Exciting changes are in store for Arsenal’s under-21 team as they gear up for the new season in the revamped Premier League 2. The tournament, which features a new format, promises to bring fresh challenges and opportunities for Mehmet Ali’s young squad.
In a departure from the previous setup, where 25 clubs with Category One academies were split into two divisions, the upcoming season will see all 26 Category One clubs placed in a single division. This new Swiss-model format, inspired by the Champions League’s plans for 2024/25, aims to enhance competition and provide a fairer system for determining fixtures.
The teams will be divided into five pots based on their performances over the past three seasons. A draw will be conducted according to the clubs’ positions in the five seeded pots, determining the fixtures. Each team will play 20 regular season matches throughout the campaign, reducing the number by six from the previous season.
During the regular season, teams will face every club in their seeding pot once and encounter three to five teams from other pots either at home or away. The results of these games will generate a table ranking the 26 teams.
Following the conclusion of the regular season, the top 16 teams will qualify for the play-offs. The draw will pair the teams based on their league positions, with one-off elimination matches scheduled, and the higher-seeded teams hosting the games.
These changes were implemented after an extensive review of PDP competitions and received approval from Premier League shareholders at the annual AGM. The removal of relegation is expected to encourage development-focused decisions and reduce the impact of relegation on future groups of under-21 players.
Additionally, the play-offs will expand from four to 16 teams, providing a greater variety of fixtures with 20 different opponents compared to 13 in Division 1 and 10 in Division 2.
Arsenal’s under-21 team, led by Mehmet Ali, eagerly awaits the unveiling of their fixtures for the 2023/24 campaign in the week commencing 31 July.
Arsenal youngster Amario Cozier-Duberry is the only player from the academy to join the first-team on the tour of the USA.
Go smash it, ACD! 👊 #afc pic.twitter.com/vwPBdfgHLM
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) July 16, 2023
As the excitement builds, the Gunners could face formidable Category One academies, including the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur. The prospect of going up against these top-tier clubs will undoubtedly present a thrilling challenge for Arsenal’s talented young players.
With the Premier League 2 undergoing significant changes, Arsenal’s under-21s have an exhilarating season ahead, filled with opportunities to prove their mettle and continue their development journey. The new format promises to bring intense competition and a chance for the young Gunners to shine on the national stage.
Writer – Yash Bisht
Exciting format, shame they dont have a Saturday or Sunday morning TV coverage!