Ethan Nwaneri | 17 year old starting for Arsenal in EFL Cup

Daydreamer said:
Yep, I don't get those who are slamming an 88th minute sub for an academy player in such unlikely circumstances.

Odegaard -> Smith-Rowe -> Vieira -> Nelson -> Patino -> Nwaneri

He's our sixth choice at AM and everyone else is injured or on loan. I thought the whole point of 7 subs is to give academy players a taste of first team football to aid their transition?
Click to expand...

Yes but surely there are more deserving academy players than him would be the point.

It's obvious arsenal are doing this for reasons other than he deserves a chance.
 
mav_9me said:
Yes but surely there are more deserving academy players than him would be the point.

It's obvious arsenal are doing this for reasons other than he deserves a chance.
Click to expand...
Why surely? Who do you have in mind?

This conversation is inane.
 
mav_9me said:
Yes but surely there are more deserving academy players than him would be the point.

It's obvious arsenal are doing this for reasons other than he deserves a chance.
Click to expand...
He’s the current AM for our U21s. I literally just ran through our depth chart in that position. He IS the available academy player who was deserving of the chance.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Click to expand...

Onuha is saying that because that’s how he would have felt. But Jack Wilshere has often said how Cesc getting chances early encouraged him. Charlie Patino has said how Saka coming becoming a key player for us as a teen demonstrated that there’s a pathway.

If our academy players are salty about another academy player getting chances with the first team, they’re unlikely to make it with us or any top club. Competition for places is a reality they need to contend with.

If you have faith in your abilities, you would view it as yet more proof that you will be given opportunities with the first team if you deliver in training.
 
Well said Nedum, glad people are seeing through this. Mikel's ego taking over again.
 
Our current captain made his international debut as a 15 year old, never mind his club debut.

And of course this was agenda driven. The club knows he's 1 of the most highly rated players in the country around that age group, and they'll also be aware that he's being highly courted, so they are obviously doing what they can to convince him how highly rated he is at Arsenal and he'll get chances if he stays.

Unfortunately even at that age football is cut throat, players getting released all the time, players being tapped up etc. We lost Omari Hutchinson to Chelsea because they apparently offered him 5x or 6x what we were.

At that age clubs are well aware who the best talents are through the academy system, and the other players know it as well.
 
balaks said:
Touched a nerve there!
Click to expand...
Not really touched a nerve pal. More like you HAVE a nerve talking about squad depth, when you rely on an individual more than Nirvana relied on Kurt Cobain.
 
This is done. Signed with Arsenal this afternoon. There's a lot of pleased Arsenal fans over this, Nwaneri is considered the jewel of our recent graduating class – behind only Myles Lewis-Skelly who looks a special talent in his own right.

Allegedly Nwaneri never wanted to leave Arsenal and it was always his intention to stay. He’s an Arsenal boy through and through, grew up a stones throw from the stadium. I’m not sure how much I believe that, there was very loud and very consistent noises he was as good as gone earlier in the year – whether it was a power play to eek out a better payday I’m not sure. It's easy to play the doting boyhood fan after the fact.

Either way, very satisfying that’s he’s staying put.
 
FeelingDangerous said:
This is done. Signed with Arsenal this afternoon. There's a lot of pleased Arsenal fans over this, Nwaneri is considered the jewel of our recent graduating class – behind only Myles Lewis-Skelly who looks a special talent in his own right.

Allegedly Nwaneri never wanted to leave Arsenal and it was always his intention to stay. He’s an Arsenal boy through and through, grew up a stones throw from the stadium. I’m not sure how much I believe that, there was very loud and very consistent noises he was as good as gone earlier in the year – whether it was a power play to eek out a better payday I’m not sure. It's easy to play the doting boyhood fan after the fact.

Either way, very satisfying that’s he’s staying put.
Click to expand...
I think he's quite a bit better than Lewis-Skelly to be quite honest.
 
AltiUn said:
I think he's quite a bit better than Lewis-Skelly to be quite honest.
Click to expand...

I heard he threw his teddy’s out of the pram due to him perceiving the club were looking after Skelly more than him
 
Beaucoup said:
I heard he threw his teddy’s out of the pram due to him perceiving the club were looking after Skelly more than him
Click to expand...

Sounds like someone who believed his own hype from a very young age. Will be interesting to see how he develops and whether he has the mentality to reach his undoubted potential.
 
GoonerBear said:
Was pretty close to going to City or Chelsea just now by all accounts, would have skipped the 5 year wait.
Click to expand...
If you actually want first team chances then there's not really any point going to City or Chelsea yet.
 
Time to talk about this lad again, he's ready for more action. Another game, another goal, and more importantly another Man of the Match performance.

 
SilentWitness said:
3 goals in 2 games in the EFL Cup now at 17. Decent.
Click to expand...

The goals are a bonus for me, it's the overall performance that impresses me, the confidence, the touch, technique, and how he imposes himself on games at a young age. In saying that, his shooting technique from that right half space is a danger.
 
Great technique and presence of mind to pull that off. He tried a similar one in the early stages so clearly had the confidence to know he could score. He could be special.
 
Daydreamer said:
Onuha is saying that because that’s how he would have felt. But Jack Wilshere has often said how Cesc getting chances early encouraged him. Charlie Patino has said how Saka coming becoming a key player for us as a teen demonstrated that there’s a pathway.

If our academy players are salty about another academy player getting chances with the first team, they’re unlikely to make it with us or any top club. Competition for places is a reality they need to contend with.

If you have faith in your abilities, you would view it as yet more proof that you will be given opportunities with the first team if you deliver in training.
Click to expand...

Ancient post, but I think it's clear that Onuha was talking about how academy lads 2-4 years older would feel about a 15 year old being in the first team matchday squad ahead of them. It's why he said they'd think they'd been passed over for a child and was talking about it's disheartening affects on them.

Fabregas is 5 years older than Wilshere, Saka 2 years older than Patino. 11 year old Wilshere wasn't going to view 16 year old Fabregas as child or be disappointed that he'd missed out on anything there, of course he'd have been inspired.

Either way tough luck if they're not as a good as someone younger.
 
Last edited:
GoonerBear said:
The goals are a bonus for me, it's the overall performance that impresses me, the confidence, the touch, technique, and how he imposes himself on games at a young age. In saying that, his shooting technique from that right half space is a danger.
Click to expand...
Yeah, he hasn't looked out of place in your side at all.
 
This kid is awesome. Very strong on the ball, and seems to have good instincts. Think he can really benefit watching Odegaard as well, who does a lot of the little things right. I have been hoping he plays more, and I think he has shown he can handle being a bit more involved.
 
GoonerBear said:
Time to talk about this lad again, he's ready for more action. Another game, another goal, and more importantly another Man of the Match performance.

Click to expand...


I know Arteta can be a stubborn bastard at times, and the pressure is on to keep getting results while Odegaard is out, but he really missed a big opportunity by not keeping things more or less the same and slotting Nwaneri into the Odegaard role. He's a much better 10/creative player than Havertz, Trossard and whoever else he used to fill void left by Odegaard. I'd go as far as saying he's the most creative player in the entire squad after Odegaard and Saka.

It must be annoying as feck to see that the only games he's started has been vs Bolton and Preston, when relatively lowkey home games vs Shakhtar in the CL, Leicester and Southampton in the league would have been perfect games to throw him in and let him gain the experience. Meanwhile 17 year old Cubarsi is starting games for Barca vs some of the best attackers European football has to offer in Kane, Olise and Vini, Mbappe and looking comfortable. Not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but it must grate Arsenal fans a little to see that while Nwaneri has had to continue to bide his time on the bench.
 
WeePat said:
I know Arteta can be a stubborn bastard at times, and the pressure is on to keep getting results while Odegaard is out, but he really missed a big opportunity by not keeping things more or less the same and slotting Nwaneri into the Odegaard role. He's a much better 10/creative player than Havertz, Trossard and whoever else he used to fill void left by Odegaard. I'd go as far as saying he's the most creative player in the entire squad after Odegaard and Saka.

It must be annoying as feck to see that the only games he's started has been vs Bolton and Preston, when relatively lowkey home games vs Shakhtar in the CL, Leicester and Southampton in the league would have been perfect games to throw him in and let him gain the experience. Meanwhile 17 year old Cubarsi is starting games for Barca vs some of the best attackers European football has to offer in Kane, Olise and Vini, Mbappe and looking comfortable. Not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but it must grate Arsenal fans a little to see that while Nwaneri has had to continue to bide his time on the bench.
Click to expand...

I always think integrating youngsters is a difficult balancing act, in terms of being excited by the player but also protecting the player in terms of overexposure. I'm not sure what is the 'correct' way.

I was disappointed he didn't get more game time in games like Leicester, Southampton and Shakhtar at home, I did feel those were perfect opportunities to get starts. I look at those Barca players and think if you are good enough you are old enough, but then I remind myself he's only 17, and I think I read if he plays another 150mins he'd have more minutes before 18 than Foden and Saka combined, and I remember everyone getting onto Pep saying he needs to play Foden more and Foden needs to go on loan etc, so I'm always torn about what's best in terms of development of young talents like that.
 
GoonerBear said:
I always think integrating youngsters is a difficult balancing act, in terms of being excited by the player but also protecting the player in terms of overexposure. I'm not sure what is the 'correct' way.

I was disappointed he didn't get more game time in games like Leicester, Southampton and Shakhtar at home, I did feel those were perfect opportunities to get starts. I look at those Barca players and think if you are good enough you are old enough, but then I remind myself he's only 17, and I think I read if he plays another 150mins he'd have more minutes before 18 than Foden and Saka combined, and I remember everyone getting onto Pep saying he needs to play Foden more and Foden needs to go on loan etc, so I'm always torn about what's best in terms of development of young talents like that.
Click to expand...

It's definitely a delicate balancing act, but I think Arteta erred too much on the side of caution. Nwaneri would most likely come out the side and return to his backup role when Odegaard is back anyway, so managing his minutes and exposure would come naturally via Odegaard's return imo. I think it's disappointing that his only starts have come in the cup vs lower league opposition.

You're right that there isn't really a set way to integrate youth players, each situation/circumstance is different, and it could eventually turn out that Arteta had a perfectly valid reason to slowly drip feed him minutes, despite injuries to other players. On the surface though, it does feel like he's holding him back because he wants to rely on the experienced heads to grind out results.
 
WeePat said:
I know Arteta can be a stubborn bastard at times, and the pressure is on to keep getting results while Odegaard is out, but he really missed a big opportunity by not keeping things more or less the same and slotting Nwaneri into the Odegaard role. He's a much better 10/creative player than Havertz, Trossard and whoever else he used to fill void left by Odegaard. I'd go as far as saying he's the most creative player in the entire squad after Odegaard and Saka.

It must be annoying as feck to see that the only games he's started has been vs Bolton and Preston, when relatively lowkey home games vs Shakhtar in the CL, Leicester and Southampton in the league would have been perfect games to throw him in and let him gain the experience. Meanwhile 17 year old Cubarsi is starting games for Barca vs some of the best attackers European football has to offer in Kane, Olise and Vini, Mbappe and looking comfortable. Not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but it must grate Arsenal fans a little to see that while Nwaneri has had to continue to bide his time on the bench.
Click to expand...
Good post.

Arteta is reactive many times instead of proactive. It took him a total derailment of our title race to dump Holding and play Kiwior. Then half a season to realise what everyone knew: play Hazertz as a striker. Not a midfielder.

Eg the home game against Leicester, why not play Nwaneri?
 
ArtetasHair said:
Good post.

Arteta is reactive many times instead of proactive. It took him a total derailment of our title race to dump Holding and play Kiwior. Then half a season to realise what everyone knew: play Hazertz as a striker. Not a midfielder.

Eg the home game against Leicester, why not play Nwaneri?
Click to expand...
This is a fair point. It was the with dropping Lacazette and Jesus when they were stinking out the place. He over-indexes on experience a lot of the time.
 
Would the problem be, and a good problem to have, is that his best positions are occupied by two of Arsenal's best players who are fairly young themselves(Odegaard and Saka)?
 
Righteous Steps said:
Would the problem be, and a good problem to have, is that his best positions are occupied by two of Arsenal's best players who are fairly young themselves(Odegaard and Saka)?
Click to expand...
Odegaard can definitely play deeper. He has the engine and he’s great at carrying the ball.

I wonder if Ethan could play in the 8 role too like Santi Cazorla? No idea but I guess it’s possible.

I assume he could play inside left t forward too
 
Righteous Steps said:
Would the problem be, and a good problem to have, is that his best positions are occupied by two of Arsenal's best players who are fairly young themselves(Odegaard and Saka)?
Click to expand...
Its no problem at all as neither has a half decent backup. So he should ideally get plenty of minutes for next few seasons.
Long term anyway I think Odegaard should move deeper so even that works out. Both him and MLS would get plenty of minutes. Arteta does not give minutes to young players and has many faults in terms of academy player development but one thing we know about him is if/when he feels the player is good and ready he will persist with them.
And he seems to have made his mind on both Ethan and MLS so they will get good amount of gametime (even though some would suggest and I agree they should get even more minutes)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.