Will be going to this, should be a cracking game to see the likes of Wilshere, Coquelin, Ayling and of course the FrimPong.

First leg at the Emirates the Friday after next, 2nd leg on the tuesday after that. Both on Sultana.

Maybe we'll break the attendence record we set against the Mancs a couple years ago.

Aren't the Scouse yoof pretty good?, will be a big scalp if we pull it off.

I dunno many names but supposedly they are pretty good yeah. Not that I know much about it but looks like the two best teams in the league in the final.

Our boys are also in the final of the academy league. I think they finished top of the league by a mile but there's play offs and then the final to decide the overall winner. Beat Man City 2-1 in the semi.

Just checked, what the feck our u18's absolutely murdered everyone in the league table, finished 25 points clear :lol:

Might go to this

Any players to watch out for?

Wilshere might be back as the U17 England team were eliminated.

Coquelin and Frimpong are an excellent defensive base and really powerful. Emmanuel-Thomas finds this level piss easy because he is so tall and strong. Diaby-esque but excelling instead of stagnating at that level.

We paid £1.2m for Sunu so he should be interesting. His work-rate is also phenomenal. Rhys Murphy is similar in terms of effort and finishing ability.

By the way, there should be at least 40,000 because when I bought my tickets, half the stadium was sold out and the upper tiers of the other half were also gone.

Are they opening the upper tier? i thought it may just be the lower? I'm going to the game, taking a few mates that havent been there before!

Yeah, btw, the tickets are unreserved in the area you pick.

really? to whom?

that's a bit of a surprise to me because he doesn't stand out ahead of the free kids

According to latest reports, Arsenal have signed Chateauroux striker Gilles Sunu for a fee that could rise to up to £2.7m.

According to the Daily Mail, the Gunners, who pay an initial £1million, have signed the 16-year-old French on a four-year deal.

The paper also suggests that the north Londoners have swooped for the highly-rated player on recommendation of the club's French scout Gilles Grimandi.

Sunu, who is a son of former Togo international, was said to be a target for Liverpool due to his impressive performances for France U-16.

However, reports have suggested that the Gunners had agreed a deal with the Ligue 2 side sometime back to sign Sunu after he turned 16 this year.

Not another kid, why are we wasting our money (and a fair chunk if this report is true) on kids...we've got a keeper on trial who'll cost 1.3 million apparently.

That's near enough 4 million on two kids when we need to sign quality experienced players.

I just don't get it.

We donated £1m to the side where we got Coquelin for to keep them running, as they were set to go bust and he left on a free.

really?

you keep coming up with all these interesting facts that surprise me

that's a wonderful thing to have done










I bet it guarantees us first shot at all their players for the next 50 years

:lol:

I hope so, but it's nice to see how we conduct ourselves with other clubs. We might have also done it with Cornella (the team we got Ignasi Miguel from).

Just under 20,000 tickets sold so far according to Arsenal TV

:getcoat:

Oh...

The upper tier must be closed then.

I presume they'll open it if there's demand?

Didn't we get 40,000 vs Manure last year?

Got my ticket :dance:

I've got me and 4 mates to come aswell! all 4 have never been to the emirates! then again only 2 of them are gooners!

Will Wilshere play in this?

I think he will he has featured in every match he's been available for. just got back from the u17 tournement so didnt feature the other night v spurs...... john bostock also u17 tournment for them was only on the bench for that came on 86th min for spurs so Wilshere is good and rested i reckon they didnt want to burn him out with these two games in mind

Its a shame this isnt the 2nd leg.

Would have liked to have seen them lift the trophy

Should be good. Going to this. Don't understand why Upper tier is closed reading previous posts. We had over 40k for Utd the year previous.

Expected team?

Should open it if there's enough demand, no?

I really should get my ticket and check where im seated.

There'll be like 10 maybe more of us

:unsure:

Haven't got my ticket in the post yet...

Might have to go up to the box office and get it, I guess.

------

Edit: Meh, got it. Panic over. :woohoo:

We signed Sunu ages ago..

Have you not got a membership then?

You sit anywhere in the area assigned btw when you arrive.

Afternoon all.

Looking forward to this final, and I think it's definitely the one everyone wanted to see. Our boys haven't had a great league season this year, and from the games I've seen they've definitely put all their efforts into winning this trophy again this season. If we do win it it'll be the 3rd time in the last 5 years, which is quite impressive.

I've been really impressed with the way our kids play this season, and everyone knows that you have a strong youth side so it'll be a great couple of games, and it really could go either way.

Some info on some of our best players.....


Lauri Dalla Valle
Probably one of our brightest prospects. He's scored over 25 goals for the side this season and is really highly rated. If you think of Torres' finishing but with more of the build and pace of Fowler instead then you're getting there.


David Amoo
Really good player this one. Fast, tricky, and big for his age. We got him from Millwall a couple of years ago. Can play out wide or upfront. Scored around 14 times this season. He'll rip your fullbacks a new one if they're not on their game.


Christopher Buchtmann
Just recently was voted one of the players of the tournament in the international Under-17s. German. Can play leftback or leftwing. Quick and strong, and can pick a pass so well it's quite frightening.


Thomas Ince
Son of 'Big Time Charlie' Paul Ince. Only been with us this season. Plays either upfront or just in behind. Tipped for big things and has a real maturity about him which defies his years. Will cause you all sorts of problems if you give him time on the ball.


Adam Pepper
May be injured for the final. Poor bugger has had the tag "the new Gerrard" from the moment he started training at Melwood. Scored from the halfway line the other week. Ferocious in the tackle, can pass, can dribble, can score. The little fella might have it all, but in my opinion he needs to bulk up and calm down a tad.



Anyway, looking forward to it like I said. Should be awesome.

Hmm, they do sound rather good :popcorn:

Hope to be going to this, but my bro's sorting the tickets out, it could all go badly wrong...

shanks, thanks for the information and welcome to the board

do you have a guess for the first XI? also, in the spirit of exchange, if you have questions about the arsenal youth, feel free to ask, you'll probably get a good answer (eventually).

Cheers mate.

I'm not altogether sure who's fit, but usually it's something like this...


GK: Bouzanis
RB: Irwin
CB: Kennedy
CB: Ayala
LB: Buchtmann
DM: Wisdom
MC: Pepper
MC: Amoo
FW: Ince
ST: Dalla Valle
FW: Eccleston

But it also depends on who Rafa wants to 'donate' to the cause who also qualify to play. So he may add Pacheco, Nemeth, Simon, and Palsson.

why not?

Dunno, it's a bit odd really.

The season before last we won the youth league, then some of those kids went to the reserves side instead the year after and they won that too, but this season both the youth side and the reserves side have been hit and miss. The reserves, which are usually just kids aswell, have been especially shite.

From next season things may be a little different. Rafa has just brought in the guy who was in charge of Barca's youth development, and was responsible for bringing through Messi, Bojan, etc. He starts in June, so that's quite encouraging. Rafa doesn't get a lot of credit for what he's done to the youth system here, but he's pretty much transformed it.

I think the Liverpool players have better names than ours do. Well, except for Frimpong of course.

Heard great great things about these players in particular...

Dalla Valle, Buchtmann, Pacheco, Nemeth.

Should be good to watch.

:yikes:

Frimpong. FRIM-PONG
Tom Cruise
A goalkeeper whose name is impossible to pronounce. (mini-Wookash of course).
Cock-e-lan
Watt
JET

Take it back now, Maccy. :angry:

Why are you including Frimpong, I already mentioned him!

Also Amoo, Pepper, Buchtmann and Dalla Valle are all better than the others.

Bouzanis :bow:

Awesome in FM