Kemp is Really small, absolutely tiny. See him in this pic, the one right in the middle, but a favorite of Mike B, very talented lad, scored a worldie against Barca in Bilbao tourney: No 10 in that pic is a 99 born who was, bluesnews might know better, probably playing a year up. He was the tour captain in Belgium where Dan Kemp won the MVP & Arsenal won the tourny.
Dan Kemp plays like Messi - close ball control and technically very gifted 98. He has been played up a few times with the 97's. No.10 is Mason Mount who is another very talented 98 player that has played up with the 97's all season. In answer to Deanos question: the Arsenal Academy has been losing a higher than expected number of their more talented youngsters and particularly this year from their 97's. This I understand is because of coaching issues and general management issues. A year or two ago the Chelsea and Arsenal academies (for the 8-14 yr groups) were very well matched and there was very little in it. They put on the matches to watch if you wanted to see the very best of talent available anywhere in the UK - by this I mean they amassed the best squads compared to other academies who had fewer really talented players. Consequently, they would beat any other academy teams with consummate ease and their only real challenges came when they met each other or other European club academies. Now I'm afraid Arsenal are being left behind. For the older age groups particular from 16 up the clubs are very well matched. For Arsenal this is probably due to the split in their Academy set up where the 8-15yr groups are based at their Wathamstow site and 16s to 1st team are based at the Colney Site. Both sites are managed completely separately which might explain the difference a little more.
Yeah at U18 level at the moment we're pretty even although Arsenal are no where near Chelsea in terms of number of scholars being produced. Our best prospects can match up to Chelseas but the second tier of players I feel there is a huge gap. So Kemp and Mount are U13's who were playing up with the U15's? I really hope journalists don't find out about this forum! We'll have headlines of Chelsea find the next Messi!
The two played with the 14s, not 15s. Both were part of the recent u14 tournaments in Germany Spain & Italy. BTW, as much criticism Arsenal are getting, I think not all of that are justified at all. Despite all, Arsenal did well in the PL tournaments & in the game against barca 14s(?). Yes there are some falls but overall from 16s onwards it's quite good.
I'm not saying our Academy is bad, far from it. We just seem to have rested on our laurels while other clubs are actively pushing their academies forward. With the recent trend of getting players young we can't afford to give our rivals any advantage over us when it comes to trying to recruit the best that England and abroad has to offer. As we are a London club we have many rivals and if, for instance, Arsenal academy has a reputation of being unproffessional, this will work against us. Chelsea are leading the way in academy football. Man Utd hired Rene Maulensteen to improve their academy. Arsenal have Liam Brady who has had arguements with many of our top coaches and scouts, some of whom have left due to him. Of course he gets to keep his job as he is one of the old boys!
Newcastle's Adam Armstrong and James Atkinson are in for the trials. http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20120626/young-duo-get-england-call_2281670_2823313
Almost every other club make public statement on u16s callup, it's Chelsea who never ever put a word up. Sometimes it's really frustrating
Probably have a policy of keeping things "low key" while kids are at school. Like the TV Channel not interviewing anyone till they leave school.
I don't think Liverpool have much else outside of Ojo and Rossiter unless he is a club u14 who is '97 born. Think their full-back Tom Brewitt may have a chance possibly but thats it from club u15s. Harry Wilson is Welsh and he was one of the stand-outs at Nike Cup with Rossitter and Ojo who are in already. Otherwise waiting on the likes of Chelsea, Charlton, Everton, Watford, Reading, West Ham, Southampton and Middlesborough for possible additions. We up to 25 with the Newcastle and MK Dons players. Nice one Juni & zXen
I don't think most of the players above are club released ? Only MK Dons and Newcastle seem to be out of the above.
Chelsea are one of the few doing things right. FA try to keep things quiet but struggle nowadays with twitter/facebook.
I think there is one thing that is guaranteed to come out of the Victory Shield... Liverpool will try to sign one of the players.
Where the hell do you guys get all your info from because some of you sould be working for MI5 it's that good
Anyone think the likes of Woodman, Ojo, Crowley, Cook & Rossiter aren't actually in the 40? Or you reckon they are? By position - (correct me where wrong) Goalkeepers (2) Freddie Woodman (Newcastle) Magnus Norman (Fulham) Defenders (12) Tafari Moore (Arsenal) -right back Tosin Adarabioyo (Manchester City) - centre-back - club u15 Adam Robinson (Manchester City) - left back George Dobson (Arsenal) - centre back - club u15 Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (Manchester United) - centre back Tom Brewitt (Liverpool) - left back Mandela Egbo (Crystal Palace) - right back Jahmal Mundle (Crystal Palace) - centre back Joel Lumeya (Crystal Palace) - centre back Ben Tilney (MK Dons) -left back Aaron Hayden (Chelsea) - centre back James Atkinson (Newcastle) - centre-back Centre-Midfielders (8) Lewis Cook (Leeds) Dan Crowley (Villa) Jordan Rossiter (Liverpool) Foday Nabay (Birmingham) - club u15 Denzeil Boadu (Arsenal) Cameron Humphries (Manchester City) Luke Amos - (Tottenham) Jordan Potter (Birmingham) - club u15 Wingers/Forwards/Strikers (6) Sheyi Ojo (Liverpool) Oliver Burke (Nottm Forest) Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) Demetre Mitchell (Manchester United) Adam Armstrong (Newcastle) Wesley McDonald (Fulham)
Mentioned the club u15s that I know of for this season coming up above, Deano. So they could be late '97 or early '98 like Nabay.