Tag Archives: Premier League

Where are they now? Charles-Cook, Meade, Squillaci, Santos & Roberts

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Following on from out other two parts (Angha, Eastmond, Wynter, Monteiro, Ebecilio & Denilson & Arshavin, Watt, Neita, Rees, Shea & Mannone) we now look at how Charles-Cook, Meade, Squillaci, Santos & Roberts have got on since leaving Arsenal in the summer.

Reice Charles-Cook

What do Arsenal and Bury have in common? Reice Charles-Cook has been on the books, but not played for, both. I might be being a bit harsh on the youngster, who is just 19, but he has done nothing of note since leaving us.

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Picture: @KieranCPhotoAFC

Jernade Meade 

Many were unhappy that Jernade Meade was not given a chance at Arsenal, but nearly 20, and with Gibbs, Monreal & Vermaelen ahead of him, it would have been hard to justify giving him a new contract. He joined Premier League Swansea on a free transfer and is 3rd choice left back behind Ben Davies, who is 6 months his senior, and Neil Taylor. He has yet to make his 1st team debut, however has played 3 times for their under 21s. Proof, if needed, that Arsenal were correct to let him go.

Sebastian Squillaci

It would not of taken much to improve on his 1 league goal in 2 seasons for Arsenal and upon signing for French Ligue 1 Bastia, he has played in 8 of the clubs 9 games for Bastia, firmly becoming their 1st choice centre back. He has clearly re-found his level, at a mid table French club.

Andre Santos

After his loan spell at Gremio came to an end, he signed for Brazilian side Flamengo in July this year. Due to the nature of the Brazilian league, he has not yet played for his new side. Report of him hanging around the Arsenal Fish Bar at the top of Blackstock Road are untrue. He was last seen playing against me on FIFA, where he had a shocker of a game at left back.

Phillip Roberts

The 19 year old Irish striker born in Newham is now plying his trade in Scotland for Scottish Championship side Falkirk. Clearly another who did not get away. In 8 league games, he has scored 4 league goals, making him the 7th top scorer in the league. According to Falkirk’s website, you can sponsor his boots.

Tomorrow: Hajrovic, Gervinho, Chamakh, Bihmoutine & Henderson

Keenos

Thanks to  for the picture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/goonerpower and https://www.facebook.com/KieranCPhoto

The Arsenal and Me – Ade’s Story

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I grew up in Archway, the son of a Yorkshire man, whose love of cricket was almost as strong as his love of his family, so we weren’t a football family.

And to be honest, unlike most on here, I can’t really remember my first Arsenal game! But that’s why my Arsenal is a little different to others…………

So how did I end up a massive (arf) Gooner??? Well as luck would have it, one of my best friends at primary school happened to be Fred Streets daughter! So I was fortunate enough to start my addiction from amongst the player’s wives and the comfort of the players’ lounge, all comfy and cosseted from the real football world 

As I entered my teens I started to go to games, home and away, with my mates and this is where I found “my Arsenal”….

I could now  list all the games, finals, Highs and lows  etc etc etc  but I’m not going to, why?

Because my arsenal is more than the team, more than the trophies…….it’s the amazing, crazy, bizarre, unique people I have met in the past 35 years following AFC home and away…. The Bear, Maria and her cry, Baz with his kit, Mr Red Rolls Royce, the Mum and Daughter who I met at almost every way game I go to, Mr Beret, Bully, Big Martin, Micky B, The North Bank screamer, The internet freaks (my wife’s words not mine) the list could go on…..but you know what they all have in common???  Their love of ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB….Yes they may show it in very different ways, ways we don’t all like and approve of but they still support….they support THEIR CLUB…. THEIR WAY and that’s not wrong.

They are “MY ARSENAL”

Ade

 

The overrating of young players by press and fans alike

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At the weekend, 18 year old Belgium winger scored a brace Manchester United. What has followed is the usual hyperbole in the press when a young kid has a good performance.

He is labelled the next superstar. The future of Manchester United. A bright young light. Whilst he is no doubtingly talented, there is a tendency when a youngster has a good performance for him to then be vastly operated.

We have seen it with our own Serge Gnabry over the last couple of weeks. Some average performances alongside some decent performances capped off with a goal against Swansea have led to a lot of Arsenal fans to talk about him having a bright future. Luckily the press do not yet seem to of caught on yet, but within our own ranks, there has been some who have got a little bit over excited.

And it is not a recent phenomenon. Look at Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. He has never really put in the consistent performances to justify his hype, yet some still rate him higher than Theo Walcott, even though Theo has put in a lot of top performances.

Jack Wilshere has also suffered from it. Labelled the future of England, many put him down as one of the first names on the England team sheet. Yet at 21, due to injuries, he sits on just 10 caps. He made his 1st team competitive debut at 16 years and 256 days, but has not yet fulfilled the promise he showed as a teenager.

Gedion Zelalem is also entering this bracket. Already rated highly. Plenty of excitement about him. Yet he has not yet made his debut for the club. 16 year old Swedish striker Jamal Raage is another one being tipped for a bright future, despite only having scored a couple of goals for the under 18s. People are saying he will play for the under 21’s this year and be in the League Cup squad next year. A lot of hype about a kid who no one has really seen.

And it is not just Arsenal who tend to over hype their youngster. Look at Manchester United and the excitement over Adnan Januzaj. Reports are there is currently an International war breaking out between England and Belgium over who he will play for. This a kid who has played just 3 times for Manchester United.

He is not even Manchester United’s youngest ever goal scorer. That accolade falls to Federico Macheda who scored against Aston Villa in 2008-09. The back end of that season, he had played 4 league games, scoring twice, and big things were expected of him the next year.

Five years later, Federico Macheda is still a Manchester United player, but is now on loan at Doncaster Rovers, via VfB Stuttgart, Queens Park Rangers & Sampdoria. And example if needed over the hyperbole of teenage players based on 1 or 2 performances.

I could name many more who fall under this category. Jack Rodwell was supposed to be the future of England’s midfield. James Vaughan is the Premier League’s youngest ever goal scorer. Joe Cole has had a good career, but nothing compared to the hype he had as a youngster. The list of highly rated youngsters who never quite fulfilled their potential go’s on.

So the moral of the story is, before you get too excited over a Gnabry, Zelalem, or Januzaj, there have been better youngsters who have come through who have failed to make the grade.

Do not put players on a pedestal of greatness until they have earned it.

Keenos