Gooner Talk

Arsenal midfield maestro and Euro2008 Champ Cesc Fabregas believes he will have to raise his game after the performances of Arsenal’s young guns on Tuesday night.

Arsene Wenger used a squad with an average age of just 19 for the Carling Cup clash with Sheffield United at the Emirates, but still saw his talented men put in a masterclass display as they dismantled the Blades 6-0.

Fabregas – himself the yougest-ever player to appear in the Gunners’ first team – admits the performance left him on the edge of his seat, and believes it won’t be long before the pretenders to his crown will be knocking on the door.

“I was really excited on Tuesday – it was sensational. You can see all the players have ambition, they want to show how good they are,” the 21-year-old told The Sun.

“I cannot go to sleep as one day or other they will want to play more and more and the manager will want them to play more.

“I will have to be better and better. Wilshere, Ramsey, Merida — they all play in my position. This is great for me. I love competition.”

And Fabregas, who joined the north Londoners as a 16-year-old from Barcelona in September 2003, believes nobody is better for giving youngsters a chance than Gunners boss Wenger.

“He doesn’t care how old they are and it’s amazing. It’s why we have so many good young players. It’s the club’s policy,” said the Spaniard, who is expected to return for the club’s Premier League clash with Hull City tomorrow.

“Even if you’re 14 or 15 he always looks relaxed to you and instils confidence in you. For what he does with young players, no one compares with Wenger.”

Gooner Talk will provide all the build-up towards Saturday’s 4pm kick-off against Hull City and a match report will be posted up immediately after the full time whistle – stay locked, on the #1 site for all of Arsenal’s first team news and views.

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

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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 midfielder Alexander Song has been drafted into the starting line-up ahead of tonights Champions League group stage tie against Dynamo Kyiv.

The versatile Cameroonian replaces Emmanuel Eboue – who sustained a knock in the 4-0 triumph over Blackburn on Saturday – and should ‘bulk’ up what looks like a physically weak midfield.

Gunners’ boss Arsene Wenger starts with an unchanged side other than Song’s inclusion. Teenage sensations Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere make up an inexperienced bench, but a strong performance is expected from the eleven that start.

Confirmed Starting XI:

Almunia
Sagna – Toure – Gallas – Clichy
Walcott- Fabregas – Song – Denilson
Adebayor – van Persie

Subs:

Fabianski (GK), Vela, Ramsey, Wilshere, Djourou, Bendtner