The Arsenal U19s have had a shocking campaign in Europe this season.
Hale End is often lauded for the tremendous young players it produces season after season, but they just haven’t been able to deliver in the UEFA Youth League.
After six games, the Arsenal U19s are fourth bottom, which is not good enough when you look at it from afar.
Academy boss Per Mertesacker has now had his say.
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Per Mertesacker explains the real reason why Arsenal are 33rd in the UEFA Youth League
Things have not gone to plan for the Arsenal U19s in the UEFA Youth League.
The young Gunners have played six games in the competition so far, and they have suffered five defeats against Athletic Bilbao, Olympiacos, Atletico Madrid, Slavia Prague and Club Brugge.
Their only victory in the Youth League this season came against Bayern Munich. They won 4-2 thanks to a brace from Max Dowman and goals from Ceadach O’Neill and Kyran Thompson.
One win in six has left Arsenal 33rd in the table. Only Newcastle United, Bodo/Glimt and Qarabag, who haven’t won a single game, are below them.
Mertesacker has now revealed the reason behind the Arsenal U19s’ disappointing campaign, and he has a point.
He told The Sun: “Yes (I’m disappointed), but there is a context behind it. We like that competition, that’s the first thing, because it gives us that extra element of what competition looks like in Europe.
“These players in Europe are right on it, for the moments that matter in the games. Set pieces, duels, transitions – they are on us. So it’s great for the players to experience that. Talented players exist everywhere, so you have to compete with them.
“We mash together the U19s from our U18s and U21s, whereas in Europe, they are more used to playing with each other in that age group.”
“We don’t train together as an under-19s team. So that’s the context, but it’s our challenge, and we are trying to improve on that because it’s an amazing competition to play in.”
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Arsenal’s record in the UEFA Youth League is terrible
Seeing the Arsenal U19s in 33rd place this season is not a good look at all, but this is nothing new.
The UEFA Youth League has always been a competition that the young Gunners have struggled in, right from when it first began in the 2013/14 season.
The opening campaign was Arsenal’s best-ever – they made it into the quarter finals. Since then, they haven’t even got close to that stage.
Overall, Arsenal’s academy sides have played 46 games in the UEFA Youth League and have won just 15 times.
Among the traditional Premier League top-six clubs, the Gunners rank bottom in the overall standings, having picked up just 54 points from those 46 fixtures.
Mertesacker’s reasoning is right, but Arsenal need to improve as soon as possible
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