The Exuberance of Arsenal’s Talented Youth is rubbing off on the Senior Pros – Long May it Continue

Below is my full submission to Sun Digital in which I spoke about the enthusiasm and exuberance of youth rubbing off on Arsenal’s more senior players in the Chelsea match. I was delighted therefore Arteta dis stick with the Young Guns last night….

Been carrying his colleagues with Tierney

It’s Tuesday 29^th December and we Arsenal fans are genuinely excited about our last match of 2020, something we perhaps might not have said over the past few weeks. Apprehension has been firmly replaced by anticipation for the club’s visit to Brighton this evening.

However, this new positivity is not just born out of the victory over our big spending London neighbours, Chelsea, but the manner and style of the win, and critically for me the players responsible for it. The whole starting eleven are deserving of praise, but it was the impact of youth that, in large part, made the difference.

It is hugely encouraging therefore to hear that Arteta selected the younger players that he did because they deserved to start, and not because certain senior players where unavailable. I sincerely hope this heralds a new phase of 2020/21, in which the manager’s selection is based on ability, form and merit, not seniority, experience and dare I say price tag.

This also came on the back of club legend, Ian Wright, revealing on his podcast, before Christmas, how much the young players respect Arteta, believe in him and wanted to succeed with him. This has long been evident in the displays and words of both Bukayo Saka and Kieran Tierney, (let us not forget the Scot is only 23), both of whom has shone and endeavoured to urge on their more experienced colleagues in recent weeks.

A leader at 23

Perhaps these two on their own, despite their efforts, was not enough to rub off on or energise their teammates but on Saturday, when Arteta added Martinelli and Emile Smith-Rowe to the mix the results were staggering and evident for all who watched the match. Chelsea simply could not deal with the ‘exuberance of youth’ that was in their faces from minute one.

The constant energy, willingness to chase seemingly lost causes, high press, and pace of the triumvirate of Martinelli, Smith- Rowe and Saka was a sight to behold. The Chelsea defence and indeed midfield were given no time to dwell on the ball or think and this zest rubbed off on Lacazette ahead of them and Xhaka behind them. It was no coincidence that both ‘veterans’ had their best game in an Arsenal shirt this season.

The energy and quality of the play of all three in attack was obvious as Arsenal move the ball quicker, found more decisive passes, made easier my better off the ball movement, but in the second half when the visitors might have come back into the game, both Saka and Martinelli, showed equal commitment and work rate in their defensive work. An example that will not have been missed by their watching manager, nor I suspect Willian and Pepe.

Fits at 10

In Smith-Rowe, as I have written previously, Arteta, for now at least, as the logical player, with the correct attributes to play the 10 role and Martinelli and Saka both excel as wide players in the 4231 system. However, as I have suggested, it is not just what these players bring in their own right but how they bring the best out of others. Both Tierney and Bellerin thrived against Chelsea with these ‘inverted wingers’ ahead of them, overlapping at will and to great effect, confident that Elneny and Xhaka were sitting and protecting the centre backs.

I should also add a word or two in praise of Joe Willock, who has struggled when asked to play the central attacking role, creatively at least. On Saturday when he came on, it was nominally in that role, replacing Smith- Rowe, but at that stage in the game it was more about protecting the lead and Willock played his part to great effect. He used his pace and long legs to get back well, stifle Chelsea attacks and made some fabulous challenges in key areas. Probably not what Willock wants to be known for yet another example of the beneficial impact of youthful energy.

The Youth of 87-89

We have seen the amazing results that can occur when blending genuinely talent youngsters with quality established players in the past. Pundits will often cite the impact at Man United of class of 95, and righty so but we Arsenal fans will tell you George Graham did it earlier in 1989. Arteta arguably has the best collective of young players since Adams, Rocastle, Thomas and Thomas and it remains to be seen if he will blend them with the deserving senior players longer term. I sincerely hope he does.

This is the unedited version of yesterday’s Sun Fan Column published pre- Brighton

Dave Seager

Passionate fifty-something Arsenal supporter who has been making the journey to N5 regularly since the early 1980s – although his first game was in 1976. Always passionate when talking about The Arsenal, Dave decided to send a guest blog to Gunnersphere in the summer of 2011 and has not stopped writing about the Gunners since.

He set up his own site – 1 Nil Down 2 One Up – in February 2012, which he moved on in 2016 to concentrate on freelance writing and building Gunners Town, which he launched with Paul in 2014.

The objective of GT was to be new and fresh and to give a platform for likeminded passionate Arsenal fans wishing to write about their team. Dave still of course, writes for the site himself and advises the ever-changing writing crew.