Unai Emery has given the biggest insight yet into his thinking about who will be the long term replacement for the departing Aaron Ramsey.
Ramsey is set to join Juventus in the summer and it has become clear that he will be a huge loss to us, he is a big game player and his absence since he got injured against Napoli in the second leg of the Europa League has been felt.
The media seem to come out with new names almost daily as a likely replacement for the Welsh wizard, however, Emery appears to be seriously considering promoting within.
Emery was asked in an interview with SkySports if he was confident that he could find an adequate replacement for Ramsey?
“Yes, but there are also players coming through from the academy who are producing good performances and who could progress,” he says.
“We could replace him with a player from outside, or with a player who is already here who can grow like he did himself.”
So there you have it, he is confident that he will find a suitable replacement and made it clear that the replacement could come from the outside or within.
I have been clamouring for Arsenal to bring through more of our youngsters for some time, that policy has worked out very well for some of our rivals and while you still have to bring in one or two established players that does not mean that you do not take a risk either.
Big names bring experience with them, they can lead by example and influence the youngsters and in some cases mentor them but even Billionaire boys club Man City are bringing through the odd kid, Phil Foden as an example, Tottenham are doing it every season recently, Manchester United have been doing it for years and so have Liverpool, for some reason we have fallen behind when once we were leaders.
I for one hope that Emery does promote within and at the same time bring in some top quality where required.
So, a departing player needs to be replaced by a player bought or by promoting from academy.
In other news, water is wet.
A plastic club like Man City cannot give the chances to their own youngsters like Brahim Diaz, Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho, but Arsenal should do otherwise. Probably not in a crucial match like Leicester and Valencia matches, but in the next season
Having said that, I’d be glad to see Nketiah, Saka or Amaechi sometimes in the starting line-up
Phil Foden is getting games for City though. But if they buy another £60m midfielder then he might decide to leave
Foden has been playing well for City recently and Sancho is a Dortmund star so I don’t really understand your “plastic” references.
Saka must definitely get his chance with us soon as he’s been tearing defences apart for the U23’s. Take a look at Fridays game against Leicester where he lays on goals and scores one, he’s brilliant.
Regarding today’s match, we have not lost any of 19 midday kick off games since the Premier League started. It’s a record and yes, I’m clutching at straws!
#worriedofLondonColney.
Michael Oliver is refereeing though ?
Antonio looked good for the hammers against spurs yesterday, a proper right footed right side forward/winger. Blistering pace and takes players on and beats them. We could someone like him.
Xhaka will do for today but we need to get a player better than Ramsey/Xhaka and can’t rely on the Academy either
BUT sadly Kroenke will be tight so don’t know how we will get one in addition to the other players we need
The reference to “plastic” to describe Man City puzzles me unless the writer is talking about their financial power?In any event,the reason Man City are miles ahead of Arsenal and for that matter Man Utd is because every single player who plays for Pep has to work his socks off for the full 90 mins otherwise they do not play.Pep does not suffer passengers and as an example just look how he has converted Auguero into a prodigious worker off the ball to add to his undoubted scoring talents..It will take time for Emery to turn around our “cruise ship” which unfortunately is awash with passengers.