Wenger puts his faith in young Gunners. Papi dey squad too.
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Wenger puts his faith in young Gunners. Papi dey squad too.
Wenger puts his faith in young Gunners
03/05/2004 - 4:12:38 PM
Arsene Wenger will trust his young guns with Arsenal’s 35-game unbeaten record at Portsmouth tomorrow night in a bid to prove to young talents like David Bentley and Jeremie Aliadiere that they have a future in the Premiership champions’ star-studded squad.
It is a risky business and entails leaving out Dennis Bergkamp, Gilberto and Robert Pires against a Portsmouth side unbeaten in their last seven matches but boss Wenger – having clinched the title two games ago and determined to stay unbeaten for the remaining three – wants to enlarge his squad from within for next season’s defence of the crown.
Wenger, although he will not admit it, will also spare Pires a hostile reception from the volatile Pompey fans who are still furious over the French winger’s alleged dive for a point-saving penalty when the teams clashed at Highbury in September.
Pires was also omitted from the Arsenal squad that won 5-1 in the FA Cup at Fratton Park in March.
Wenger insists, however that the changes tomorrow are all about keeping alive the famous Arsenal spirit which has been a major factor in their title triumph.
Wenger, who is also still without the injured Edu and Sylvain Wiltord, said: “Most of all I want to see more first-team players coming through our own system – whatever their nationality.
“You will find in Europe over the next 10 or 20 years that the mix of foreign players will become even greater but it is important for me to keep alive the Arsenal spirit whoever the players are.
“I admit it is easier to do that with English-born players but we have had many requests from all over the world from people who want to join us because they see more than just money at the club. They feel the spirit of the team is right.”
Wenger is likely to be handed a war-chest of around £15m (€22.1m) to strengthen his squad next season but the manager, who has a university degree in economics, would seemingly rather draw full value from home-bred prospects like Londoner Bentley.
The midfielder, who scored a spectacular FA Cup goal against Middlesbrough in January but has yet to make his first Premiership start, was inevitably frustrated when Wenger put down an £8m (€11.9m) deposit to buy Jose Reyes.
The manager has since splashed out an extra £4million for Dutchman Robin van Persie.
It was clearly a setback to Bentley’s ambitions to eventually replace his personal idol, the mercurial Bergkamp, at Highbury. And French striker Aliadiere, who has been on the brink of first-team breakthrough all season, must have felt much the same.
But Wenger said: “Bentley is a great talent, technically a top, top player but he needs to play in the first team now.
“It is getting to the point where we need to send him out on loan for some first-team experience and we will do that but I have this opportunity now to see some players at Portsmouth and I can do it while still trying to keep the unbeaten record.”
Wenger added: “Reyes also needs games to help him adapt to the English Premiership but Bentley has grown up here and is becoming impatient. That is normal and it is the same with Aliadiere even though he is French. He has an Arsenal spirit and needs to be in the side.”
With Wiltord looking certain to quit Highbury on a free transfer at the end of the season and old stagers like Martin Keown likely to be moved on, Wenger knows he must think about the new shape of his squad.
He believes youngsters like Bentley, Jermaine Pennant – currently on loan at Leeds – and young defenders Justin Hoyte and Philippe Senderos can step up after injury-plagued campaigns.
But Nigerian striker Kanu, also in the squad tomorrow, is another player likely to move on while Giovanni van Bronckhorst is set to join Barcelona in a permanent move this summer having been on loan with the Spanish club all season.
Wenger admits: “It is inevitable that a big test is coming for our youngsters. They face a critical time between the age of 19 and 22 but if you are good enough you will play.”
He added: “We have won the Premiership unbeaten and yet some people still say it is a disappointing season. You cannot have everything but I would certainly like to go through without a defeat.
“Portsmouth will provide a big test. They came the nearest to beating us along with the missed penalty in the last minute at Manchester United and I was happy to get a draw against them at Highbury.
“Now they look even stronger and deserve great credit for what they have done, the only team to stay up from the three who were promoted.”
03/05/2004 - 4:12:38 PM
Arsene Wenger will trust his young guns with Arsenal’s 35-game unbeaten record at Portsmouth tomorrow night in a bid to prove to young talents like David Bentley and Jeremie Aliadiere that they have a future in the Premiership champions’ star-studded squad.
It is a risky business and entails leaving out Dennis Bergkamp, Gilberto and Robert Pires against a Portsmouth side unbeaten in their last seven matches but boss Wenger – having clinched the title two games ago and determined to stay unbeaten for the remaining three – wants to enlarge his squad from within for next season’s defence of the crown.
Wenger, although he will not admit it, will also spare Pires a hostile reception from the volatile Pompey fans who are still furious over the French winger’s alleged dive for a point-saving penalty when the teams clashed at Highbury in September.
Pires was also omitted from the Arsenal squad that won 5-1 in the FA Cup at Fratton Park in March.
Wenger insists, however that the changes tomorrow are all about keeping alive the famous Arsenal spirit which has been a major factor in their title triumph.
Wenger, who is also still without the injured Edu and Sylvain Wiltord, said: “Most of all I want to see more first-team players coming through our own system – whatever their nationality.
“You will find in Europe over the next 10 or 20 years that the mix of foreign players will become even greater but it is important for me to keep alive the Arsenal spirit whoever the players are.
“I admit it is easier to do that with English-born players but we have had many requests from all over the world from people who want to join us because they see more than just money at the club. They feel the spirit of the team is right.”
Wenger is likely to be handed a war-chest of around £15m (€22.1m) to strengthen his squad next season but the manager, who has a university degree in economics, would seemingly rather draw full value from home-bred prospects like Londoner Bentley.
The midfielder, who scored a spectacular FA Cup goal against Middlesbrough in January but has yet to make his first Premiership start, was inevitably frustrated when Wenger put down an £8m (€11.9m) deposit to buy Jose Reyes.
The manager has since splashed out an extra £4million for Dutchman Robin van Persie.
It was clearly a setback to Bentley’s ambitions to eventually replace his personal idol, the mercurial Bergkamp, at Highbury. And French striker Aliadiere, who has been on the brink of first-team breakthrough all season, must have felt much the same.
But Wenger said: “Bentley is a great talent, technically a top, top player but he needs to play in the first team now.
“It is getting to the point where we need to send him out on loan for some first-team experience and we will do that but I have this opportunity now to see some players at Portsmouth and I can do it while still trying to keep the unbeaten record.”
Wenger added: “Reyes also needs games to help him adapt to the English Premiership but Bentley has grown up here and is becoming impatient. That is normal and it is the same with Aliadiere even though he is French. He has an Arsenal spirit and needs to be in the side.”
With Wiltord looking certain to quit Highbury on a free transfer at the end of the season and old stagers like Martin Keown likely to be moved on, Wenger knows he must think about the new shape of his squad.
He believes youngsters like Bentley, Jermaine Pennant – currently on loan at Leeds – and young defenders Justin Hoyte and Philippe Senderos can step up after injury-plagued campaigns.
But Nigerian striker Kanu, also in the squad tomorrow, is another player likely to move on while Giovanni van Bronckhorst is set to join Barcelona in a permanent move this summer having been on loan with the Spanish club all season.
Wenger admits: “It is inevitable that a big test is coming for our youngsters. They face a critical time between the age of 19 and 22 but if you are good enough you will play.”
He added: “We have won the Premiership unbeaten and yet some people still say it is a disappointing season. You cannot have everything but I would certainly like to go through without a defeat.
“Portsmouth will provide a big test. They came the nearest to beating us along with the missed penalty in the last minute at Manchester United and I was happy to get a draw against them at Highbury.
“Now they look even stronger and deserve great credit for what they have done, the only team to stay up from the three who were promoted.”
Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, 1996 to 2018. I was there.
How dare anyone use Pa Nwankwo and young players in the same topic? 
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.....
"“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”
MLK.
"“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”
MLK.
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xxmanB2003
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I hope that Kanu will use utilise this opporturnity very well, if for nothing else to convince one or two quality teams in EPL to come and get him or one of the top two in SPL. I hope that he knows that his time in Arsenal is definitely over this season. He should move on to another good club. I wish him success in morrow's match and also in finding a good club that will need him, and give him enough regular play time. 
With God everything is possible.
