prem as when Wenger initially kicked the booze/gambling/takeaway/wag/party culture out of North London (why else are Barca so eager to copy with a lack of their own Real nationalised bank account)? The punch in the gut for all seekers of immediate gratification (which the internet minute by minute feed of once confidential information and blogging culture has promoted in all of us) is that if this is going to work and live up to the potential of the players involved, it will be because it is launched when the time is right for the team unit and the players involved. Talk of Wenger missing the boat or being apprehensive of implementing the project in earnest is rubbish... aside from those players who have been a cut above (Fab, Cole, Gibbs, Wiltshire etc) the programme is one of refining and creating true talent in the first place from scratch… how does that happen? With competition for places and the knowledge of those who have secured first team places passing their knowledge from one generation of players to the next. This programme has been started virtually from scratch and with time social footballing evolution is occurring, BUT only with time… sure some mistakes have and will invariably be made (conduct issues, grass greener, ice cream, homesick, warmer climate, bank notes etc), but with 50M already in the bank from youth sales making the programme self funding (ok I don’t know that for certain but I can hope) and players of international and English backgrounds now breaking into the Prem, the future isn’t just Orange (or Red) it’s a golden kaleidoscope (those who don’t make it at Arsenal will with other teams in the Prem and 1st division again only improving the class and standard of play across the board). Ok rant over….

Nice rant Chris. Ever thought of writing an article? But it would have been better had you addressed my points - How long before we see these teeny gunners in the Premier League? How many will play against Spurs on Satrday; And how many would play at Wembley if Arsenal manage to get there?

Start with a compliment I like that! My mind wonders too much to write any thing in a coherent cohesive manner! I'm guessing most of those q's are rhetorical but from my own perspective the answer isn't straight forward. There's almost certainly going to be team and individual time lines involved but business (yes I know this is football but to survive lessons must be learnt as though we live in a Billionaire free world) shows us that the unaccounted often forces the hand of the controller (Cole - Clichy - Gibbs). So when for the collective bunch for the prem? My crystal ball (no Agassi joke intended) says the 16th May 2010 :p The same thing with the next game applies in principle. Factor in injuries, eating pot noodles whilst driving, a crisis of faith, a new flavour of ice cream, swine flu, the apocalypse etc... and it could be a completely new team of 12 yr olds, COULD mind you COULD. Wembley (jokes aside) has been answered for me already by what has already passed. Wenger has faults, one of which is his sheer stubbornness (though this in the managerial world is actually also a core component of success as much as arrogance is in those they manage) which means that if he wants to do something you can bet your Nans virginity he's going to do it, so for that 95% for the youth...

Without meaning to pee on anyone's bonfire here, did I miss something or did Arsenals 'kids' beat a Liverpool first team?, Havent we heard all this before, perhaps more than once?, yeah yeah, they've a fine team, play great football and have done bugger all and won less in over half a decade, still it makes great copy and all that fawning over something that hasnt happened yet is highly commendable, but a reality check please

Reality check on: Liverpool's first team contained NINE reserves. One first-teamer, Kuyt, played the whole game, and a second, Benayoun,played for 20 minutes. Reality check off!!!

Wenger's guiding philosophy has always been to ween his youth and reserve players over a period of years NOt months using the Carling Cup, Reserve games, exhibition matches and emirate cup opportunities. therefore we can expect to see some of his proteges playing in both the League and the Cups this year. It all depends on three factors he doesn't control: 1) Injuries to first team players 2) Africa cup obligations and 3) The number of games his team will play in total this season (depends opn their progress in the FA,Carling,League and European cups)...forcing him to rest first team playrs needing a respite. In short then. he will align his squad based on his immediate and short-term needs and his priorities, which aren't always that obvious at first glance.