Three young players impressed me at Bergkamp’s match and gave me hope that they can add some quality to the first team squad, and here they are by order:
1) Traore was one of the best players on the pitch in the first half, I was surprised that he had played, but he did so well to have the trust of Wenger.
He is very similar to Clichy and Cole, maybe better offensively, decent defensively with great tackles and better body, but he is simply so promising, and should have the same impact that Clichy had in his first season.
Clichy will miss around a month of the new season with injury and Wenger will focus on Traore in the coming preseason games to confirm that he can handle himself in the primer league, Left back or left wing he is so powerful going forward.
2) Smith showed he can be bring something refreshing to the team with him being dangerous, willing to go forward and providing some nice touches, although he could have done better if he had seen the ball more.
3) Matthew Connolly looked like a player with confidence, he have good control on the ball which Joe O?Cearuill doesn’t have, he may take a while to play for the first team but he showed that he have the talent that Wenger will be polish.
Walcot, Smith, Gilbert, Matthew Connolly and Muamba are the best English talents that Arsenal have, and surely at least 3 of them will have a future with Arsenal, If we add Curt Davies to them then we have at least 4 English players in the first team in the coming years.
They should help Arsenal against the media for not having English players, and the team will just be more younger.
24 Responses to “The Players that impressed me”
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July 25th, 2006 at 11:31 am
One of the most ridiculous pieces of writing I have read in a long time. I will look at it systematically.
Firstly, whlist Traore was excellent in the first half, to say he might be better offensively than Cole and Clichy is just a ludicrous statement. Based on 45 minutes of action against a bit part Ajax first team is just a ridiculous statement to make. We might want him to be good, might need him to be good, but he is at present a promising prospect. Like so many of Wenger’s players. So to think that he is even ready for the premiership is crazy. He needs a good few years in the reserve and Carling Cup teams before he can come near the first team.
Secondly, having fancy touches is not good enough. Smith has never looked up to it (although unlucky with injuries) and he was poor in his spell at Leicester where towards the end he couldn’t get into the team and finished his loan early. To me, that is not the mark of a player I think has a future at Arsenal regardless of any nice touches (which to be honest, even Glenn Helder could probably do).
Thirdly, I agree, Connolly looked like he was good. But to say that Joe O’Cearuil has not got good control on the ball when the poor kid is so young and probably exceptionally nervous is quite harsh on him. He played 40 seconds on Saturday and he played at Barnet which was a big ocassion for him as lots of fans were there and that is it apart from a couple of reserve outings last season. If you are judging him already, then shame on you.
Finally, although Muamba has played for England youth, the guy is from Congo. He is not “English” talent per se. Wenger has been proved correct about English talent with recent examples such as Pennant, Cole, Campbell (for walking off at 1/2 time) to name a few so who cares if we havent got English players.
And I think that Smith, Connolly and Muamba have all got a hell of a long way to go to even be mentionned near to the first team. And also, we have not signed Curtis Davies yet. If you are including him, then you might as well say we have the current Italian number 1, Vieira in midfield and Saviola up front. Why write an article that has a point that includes a player who is not an Arsenal player? Just so bad.
July 25th, 2006 at 11:35 am
I personally think Smith could be a left back.
He has the pace but the competition for places on the left wing is pretty strong, Reyes, Rosicky, Van Persie.
If Davies does come, he would probably push Connolly down in the pecking order, but that could also mean that we sell Cygan.
Ryan Garry does need to be added to the list of promising English players.
He has had an awful two seasons with injuries but AW has stuck by him, so I guess he can see something special in him.
Did anyone get a list of players that went to the training camp, can you publish them please.
July 25th, 2006 at 11:41 am
For sure, one of the most stupid posts ever. To judge player performance on a testimonial is completely absurd. It was not a serious game, nowhere near as serious as even a reserve or Arsenal XI game.
Do you reallly think player performances in a testimonial can be judged in comparison to the huge pressure of a Premiership match? Wenger will have learned nothing that he didn’t already know about these players - it was just a light hearted kick about.
Please, get a grip - this cr*p should not even get printed here.
July 25th, 2006 at 11:42 am
I think you are being a bit harsh here.
Traore, looked good. The Ajax team was nearly at full strength, no where nearly as depleted as ours.
Remember Ash Cole may his debut at 18 years old. If you are good enough you will get a chance.
He might not need a couple of years in the reserves.
If he is good enough to play in the reserves, AW wont keep him there for 2 seasons it is un fair to the kid.
Muamba is as English as Lennox Lewis or Pietersen in the cricket. They might have been born in a different country, but they have spent most of the live in England.
Are you saying Henry and Vieira are not French?
July 25th, 2006 at 11:47 am
playing in front of 55,000 fans in a friendly or a title decider is still hard work.
AW should be applauded for taking the chance to briefly blood some of these players.
However you are right it is hard to judge someone on a 30 minute performace.
Hopefully they will perform again in the up coming friendlies in Austria and Holland.
July 25th, 2006 at 11:57 am
Emmanuel Adebayor
Jeremie Aliadiere
Manuel Almunia
Nicklas Bendtner
Matthew Connolly
Pascal Cygan
Johan Djourou
Emmanuel Eboue
Mathieu Flamini
Alexander Hleb
Justin Hoyte
Kolo Toure
Arturo Lupoli
Vito Mannone
Mart Poom
Jose Antonio Reyes
Tomas Rosicky
Gilberto
Armand Traore
Robin van Persie
Theo Walcott
Mark Randall
Joe O?Cearuill
Alex Song
July 25th, 2006 at 12:04 pm
Almunia
Eboue Djourou Connolly Traore
Hleb Rosicky Gilberto Reyes
Van Persie Walcott
Not a bad team really, 4 or 5 real starters in the team
July 25th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
Ryan Smith isn’t in the squad. What’s that about?
I know he didn’t tear it up at Leicester but he looks like one of those who suits the premiership more.
I like his ball control and dribbling ability. Can’t believe he doesn’t make it and Aliadiare does.
July 25th, 2006 at 1:38 pm
He did say IF they sign Davies. Not that they had. Cut the guy some slack or read a little more carefully before you tear his head off.
July 25th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
Oh gee, I dunno. It’s kind of like when teams do rash things like sign players who trial in practice. Shocking concept, Danny, isn’t it.
So to answer your question, yes, I think some things can be discerned about a player in a testimonial.
Your assertion is just as absurd in my opinion. Can practice tell you anything about a player? Where’s the large crowds providing pressure of the Premiership in practice?
Do you think it was just all fun & games for the younger players on the pitch? Gee, let’s see, 60,000 people, Ajax 1st teamers on the pitch, a chance to show Wenger some skills, yeah, you’re right absolutely ludicrous things could be taken away from a testimonial. About as ludicrous as having a good practice session.
So here’s your grip, articles aren’t printed here on merit, Danny. Kind of like in the media. All fans here have a voice. Even the ones that don’t fit into your Danny bubble. See, that’s where this American Bush supporting, God-fearing self differs from the enlightened ones such as yourself- I’ll consider anyone’s opinion & take it for what it’s worth not rush out & prove how my opinion & the ones that you agree with or agree with you is fact or the only possible opinions that make sense. Which you do, Danny, time & time again.
B/c by your logic, how can anything be told for a pre-season friendly, I mean after all, it’s a friendly, but things are discerned every year, every friendly from them. For once, just once, consider that things in sports, like life do not have absolute rules. If a player busts a** in a testimonial, he still busts a**. Doesn’t matter how many people are in the stands or what trophy is being played for. Work & the things learned from it is how much you put into it not how much is at stake.
July 25th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
Too many people around here & are to eager to prove other people’s opinions wrong rather than just take into consideration, agree or disagree & then move on.
Don’t understand why people on message boards automatically default to saying things like “absurd,” “stupid,” “ridiculous,” when conversing with people or disagreeing with someone on msg boards. B/c if they converse like this in real life, they are quite idiotic themselves or pathetic.
July 25th, 2006 at 1:44 pm
Oh man, Terry Neil is absurd! He’s ludicrous! He’s ridiculous!
He just said that Matthew Connolly looks to be a good young centerback! What a buffoon!
July 25th, 2006 at 5:45 pm
A testimonial does not carry the importance of a friendly. A friendly is important because it’s an exercise in getting players fit by playing against a competitive team. Testimonials are not competitive, players are primarily there to have fun, they don’t give their maximum like you would in a friendly - and therefore it’s not possible to effectively discern the ability of a player in a testimonial.
Regarding opinions. In MY opinion because of what I have suggested above the original post is so ridiculous that it isn’t even worthy of publication - why is that opinion any less valid than yours or the guy who wrote the piece?
July 25th, 2006 at 5:48 pm
Yeah, well done. Don’t call people absurd or stupid in a message board otherwise you’re idiotic or pathetic.
Spot the irony in that comment.
July 25th, 2006 at 7:11 pm
hey reyes99….GOOD ARTICLE !!!
i dont really agree that u can take anything from a testimonial….but at least it was in front of a MASSIVE crowd…so there is a case for your argument.
PS: dont allow comments like dannyt, etc to bother u …
July 25th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
Hey londongooner & DannyT,
If you don’t have anything constructive to say then don’t bother to abuse other people who state their opinion regardless of what you think is wright or wrong, regardless if what they wrote seems decent to you or not, should be printed in the site or not, its not good behaving like this to any fan of your club, their is no logic unless you are from Totenham or Chelsea or Man Utd then I can understand your behavior.
I stand for every thing I wrote, you two should read carefully and see the match again before giving your opinion, I merely mentioned the people who impressed me; it is not a must for you, you have your own opinions.
If you saw carefully the two teams tried to play their best and Arsenal struggled and lost in the first half as Ajax players were also trying to impress their coach, just few from our boys caught the eye.
How could this game in front of 56,000 be any less than the matches in the preseason in Austria, tell me which team of those Arsenal will face have a better players than what Ajax fielded?
As for Traore, Clichy and Cole comment I said maybe better offensively, decent defensively because I know how good Clichy and Cole are, and Clichy is by far better than Cole offensively, But Traore seems have more courage and ability than both to dribble; at least the signs are good.
If you remember Clichy started the same way as Traore in a preseason match, and I assume you said he couldn’t play for the first team and should play for the reserves for 2-3 years, but he was thrown directly in the primer league and amazed everybody, so why this cant happen with Traore if the signs are so similar!
Saying that I was harsh on Joe O’Cearuil since he is 18 while ripping Smith I don’t know what to say!
As long as the player have passport from England then he is English, doesn’t matter from where his original is.
The Davies point was because he is an English player that we are heavily linked to him, as he is our number one summer target and there are a lot of noises that we will sign him, so there is a point in including him if he comes.
Arsenal needs English players in their books, because of the problems that FIFA are making every year (homegrown players + English players), so they must keep a few of the players that I mentioned or they will be forced to pay over the odds to bring the numbers that is required by FIFA.
Lastly when I mention these players names other people who didn’t see them or heard of them might be interested and keep an eyes on them in the reserves, so if I was correct than I helped someone even if it is so little.
Thanks for all the guys who supported the free opinion issue, that?s what all people should be able to have at least.
July 25th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
Thanks Reyes99, I didn’t see the game so it’s nice to get some feedback from a fan.
Interestingly The Guardian newspaper has just run an article, and I quote “Armand Traor?….was easily the best player on the pitch”.
July 25th, 2006 at 10:19 pm
Reyes99 you brainless git, that was the most stupidest and pathetic article i have read since becoming a member on this site. Terrible, absolutley dreadful, if you were 7 years old then i would let you off the hook but i doupt it. Honestly how can you write something so stupid and ridiculous like that!? Words can’t discribe how pathetic you are. It was a testimonial match, i repeat a testimonial match. Now just to make sure you clearly understand i’ll spell it out for you in block capitals, T-E-S-T-I-M-O-N-I-A-L M-A-T-C-H. Got that? And another thing, what londongooner & Danny T said was way beyond constructive, how can you say they are Spurs or Man United fans? Oh becuase we are thier rivals for the Premiership and thier fans decide to abuse you becuase you wrote some little article about a match that’s so meaningless and don’t mean jack you decide to cry about it. Just grow up, at your age and don’t write another article until you mature properly, maybe your Mother brought you up from baby to kid to child.
The reason why the stadium was packed with 56,000 people was becuase it was the last match of Dennis Bergkamp, but wasn’t a serious compeditive match like the Premiership and the reason why all those youngsters were playing in the match was because Arsene Wenger was resting his first team players who just came from the World Cup and they need enough rest as possible becuase they’ve got the Champions League qualifiers coming soon.
I don’t agree with one point in your garbage article, Traore will not make the first team any time soon as far as i’m concern, he’s just going to play in the reserves for a season or so and then go of on loan come back into the reserves and out of the blue offers from teams from the Championship and First Division and Arsenal excepts thier offer. Deal done. To say he is better than Ashley Cole just absolutley ridiculous, what have you been drinking when you wrote this? Traore played 45 minutes against half a first team Ajax side and already your saying he is ready to play in the Premiership with Chelsea, Man United and Liverpool? Words definatley can’t discribe how pathetic you are, they really can’t honestly!
This was diabotical and stupid. Smith providing some nice touches is refreshing for the team? God you’re bad you really are, you just didn’t know what you were writing did you? Smith was never up to scratch and don’t even have a prayer of making the first team honestly, the guy did jack on his loan spell at Leicester City. Nice touches don’t get you anywhere in English soccer if you know anything about English soccer, obviously you don’t!!
Joe O’Cearuil doesn’t have good ball control? Question, how many times have you seen him play? Exactly! He is only a teenager for God sakes, To judge him for 45 minutes in a match that means nothing is just laim and out of order! This was his first really big occasion in front of a pact crowd of up to 60 thousand people watching airing world wide and your juding him when you’ve only seen him once!! SWEET JESUS YOU ARE TERRIBLE!
And Muamba is from The Republic of Congo in Africa, he is not born in England, he just plays for them becuase he’s got a British passport. Besides i don’t see him making it either regardless of where he is from. I don’t even see him making the senior England squad so it’s best he play for the Congo national team and compete in these African Cup of Nations and done with that.
And why are you talking about Curtis Davies like he is some hero, we don’t need help infront of the media, we need help on the bloody soccer pitch for heavens sake Reyes99 you just don’t have a fricken clue.
Write something that makes sense, do what you are good at and stick with it! Terrible, you are just terrible.
July 26th, 2006 at 3:40 am
Reyes99, yet another article from an Arsenal website in which the commentator says:
“I was again impressed with Armand Traore, who at just 16 was described by Wenger as:
?A young boy with a lot of power. Not speedy, but super speedy. When you consider he?s only 16, it?s incredible power - he can make the difference going forward.?
Young Armand really is one to watch, and certainly looks a darn sight better than his namesake Djimi.”
Looking forward to seeing him in action for myself.
Exciting to think of all this young talent coming through…at different ages and stages…only a proportion will ‘make it’, but we have them in numbers, and once we get a bit of momentum we really could be in for exciting times.
July 26th, 2006 at 4:26 am
Thank you Kiwi, I’m so excited about the new season and game by game I’m encouraged more, so let’s hope every thing works well for Wenger and the team.
As for this guy ballackforarsenal, I will not sink to your level, you doesn’t even deserve a reply, if you were half decent you would have read what I said in the article and the comments before stating the ……. that you wrote.
Absolutely you just like talking without understanding the facts, point by point you are so wrong, it’s a pity that I need to defend the truth to someone who only believes he is the truth.
And let us see the genius articles by you Mr. obvious that can wrote!
July 26th, 2006 at 4:41 am
HAHAHAHAHA !!!
ballack4arsenal !!! so you are back!!!
the return of the site?s FOOL !!!
i wonder if u do this on purpose to crack us up? maybe u are actually a normal human being in person. ?Cos if u talked like this in real life, you would have absolutely NO FRIENDS in life!
and if u ever wandered into a rough neighborhood…say downtown liverpool, someone will definitely break a bottle over your head…and it will be because u deserved it.
July 26th, 2006 at 4:42 am
HAHAHAHAHA !!!
ballack4arsenal !!! so you are back!!! the return of the site?s FOOL !!!
i wonder if u do this on purpose to crack us up? maybe u are actually a normal human being in person. ?Cos if u talked like this in real life, you would have absolutely NO FRIENDS !
and if u ever wandered into a rough neighborhood…say downtown liverpool, someone will definitely break a bottle over your head…and it will be because u deserved it.
July 26th, 2006 at 4:45 am
dont bother responding to him, man……respond to everybody else - becos u can persuade everybody else by argument…………
this guy is best ignored.
July 26th, 2006 at 6:40 am
This testimonial was a bit different because it was pre-season, and it was right after the World Cup. Because it was pre-season, both managers decided to field their strongest sides available. making it a regular pre-season runout in the first half. The second half was more the testomonial exhibition.
I don’t care what anyone thinks a testimonial is supposed to be, the first half was no testimonial. Both sides had their best available players trying to prove themselves to their coaches and were working very hard. Anyone who watched the game saw that.
Arsenal World Cup players weren’t involved (except the legends) but all of Ajax World Cup Dutch players were and they all played in the first half. That being said I can see why Reyes99 decided to write about what he saw. It ’s just good to see what our reserves can do and ask who may be ready to force their way into the team.
In my opinion, Traore looked very good but very young and inexperienced. Face it, everyone can’t show Fab’s maturity at such a young age and that makes Fabregas truly exceptional (Arsenal fans are very lucky). But for my money, in th first half, Cygan was our best player.