Goonersworld

I'm against B teams in the League but this is fine imo. Not exactly a real or noteworthy trophy is it and it's a great tester of first team football for our youngsters

if we win it does it count as a senior honour? i dont get it. batshuayi played in it last season

Sims wrote:I'm against B teams in the League but this is fine imo. Not exactly a real or noteworthy trophy is it and it's a great tester of first team football for our youngsters

if we win it does it count as a senior honour? i dont get it. batshuayi played in it last season

The club enters the competition as "Arsenal" as far as I know

They simply choose to only use youth players

UFGN wrote:

Sims wrote:I'm against B teams in the League but this is fine imo. Not exactly a real or noteworthy trophy is it and it's a great tester of first team football for our youngsters

if we win it does it count as a senior honour? i dont get it. batshuayi played in it last season

The club enters the competition as "Arsenal" as far as I know

They simply choose to only use youth players

It is classed as a first team competition but there are restrictions on the premier league clubs invited
You must field a team that were under 21 as of the 30th June 2018
Aside from 2 overage players that have made over 40 first team starts or sub appearances . Goalkeepers are exempt from this
iliev who played v Coventry has not made a first team appearance and he is 23

I was there, it showed we have a very promising future.


Also Tony Adams turned up in the away end too.

Royal Gooner wrote:I was there, it showed we have a very promising future.


Also Tony Adams turned up in the away end too.

That's great mate
It was on talksport 2 as well
Couldn't find a stream though
Highlights are on Arsenal.com now

Didn’t realise that the format of this competition dictates that the ‘invited’ teams (of which our U21s are part) must play all of their group fixtures away from home.

So we’ve got Cheltenham Town next on 30th October, then return to Cheltenham a week later for the final group match against Forest Green Rovers.

Probably due to the fact the home games for the reserves are usually at someone else's stadium which wouldn't always be feasible and is a bonus for the lower clubs. Is a good idea imo.

Phil71 wrote:Didn’t realise that the format of this competition dictates that the ‘invited’ teams (of which our U21s are part) must play all of their group fixtures away from home.

So we’ve got Cheltenham Town next on 30th October, then return to Cheltenham a week later for the final group match against Forest Green Rovers.

Yep, so all the lower league teams get at least 2 games at home guarenteed. I'd much have preferred sp*r's group of Gillingham, Crawley and Portsmouth but it is a great adventure to go to places we don't normally go to.

But when it gets to knockout stages, we can host them at the famous Meadow Park until the semis when we allow them into the Palace of Ashburton.

Santi wrote:Probably due to the fact the home games for the reserves are usually at someone else's stadium which wouldn't always be feasible and is a bonus for the lower clubs. Is a good idea imo.

Yeah it is a good idea. Great experience for the lads to travel away to these proper little football grounds.

Royal Gooner wrote:

Phil71 wrote:Didn’t realise that the format of this competition dictates that the ‘invited’ teams (of which our U21s are part) must play all of their group fixtures away from home.

So we’ve got Cheltenham Town next on 30th October, then return to Cheltenham a week later for the final group match against Forest Green Rovers.

Yep, so all the lower league teams get at least 2 games at home guarenteed. I'd much have preferred sp*r's group of Gillingham, Crawley and Portsmouth but it is a great adventure to go to places we don't normally go to.

But when it gets to knockout stages, we can host them at the famous Meadow Park until the semis when we allow them into the Palace of Ashburton.

It’s a nice little ground up at Boreham Wood.

A mate of mine goes to a fair few U21 games and reckons Freddie Ljungberg is a right character. A bit eccentric so he says.

Progressed to the knock out stages topping the group with a 3-1 win at forest green
Goals from willock before half time and from John jules in the 2nd half

starmandb wrote:Progressed to the knock out stages topping the group with a 3-1 win at forest green
Goals from willock before half time and from John jules in the 2nd half

I forgot about that game!

Good result. Forest Green are doing OK in League 2. Not easy to beat.

So as we finished 2nd in our group, we're in the round of 32, and have been drawn to play Portsmouth away.

Kick off tomorrow evening at 7:45. A single knockout game decided on the night.

Tough test.

Phil71 wrote:So as we finished 2nd in our group, we're in the round of 32, and have been drawn to play Portsmouth away.

Kick off tomorrow evening at 7:45. A single knockout game decided on the night.

Tough test.

I'll be there. Pompey have had just over 48 hours to prepare while our youth have had a week off so I can see us winning this comfortably like we did up at Coventry, especially if we play Eddie and ESR.

Royal Gooner wrote:

Phil71 wrote:So as we finished 2nd in our group, we're in the round of 32, and have been drawn to play Portsmouth away.

Kick off tomorrow evening at 7:45. A single knockout game decided on the night.

Tough test.

I'll be there. Pompey have had just over 48 hours to prepare while our youth have had a week off so I can see us winning this comfortably like we did up at Coventry, especially if we play Eddie and ESR.

Do you live on the south coast then RG?