Arsene Wenger says he would not be afraid to play any of his young Gunners in the Premier League after Arsenal demolished Sheffield United 6-0 in the Carling Cup.

Wenger had named a side with an average age of only 19 – and was not disappointed as the youngsters stepped up to the challenge to leave the Championship side in tatters.

Mexican striker Carlos Vela grabbed a hat-trick, while Nicklas Bendtner hit a first-half double and 16-year-old Jack Wilshere weighed in with his first senior goal.

There were also impressive displays from Wales Under-21 midfielder Aaron Ramsey and aspiring full-back Kieran Gibbs, which all left the Arsenal manager confident the club’s future is in safe hands.

He said:

“The team showed a good mixture of talent and a mature collective spirit to play football the way we want to play.

“The way the team remained focused and they looked a complete team. I am very proud of that.

“We looked strong in every individual position, and that takes a lot of hard work.”

Wenger added:

“We knew about Bendtner, but we discovered more about Vela. He is a clinical finisher.

“I integrated Wilshere into the first team sometimes last season when he was 15 and he did not look out of place and it is natural for him.

“I was not surprised because I see them every day, but you never know on a big stage how they play.

“They did that with the belief we want them to have and the spirit we want then to have.

“Now for us the biggest challenge is to keep them together and slowly integrate them into the first team. Some have done that already.

“These players do not play like kids. They play with intelligence, talent and with spirit.

“They can beat many teams and I would not be scared to play any individual in the Premier League.”

Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger named his youngest ever team for the third round clash with Championship side Kevin Blackwell’s side and it certainly paid off. There will be more to come from Wenger’s young Gunners and I personally, can’t wait.

Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger named his youngest ever team for Tuesday evening’s third round Carling Cup clash with Championship side Sheffield United.

Wales Under-21 midfielder Aaron Ramsey, 16-year-old Jack Wilshere, reserve team captain Gavin Hoyte, Kieran Gibbs and Mark Randall all started, while first-year scholar Emmanuel Frimpong, also 16, and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, 17, were on the bench at Emirates Stadium.
 

Arsenal Starting XI

Fabianski
G.Hoyte – Djourou – Song – Gibbs
Wilshere – Ramsey – Randall – Merida
Bendtner – Vela
 
Sheff Utd:

Kenny
Halford – Morgan – Kilgallon – Naysmith
Cotterill – Speed – Quinn – Montgomery
Beattie – Webber

First Half

Arsenal started in similar fashion to the game at Bolton last Saturday. Crisp passing inside their own half which drew Sheffield United’s players towards them.

The youngsters faced a tough test against experienced midfield general Gary Speed but it certainly didn’t phase them. Kieran Gibbs sprinted down the left before dragging his shot inched wide.

Sheffield United won an early corner with Fabianski clinging onto a poor delivery from Stephen Quinn. North London was shining in the light of Arsenal’s youthful display and Aaron Ramsey proved his worth with a nice passing move which was cut out by the Blades.

Danny Webber smacked a shot into Row Z and the Gunners’ fans looked as if they were enjoying themselves at the Emirates.

Blades’ shot stopper Paddy Kenny collected a shot from Vela but it was Ramsey who was the most impressive of the bunch. Alex Song hooked the ball forward but Sheffield stayed resilient and mopped things up at the back.

Arsene Wenger’s young Gunners were keen and aggressive in the opening stages and that showed when Gavin Hoyte’s work-rate got the better of him after a rash challenge on Montgomery.

Mexican forward Carlos Vela showed off his attacking prowess with some fantastic trickery to get a cross inches past strike partner Bendtner.

A free-kick on the far edge of the box was awarded thanks to some witty play from Jack Wilshere. The resulting set-piece was lifted over everyone despite the presence of Arsenal’s towering strength inside the box.

Impressive pre-season midfielder Mark Randall was spreading the play well and Johan Djourou took advantage of it with a silky strike which Kenny denied well.

Gibbs, Randall, Ramsey, Djourou & Bendtner were all brilliant and the latter’s superb work-rate paid off when Carlos Vela turned sharply away from his marker and feed Bendtner who in turn finished it beautifully past the stranded Paddy Kenny.

Goal: Nicklas Bendtner (31)

Kevin Blackwell’s side were stunned. A team with an average age of 18 years were cruising in footballing terms against one of Championship’s giants.

United had a chance to equalise. A Blades free-kick was jabbed away from Alex Song and Johan Djourou hooked it over to the half way line and struck to safety.

All the pressure was Arsenal, but Djourou stayed strong in defence and kept calm as the Gunners’ hung onto their one-goal lead.

Jack Wilshere combined with Nicklas Bendtner and the 16-year-old claims for a penalty were denied by Referee Phil Dowd.

Just minutes before half time, summer signing Aaron Ramsey backheeled a magnificent ball into the path of Bendtner who finished it calmly for his second of the game.

Goal: Nicklas Bendtner (41)

Unbelievably, Arsenal made it three within minutes, Bendtner played Vela down the inside right channel and the Mexican clipped it calmly inside the far post. Arsenal Youth were cruising against Championship opposition – stunning. 

Goal: Carlos Vela (44)

It was a magical first half from Wenger’s kids, and there was surely more to come in a most likely mouthwatering second period.

Second Half

Wenger’s Young Guns slipped out the tunnel in a confident mood – who wouldn’t be after scoring three in a first half.

Kieran Gibbs immediately searched for the fourth and was unlucky to not strike it past Kenny who saved well from the England man.

It was starting to become more and more embarassing for Blackwell’s troops. Vela was a little fortuitous as he shouldered the ball over his marker but then produced an audacious lob over Paddy Kenny. Another excellent goal from the Mexican striker.

Goal: Carlos Vela (50)

This side were in stunning form and Wilshere started to knock it about with Welsh International Ramsey, Sheffield couldn’t get the ball off the teenage sensations.

Then, Wilshere’s moment came. He received a corner on the edge of the penalty area and then shot low with his left foot into the corner and Paddy Kenny failed to scramble across his line to keep the shot out. Jack Wilshere. Five star Arsenal. Fantastic.

Goal: Jack Wilshere (56)

Minutes after Wilshere’s goal, Danish striker Bendtner went on the attack for his hatrick and came inches away from granting it after rolling Merida’s pass wide.

Carlos Vela struck a sweet shot over the bar as Arsenal started to move closer to the sixth goal of the night.

70 mins: Fran Merida replaced by Francis Coquelin (tactical).

70 mins: Nicklas Bendtner replaced by Jay Simpson (tactical).

70 mins: Alexandre Song Billong replaced by Henri Lansbury (injury).

Substitutes Simpson and Lansbury tested Kenny with some late efforts while Francis Coquelin marshalled his area in front of the back four brilliantly for the remaining 15 minutes.

A brilliant 56,000 crowd were present in the Emirates to watch on and see the Gunners’ hit a poor Blades’ side for six and the youngsters passed it around deliciously as the clock ticked down.

There was enough time for a sixth though, Carlos Vela was put through by the sensational Aaron Ramsey and the Mexican grabbed his hat-rick with open arms and sealed a memorable win for Arsenal’s young Gunners.

Goal: Carlos Vela – Hatrick (87)

What a result for Arsene Wenger’s young Magicians. There was surely more to come from this blossoming youthful team who were deservedly applauded off the field by the loyal Arsenal faithful.

As if the first team wasn’t youthful enough, Gunners manager Arsène Wenger has consistently used the Carling Cup to blood promising youngsters. Expect, then, to get a first home glimpse of Welsh wonderkid Aaron Ramsey and maybe even teenage English winger Jack Wilshere who impressed in pre-season. The thinness of the squad, however, may also mean a start for surprise centre-back signing Mikael Silvestre.

Sheffield United will be a stern test and boast plenty of Premier League experience with one-time England defender Ugo Ehiogu, former England striker James Beattie, as well as midfielder Gary Speed who seems to have been around since decimalisation. Kevin Blackwell’s side will fancy their chances against a club with one eye on forthcoming Champions League encounters.

Arsenal met Sheffield United in last year’s Carling Cup fourth round. Croatian striker Eduardo da Silva scored a brace and Denilson added a third as a young Arsenal side strolled into the last eight. The Gunners were eventually eliminated by Tottenham Hotspur in the last four.

Fabianski
G.Hoyte – Djourou – Song – Gibbs
Wilshere – Ramsey – Randall – Merida
Bendtner – Vela

Match Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Sheffield United

Arsenal v Sheffield United is unfortunately not being broadcast on live TV but it should be avaliable online with p2p streams likely to be posted.

Catch all the post-match reaction and player ratings here on Gooner Talk seconds after the final whistle.

Leave your views and predictions of tomorrows game in the comments section below.

Arsene Wenger’s Young guns face Sheffield United in the Carling Cup this Tuesday, with the youngsters and squad players expected to get a full 90 minutes. That means Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela will most likely partner each other on the night. We saw their frightening partnership in pre-season against Burgenland, Stuttgart and Ajax and they will look to continue that form Tuesday night.

Who ever saw pre-season will know that Bendtner and Vela have a great vision of each others game, with Bendtner dropping off to win headers and playing the ball in behind for the runs that the Mexican makes.

Personally, I think Bendtner can play alongside any striker at Arsenal like he proved he can play with Adebayor on Saturday at Bolton. But I think Bendtner combines the most with Carlos Vela, I feel the two can terrorise defences in the Carling Cup with the ” Big man, Little man ” combination and this partnership could end up winning us the trophy.

Predicted Line-Up:

Fabianski

G.Hoyte – Djourou – Silvestre – Gibbs

Wilshere – Ramsey – Randall – Merida

Bendtner – Vela

So what do you think people, are you looking forward to seeing the two in competitive action for the first time since that pre-season form, or would you prefer a different strikeforce?  Give your views over at Nicklas Bendtner News – the number one blog for all things Bendtner!

Arsenal have secured the signature of Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre for a fee rumoured to be in the region of £750,000.

The 31-year-old has played over 249 games for the Premier League champions and has surprising swapped Manchester for north London.

Silvestre was reportedly undergoing a medical at bitter neighbours Man City last night when his agent phoned him to say that Arsenal had an interest in him.

According to The Sun, Mikaël immediately abandoned the medical and hurtled down the M1 to meet Gunners boss Wenger and discuss terms.

Speaking on his move to the club, the Frenchman said:

“I’ve spent a large part of my career at United, the last nine years, and I’ll remember that time fondly but feel I’m ready for a new challenge. Arsenal is known for playing technical and skilful football, and has a young but experienced squad. I’m really excited about this next stage of my career, hopefully playing my part in helping the Club to new successes.”

What is also surprising, is the fact that Wenger has given Silvestre a 2-year deal, going against his usual 1-year to over 30′s policy.

Not only will the signing of Silvestre bolster Arsene Wenger’s defensive options, but it should also provide experienced cover for fellow countryman Gaël Clichy.

Mikael will wear Pascal Cygan’s old number 18 shirt.