That is what is special about Wilshere. He is the most talented kid in the youth set up yet he has so much natural desire to win the ball

Match Review – Arsenal 3 Wigan 0 – Carling Cup

I had to turn down a ticket to the game due to baby commitments, my Sky box was playing up and the pub closest to me decided to stop their Sky subscriptions. Something or someone was trying to stop me from watching the Gooner kids from taking on Wigan but I was determined to fight back. I bought a repair your Sky + box cd from ebay and after hours of messing around with settings and connections I finally sorted out the box.

The team was always going to pretty much pick itself, the youngsters provided a marvelous display against Sheffield United the round before and pretty much all of them would continue in the side.

One question was the managers decision on our only fit and eligible striker Nicolas Bendtner. Would Wenger gamble on him in the Carling Cup when we are already low on forward options, I seriously doubted that he would be given the green light to partner Carlos Vela.

I was thinking about the current crop of youngsters on a packed train from Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone. How much do players improve these days? How many levels can the likes of 16 year old Jack Wilshere jump? Jack Wilshere is 2 years older than I was when I FIRST started playing football and now he is in the Arsenal first team squad. Aaron Ramsey, Francis Coquelin, Johan Djourou, Jack Wilshere, Carlos Vela are all exceptional talents and combined with the young first teamers such as Clichy, Walcott, Cesc (I know it is still hard to believe), Nasri just shows that the manager has picked a fantastic path for our club. If we can hold onto 90% of them then we will be in very good shape indeed.

Back to the Wigan game, Johan Djourou would have been relived to know that Emile Heskey was ruled out with injury, his partner was another question we were all waiting for an answer from le Boss. ‘Arsene may throw in Kolo Toure for experience’ said Sky Sports earlier in the day. No way, I thought to myself, he wants to reward the kids. Alex Song will partner Djourou I am sure of it .

When the line up came through I wasn’t surprised but pleased. Song partnered Djourou at the back and Simpson played alongside Vela in attack.

The game started quickly both teams playing good football which is a nice continuation from that pulsating game over the weekend. Wigan surprisingly took the game to Arsenal and pressed the young Guns high up the pitch. The first real moment of danger came from a long throw. I had to rub my eyes to remember that this was Wigan and not Stoke City.

It only took Jack Wilshere a couple of minutes to make his impact in the game. He flew into Antonio Valencia and sent him up in the air. The referee gave the 16 year old a talking to.

That is what is special about Wilshere. He is the most talented kid in the youth set up yet he has so much natural desire to win the ball.

In 3 minutes, Maynor Figueroa took a long throw into the box and Fabianski came for a ball which he missed, the ball was headed back across the goal but Fab managed to get back to it and claim the ball.

The young Pole is a fine shot stopper, his display in pre season against Seville showed his quality but he seems a little loopy from crosses into the box. He seems to want to come for every cross into the box no matter where it goes.

I noticed the positions of the front men, Vela switched into Bendtner’s role, into the hole with Simpson being the one to lead the line and make runs across the line.

There was about a 10 minute spell of end to end madness.

Arsenal’s first chance came on 13 minutes Merida played Vela clean through against Kirkland, the Mexican dropped his shoulder and tried to run around the keeper but Kirkland read the situation and got a hand to the ball. Arsenal kept onto the ball and worked it back to the right where Wilshere slid a neat pass into Simpson into the penalty area, he spun and struck a high shot against the crossbar. Simpson is a goalscorer, low center of gravity, powerful. He wants to spin and get shots away.

De Ridder and Valencia were causing mischief on their right hand side, Gibbs was often left unprotected by Merida and Wigan swung in many crosses that were sufficiently dealt with by the Arsenal defence.

On 15 minutes a delightful pass from Vela sprung Gibbs running into the penalty box he had Simpson running level with him in the center unmarked and needed a calm head to square for the first goal but the left back had a shot well saved from Kirkland.

A minute later De Ridder struck a stinging shot which Fabianski was equal to.

Arsenal were awarded a freekick on the right hand side of the penalty area in 21 minutes, Ramsey and Merida stood over the ball, I expected the left footed Merida to take the kick on his left foot as he has a very good long range shot and the position favoured the Spaniard but it was Ramsey who curled a fantastic right footed shot that was heading for the top corner until Chris Kirkland doing his Superman impression palmed the ball away.

Kirkland appeared to be suffering from yet another injury but continued through the pain and had a wonderful match.

He was certainly receiving enough practice from the Arsenal team. Two minutes later Carlos Vela had the ball on his left foot outside the D and he curled a shot high towards the top corner and Kirkland had denied him yet again with another great stop.

Amir Zaki who has had a great start to Premiership life was being marshaled very well by Djourou and Song who I think have all the ingredients to make a very good defensive partnership. Good in the air, quick and strong. Zaki managed to get a header on the 32nd minute which floated over the bar.

Jack Wilshere was having yet another tremendous game. Starting on the right and drifting inside to make things happen. His first touch is usually spot on, shifting the ball as he controls it to give him that extra seconds to make a pass.

In 42 minutes it was Wilshere who was in possession in midfield and he reversed a superb through pass to Simpson who raced through against Kirkland and Simpson poked the ball past the keeper for the first goal.

I thought to myself that Wilshere would love Walcott’s right to left runs. Cesc and Jack would pick him out all day.

So half time, another great passionate, energetic display from a team with an average age of 19. If the first team sometimes makes fans question Wenger’s policy the younger players answer that question emphatically.

The first controversial movement came in the 50th minute. Johan Djourou and Titus Bramble challenged a long throw in the penalty box, Djourou’s hand was high and the ball hit his hand, but just like on Saturday, Arsenal got away with it. Is Lady luck now a regular watcher at the Emirates? We should give her red carpet treatment with tea and biscuits every time we play.

Jay Simpson was doing his best to get his and Arsenal’s second goal of the game, Merida chipped over a cross by the touchline and Simpson couldn’t quite get high enough and flicked over the bar.

Merida was quietly going about his job well. Making passes and keeping possession. I do feel like we would not see the best from him until he plays in the central with a defensive minded player. He has some very strong competition in that position especially from the likes of Aaron Ramsey. Ramsey was having yet another high energy box to box display. I love the passion and commitment from Ramsey, his influence would be great on the pitch in first team matches.

Fran Merida drove a low shot in 57 minutes, Kirkland who seemed to be getting over his back problem made a smart stop.

Aaron Ramsey provided a moment of brilliance when he ran towards the Wigan defence and waited until Gibbs supported him on the left, Ramsey slid him in perfectly but Gibbs hit his shot at the keeper just as he did in the first half.

Wigan were playing at a higher tempo in the second half and pushed Arsenal back more than the first half, it gave the Arsenal team room to counter attack and they did that perfectly in the 66th minute. Figueroa’s curving cross was punched away by Fabianski, the ball was played down the line for Carlos Vela who showed exceptional pace to beat Melchiot to the ball, he held off Boyce and made his way into the penalty area. Vela did what Gibbs should have done in the first half by squaring the ball to Simpson who was unmarked in the area to side foot high into the net for 2-0 and game pretty much over.

I knew Vela was quick but I didn’t know he was fast!

That assist gave Vela confidence, which could have been slightly knocked after missing his early chance. On 70 minutes Vela capped an evenings work with a bit of magic.

Johan Djourou powered out from the back and fed a through pass into the path of Vela who was running side by side with a defender, he held off the attentions of the Wigan man and dug his foot underneath the ball to cross chip Kirkland who came out to meet the Mexican. A truly delightful finish from a natural goalscorer.

There was one more piece of magic before the final whistle, this time it wasn’t from Wilshere, Vela or Ramsey. In 89 minutes De Ridder had a full blooded strike saved by Fabianski, Zaki got to the rebound and was destined to score but somehow Fabianski got back to the ball and finger tipped it onto the crossbar. An amazing piece of shot stopping.

So that is 9 goals in 2 games, 0 goals conceded at the Emirates. Fantastic hard work and great football from a side that looks forward to each round with relish. I would like the team to face a side away from home now, a bit like the Carling cup side had to do last season at Ewood park.

These kids are the real deal and I am sure we will see more of Wilshere, Ramsey and Vela this season and not just in the Carling cup.