Whilst the composition of the team has undeniably shifted, it seems strange to claim that Wenger

[Monty91]

entirely abandoned the so-called Project Youth when almost half of our first choice side are graduates of that very ‘project’.

[Pat Vegas]

a few years ago. A now the we have older and more experienced players in the team (not just because they have grown older)

And we used to field 2 different teams for cup competitions with maybe 1 or 2 first team players.

Look at the Rotherham game when Fabregas made his debut. I recall Cygan and Wiltord playing.

Then as the Fabregas van Persie era came along. The 2nd team had the likes of Vela, Merida, etc.

At present we do not seem to have as many (this may not be the case) to field a 2nd string team. And many are used on our benches for the first team on a far more regular basis than in the past.

[Monty91]

was a failure when we currently sit top of the league with a nucleus of graduates from that period.

[Harry Balls]

That pure grass roots youth strategy would look remarkably like pillaging without Jack.

[Pat Vegas]

[Classic Jorge]

The Arsenal equivalent of the "I'm not racist but..."

[Monty91]

in central midfield for project youth.

[Classic Jorge]

[plastic james]

the team that played the 2011 final against birmingham vs the team that played against cardif on wednesday


2011 vs birmingham

polish goalkeeper (20)
sagna (28)
clichy(25)
kos(25)
djourou(24)
nasri(24)
rosisky(30)
jack(19)
song(24)
arsehavin(29)
RVP(27)

average age =25,0


team vs cardif

polish goalkeeper (23)
sagna (30)
BFG (29)
kos(28)
monreal(27)
arteta(31)
flamini (29)
theo(24)
jack(21)
santi (28)
poldi(28)

average age =27.1

[Classic Jorge]

Is it me or is that a younger team in real terms?

[Pat Vegas]

[plastic james]

their birth months are different

we are clearly a more experienced team. ofocurse its not the only reason we're doing better now....but it answers the question on how experienced we were then compared to now

[Classic Jorge]

What is it you were trying to prove with this again?

[plastic james]

basically what i'm saying is, the current team is more experienced than the team from few years ago

martesacker, cazorla, areta, flamini, poldi, alongside some of our previous youngsters have given us a more experienced team

[Classic Jorge]

The point I'm making is that, even if we kept exactly the same team, they would be 2.5 years older.

[Curly]

[Classic Jorge]

1.21 Gigawatts!

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/16/article-2395428-1B2FE164000005DC-929_634x475.jpg

[plastic james]

the argument is though it wasn't necessary to wait so long, maybe we could have mixed some experienced players with those young players back then and we would have had an experienced team even back then.

but like i said....thats not the only reason we've improved, tactis are another reason...and most importantly the signing of ozil have had an effect no manager can have....the signing of the best nr.10 in the world says more than wengers repeating he believes in this team.

i've always defended wenger and blamed the club for not getting him money to do more damage in the league...that standpoint was why so many of the wenger out crew called me all sort of names ......i maintained the man needs more money to work with :hehe:

[Peter]

[redgunamo]