Arsenal's world-class youth system shows no signs of slowing down

Is it not the scouting system that should be commended rather than the youth policy? It's not really a case of the local lads coming through but a superb scouting network. They are obviously getting trained well but the quality is more to do with what they are bringing in than the way they are being coached surely?

Cant see how you can say this is a youth system. Most are bought when they have already been developed by some other teams academy. Man City's academy develops the players from a young age to the stars they have become. You missed out Steve Ireland and quite a few others. We also have 3 or 4 premiership class players coming through also (eg. Daniel Sturridge, Chad Evans, Kelvin Ethuhu). Also never heard of many listed in this article. I admit a lot are very good players, but its only like Chelsea buying the best players in the World, except Arsenal are buying the best youngsters in the World.

. Arsenal have spent vast amount on importing young talent, an aoption most clubs dont have. You look at city, and the youth players have come locally, ok stevie ireland came from ireland, but we introduced him to professional football. the likes of fabregas were sourced from other big youth setups as astounding talent, being able to pick and chose some of the best kids in the world is not a luxery say blackburn have.

All the players mentioned in the other teams have been brought through their youth setup - the majority of Arsenals ones have been bought in. Very badly researched article!!

Here are some that weren't bought: Ashley Cole Steven Sidwell Muamba Bentley Hoyte (both) There are plenty more, all plying there trade in the Prem. I don't think there is anything wrong with purchasing high calibre youngsters... Cesc was hardly the finished article at 15? They still count as youth team players and home grown talent, according to the new rules. The article was good... a 1st for Sportingo. www.le-grove.co.uk

Barca discarded fran and fab, they tried to develop then, that I do not dispute, but failed to know how. Developing a club, is not just about having them from threee years where a kid does not know what he wants but envies what he sees. This is where most soccer academies fail. Talent is brought about having the right recipes. You cannot have a good ormlet without eggs. Wenger has the right mixture always, arsenal has the best scouts hance the best youthful team.

every talented young chap prefers arsenal ahead of other teams because it's only arsene wenger that gives room to them to grow with patience, and enjoy their football.

Mike - manc, If players were fully developed at 15/16 everyone would just go and sign them. You're not done developing as a football player just because you turn 16. It takes significant effort to turn a 16 year old into a top level footballer. All around the continent you have 16 year olds who fail to develop. Other English clubs have even gone abroad and sign 16 year old players and haven't been able to develop him. Signing Cesc from Barca is no different from you taking Micah Richards from Oldham. It took effort from the coaching staff to turn them into the players they are. Man Utd signed Pique from Barca at the same time and what is he a backup right now?

Manchester City have developed some very good players in the last few years - Shaun Wright-Phillips,Bradly Wright croft (Norwich) flood (Cardiff)phillips,Tyron Mears (at Derby) Elliot (at wolves) Joey Barton, Mc carty Nedum Onuoha, Michael Johnson,Kasper Shmikal,Greenacre,Brown (wigan)Whealan (sheffield w) and, of course, the brilliant Micah Richards. But compared to Arsenal that is pitiful.so to say thats pitiful is a bit of a cheek.. check out the acadamy league we are top again & our reserves are top of there league with all home grown players.. The 2004/05 season saw the steady progression of five Academy Graduates make their first team debuts, taking the total of 16 Academy players to progress to first team. By the end of the 2006/07 campaign no fewer than 21 players had passed through the Platt Lane gates and made it onto the pitch for Manchester City's first team Have Arsenal had that many over the last http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?pagegid={DBD 12D53-8346-431D-A04F-5D0F8664DE80}&newsid=436

It is fascinating to see how people bristle with indignation when a club o0ther than their own gets a bit of praise. It's true that Man City and Middlesbrough are doing a great job in bringing forward young players but that doesn't detract from what Arsene Wenger is doing either. People criticize Arsenal's contribution to England but there are more than 20 young players who are currently on Arsenal's books or who have come through the Arsenal youth scheme and represent England. I can't imagine how many clubs do better than that for England. The point about the Arsenal youth scheme (and I am sure it is not unique)is that it takes the best talent from wherever it can find it and coaches all the young players to play the same way, with the same technique. That way, Wenger can plug the young players into the first team, whenever he wants, and know that the team will still function in the same way.

you short changed man city what about the other twenty

Signing Cesc from Barca is no different from you taking Micah Richards from Oldham. hwanted to go to city but as he lived in leeds..his parents thought it was to far so he stayed at oldham for 2.5 yrs from 11 yrs old. Think that is a big differance 3 England players in the last two yrs from citys acadamy how many from arsenal ?

There is also the point that when the academies started City were in the third tier of football and still managed to attract quality youngsters. Arsenal has a great youth program where as City has the Countries best academy.

[quote]Signing Cesc from Barca is no different from you taking Micah Richards from Oldham. hwanted to go to city but as he lived in leeds..his parents thought it was to far so he stayed at oldham for 2.5 yrs from 11 yrs old. Think that is a big differance 3 England players in the last two yrs from citys acadamy how many from arsenal ? [/quote] I don't think developing foreign youngsters is wrong although there are few England players from Arsenal

Ok Blue Loon, so you have three in two years, but we do have Ashley Cole and David Bentley that both went through the Academy. Steve Sidwell would have been knocking too if he had not of gone to chelsea. Ok they dont play for us anymore but I was just arguing your how many comment. The title of the Article is Youth System and whether they come from the local area or are brought in is not the question, it is still a system. All of those players were brought in and were trained to play Football the Arsenal Way. You have to realise with our new stadium we had to alter the way we bought players. Wenger's Vision realised that and rather than buying the finished article at 30m (Imagine Cesc's Market value now) he brings them in at a young age for peanuts and develops them. And given the crazy transfer market, I really cant see how you can criticize his methods. I know that presently there are not a lot of English lads coming through, but I think that is changing, having watched the Arsenal during close

Agree with what you are saying and I tried to say that in my comments. Arsenal scout for the best youngsters to develop and they obviously see that potential. City is an academy. But the article is contradictory in many parts as it mixes between mentioning the youth scouting and academies. I think most who are commenting understand this but the author does not differentiate between it very well.

The title is youth system, not youth system for english players. Who cares what happens to england players. If they are not good enough, they should not play. Yeah right, man city is going to win the title this year with their youth. Bought a total of 8 players. Correct me if I am wrong.

Arsenal have got a good system whearas they get talent at a young age and get them playing to a paticular system so when they play in the reserves or the 1st team they all play the same way. before wenger came academies were based on winning so the biggest and strongest boys come through even when they don't have the best technical ability, y cant english players keep the ball for longer than 5passes, but wenger placed the emphasis on kids enjoying thier football and playing with flair. Most young players wenger buys are a snip, toure 150k how much will he be worth now? clichy 500k what is his value now? There are a lot of technically gifted english players in the academy at the momente.g. gibbs, lanesbury, randall, hopefully they will step up and make the grade, wenger is not paid to develop english players, he is paid to make arsenal successful.

who won the youth cup for the last two years ARSENAL no MANCHESTER UNITED no it was LIVERPOOL fc players to watch out for are all 16 the rest we see as players who will supplement the squad

didn't west ham have the best youth academy?? I am not a hammers fan but surely the likes of Lampard, Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Carrick, Defoe, John Terry (left when he was 16 to chelsea), few more i havnt stated. We have had gerrard and carragher but the hammers are surley up there. Just a thought..what does everyone else think?

yes but you forgot the likes of Anton Ferdinand and Mark Noble both very good players and full England U21 International's. Enough said. You were right though...how can u compare middlesborough to west hams..lee cattermole?? Come off it lampard ferdinand cole carrick all in the england team!

you hear so much about the arsenal youth system its down to the setup of coaches and scouts grimandi played under wenger twice so he knows what type of player arsene likes rowly is one of the best tallent spotters in the world he makes simon cowell pale into in sugnificance. and mr brady is arsenal through and through. mixed that with a balance of inteligent mensa like players and kids and its no wonder its one of the best if not the best system in the world.