Although a few of their younger players didn’t grasp their big chance in Arsenal’s shock Capital One Cup defeat at Sheffield Wednesday last month, given the Gunners’ annual injury crisis they’re suffering at the moment, we think a few more lesser known names could make Arsene Wenger’s matchday squad before the end of 2015/16.
Both Glen Kamara and Ismael Bennacer received run outs at Hillsborough in a hugely forgettable fourth round exit back in October and Wenger admitted himself in his post-game interviews that the youngsters didn’t look ready fot football at the senior level.
With the likes of Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere missing so far this season, Arsenal’s matchday squads have looked threadbare of late with the likes of Alex Iwobi and Jeff Reine-Adelaide being the only real game-changers on the bench despite their relative inexperience.
One of our wise punters by the bar claims that if any more first team stars get injured before the January transfer window, Wenger might not have any other choice but to blood some more talents from his academy who will hopefully fare a lot better than both Kamara and Bennacer.
So with this in mind, we’ve devised a list of five Gunners kids who could be tasting first team action before the current season is out next May.
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Click on the image below to reveal the Arsenal kids we could see before the end of 2015/16.
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Daniel Crowley
Now while you’d imagine that having a loan spell cut short at League One Barnsley earlier this term may suggest that Daniel Crowley’s hopes of making it at Arsenal are slim, the former Aston Villa youth product is still highly thought of at Emirates Stadium.
Still yet to make his competitive debut for Arsene Wenger’s side, Crowley was part of the Gunners’ squad that travelled to the Far East for the Barclays Asia Trophy at the start of the season, appearing from the bench for a brief cameo.
Described in the past as the natural heir to Jack Wilshere’s throne in North London, Crowley is similarly a technically gifted central midfielder who can also play out wide.
With the likes of Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini, Aaron Ramsey and Wilshere himself all prone to the odd injury or three, we think Crowley could easily make up a matchday squad if he doesn’t try his hand at a spell in the Football League again this term, that is!
Matt Macey
The former Bristol Rovers academy product has made up Arsenal’s matchday squad on seven occasions already this term in David Ospina or Petr Cech’s absence across all of the Premier League, Champions League and Capital One Cup.
Although he is yet to taste first team action, these matchday experiences would have proved eye-opening for 21-year-old Macey who stands at an incredibly tall 6 foot, 6-and-a-half inches.
Despite having hardly played so far this term, Ospina has had injury niggles so far this campaign and if anything was to happen to Petr Cech too (God forbid in the eyes of Arsenal fans), you never know – Macey may be the only option left.
While Arsenal fans will hope it doesn’t come to that, Macey is highly thought of and has already completed a Football League loan spell at League Two Accrington Stanley last term, appearing four times.
Ben Sheaf
An unsubed substitute in Arsenal’s 3-0 humiliation at Sheffield Wednesday last month, when Sheaf does eventually get some game time in Arsene Wenger’s first team, he’ll hope to do a lot better than both Glen Kamara and Ismael Bennacer.
A central midfielder by trade, Sheaf was picked up from West Ham United last year with the player capable of completing a defensive midfield job or alternatively on the flanks to boot.
As mentioned in the case of Crowley, Arsenal’s central midfield has experienced terrible luck with injuries and it’ll be two months before Francis Coquelin is back in the fold.
While Gooners will be begging Wenger to spend some money in the January transfer window, if his usual habits remain, the likes of Sheaf could make up a matchday squad again with Calum Chambers the plan C if anything else happens to the Gunners’ current crop.
Chris Willock
Like Crowley, Chris Willock is another who’s already been exposed to the first team environment at Arsenal having travelled with the club on their Barclays Asia Trophy tour at the start of 2014/15.
A striker by trade, despite being just 17-years-old, perhaps Willock stands the best chance of making the first team squad out of the five players on this countdown simply due to the position he plays in.
Arsenal only have Olivier Giroud and Joel Campbell to call upon right now as forwards in Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck’s absence and if anything was to happen to the first pair, perhaps Willock might receive the call to make up the numbers?
Krystian Bielik
We’ve already seen Krystian Bielik in brief action for Arsenal so far this season with the Polish youth international coming on as a 60th minute substutue for Glen Kamara in the Sheffield Wednesday game and Gooners are eager to see more.
On a terrible night for Arsene Wenger’s side, Bielik’s performance was one of the only bright spots with the domineering central midfielder handling the situation relatively well with his side already three goals behind.
Standing at 6 foot, 2 inches, Bielik is a physical presence and having been something of a high-profile buy last January with a lot of hype around his signing, Gunners fans in the tavern think he may have more of a role to play later in the season.
That said, Arsenal fans hope Wenger replaces Coquelin with another top quality defensive midfield signing in the New Year as a priority.
