Jack Wilshere had a great chance to either open the scoring of set up a team mate (remember the motivational letter young man, do what is best for the team!)

Match Review – Arsenal 6 Sheffield United 0 – Carling Cup

There seems to be a different type of excitement in the air when the Carling cup comes around. It is a chance to watch the Gooners play without the fear of losing, a chance to take a look at the future of the club. I suppose watching the Carling cup is like the transfer window, supporters love new talent, hoping that another player can add something improved to the team.

I managed to get my hand on a ticket for the match, my first for the 2008/2009 season. I washed my away shirt the night before ,put aside some beer money and was ready to enjoy the likes of Wilshere, Ramsey and Vela for the first time live.

I watched the first episode of the new heroes season 3 before I left which made me rush to get their on time. I was meeting up with my mate Mike and his brother. His work mate had the tickets and we planned to meet outside block J at 7.15pm to collect them. Mike was as usual running late and I didn’t have a clue who J was. I wish I found out his details before I set off. Mike turned up at 8pm (45 minutes is pretty good for him) so I missed the first 15 minutes of the game.

At least it was 0-0 and from the sound of the crowd I didn’t miss very much. We walked right up to the top of block J, row 33. Trying to walk up the steps and turn around and watch the match at the same time is tricky to say the least. I concentrated on the job in hand and found my way to the top..

Strangly I was seated right next to an old mate of mine from my secondary class, 1 in 59,000 or so. Weird or what?!

The first thing I did was look around the pitch at which players were playing and in what positions as I didn’t manage to get the line up outside the ground. I won’t tell you that I got the line up and positions correct, there is just no point in it. (in true Ricky Gervais fashion)

‘Yes, Wilshere is on the right’ I thought to myself. He seems much more effective playing from the right then from the left. A bit like Pires really. Bobby was half the player on other side.

The first chance I saw fell to Djourou. It was a fantastic piece of football that created the chance. Wilshere who drifted in from the right wing to a central position passed it into Vela who dummied the ball to Bendtner, the Dane’s first time back flick found Djourou who turned edge of the area and curled towards goal, Paddy Kenny palmed it out. What on earth was Djourou doing there I thought, so much so that I couldn’t work out who it was at first.

Jack Wilshere had a great chance to either open the scoring of set up a team mate (remember the motivational ‘leaked’ letter young man, do what is best for the team!), superkid Jack, went for glory and got his curler all wrong, when he had Bendtner, Ramsey and Vela all open armed screaming for the assist. The decisions will come in time, obviously the kid is super confident which is always good to see.

Nicolas Bendtner opened the scoring on the half an hour mark with a wonderful curling finish from outside the area, it reminded me of a Bobby Pires finish of old. Unexpected, and clinical. These days we do not tend to see Bendtner jogging off on his own after a goal, he seems to be embraced by his teammates, whether it is the youth side or the first team which is great to see. It was yet another well worked move started with Ramsey on the edge of his own box, Randall, Wilshere and Merida were all involved before the Spaniard found Vela about 35 yards from goal, he spun around the Sheffield United defender with the ball stuck to his foot, it is almost a trademark of his already. He flicked it to Bendtner who done the rest. It doesn’t matter what level it is, Arsenal score beautifully constructed goals.

This is why the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City with all their bucket full of cash do not worry me because our team and style is built on the training ground with the vision of our manager. Money cannot buy that.

My early assessment of the game was that the template of this youth side is pretty much copied from the first team apart from the wide players being in opposite sides. Our first choice left winger is right footed and cuts in while the youth side has Wilshere cutting in from the right and Merida who was on the left today playing on the side same as his favoured foot.

I was interested in watching Merida as I have seen less of him than anyone else due to being on loan in Spain. From where I was sitting, he looks physically very much like Vela, slightly smaller in build but same running style and movements. We know that the Spaniard is a good passer of the ball and is not afraid of having a go but I was impressed with is chasing back and work rate. He really does have a difficult job in pinning down a place in the first team with so many options in central midfield and out wide.

The second goal was yet another speedy counter attack, Djourou won the ball and gave it to Ramsey, one more time at the edge of his own box. Jack Wilshere who once again was in a central position, held off one challenge, dipped past another very much in the Messi style (trying not to go over the top of course) onto Vela who slid in Ramsey who was now in the left wing position, Ramsey drove towards the defence, he used the step over a couple of times and found no way through so he turned back and ran the other way that was followed with an exquisite back heal that fooled practically everyone on the pitch. The ball fell to Bendtner who was onside, he opened his body up and placed it past Paddy Kenny who got a slight hand on it for 2-0

‘ooh arr ya?!, ooh arr ya?!, ooh arr ya?!! (who are you?) rang around the Emirates with one guy doing a funky kind of dance while he was saying it infront of us.

Aaron Ramsey has everything in his locker, he just needs rounding and coaching to the parts of his game that isn’t consistent. For example. Ramsey is fantastic passer of the ball with great vision (as seen for his pass to Adebayor against Blackburn) but often he misplaces passes, or the ball gets stuck in his feet. He bases his game on Steven Gerrard, and you can see the drive and determination in his game. He will be a more skilful player than Gerrard and we have to wait and see if he can become a match winner like Gerrard is.

The experience card is often used, and when you look at the Sheffield United team you see players like Gary Speed (39), Patrick Kenny (30), Chris Morgan (31), James Beattie (30) you see that experience comes second to class. Obviously you need a degree of experience but as long as you have the talent then you can win everything.

David Cotterill curled an effort wide of the far post in what was the first of very few chances for the Yorkshire side.

On 44 minutes, Bendtner playing in that hole position scooped a little dinked pass into the right channel for Vela to run into, he cut in towards goal on his left foot towards goal, waited for Kenny to come out to him and the stylish Mexican curled it into the far left corner, just inside the post. A very Eduardo type finish, very calm, knew exactly what he wanted to do and executed perfectly.

So half time 3-0. The championship side brushed aside by a team with an average age of 19 which is quite incredible.

Another thing I mentally noted was the central midfield partnership choice from Arsene. I wondered if Song or Francis Coquelin would partner Ramsey in the middle as they are natural holding players but his choice of passer Randall alongside the box to box Ramsey told us his future vision for Arsenal.

The Cesc, Denilson partnership isn’t an accident. Letting go out Gilberto was not an accident. Wenger DOESN’T want a sitting midfielder, he wants box to box players. So the likes of Denilson, Diaby, Bischoff, Ramsey etc all have the chance to partner Cesc Fabregas.

Only 5 minutes into the second half came the highlight of the evening. Kieron Gibbs played a long pass towards Vela in the air, his chest control bounced over Morgan who misjudged the situation. Vela darted towards Paddy Kenny, looking across to his right at Bendtner he fooled the keeper who was on his way across his goal when Vela chipped it straight over his head and Kenny ended up flapping at thin air on his way down to the ground. The best finish of the season so far from an Arsenal player.

On 57 minutes Arsenal won a corner, Wilshere was left all alone at the edge of the area. It was played to him and the young Englishman drilled it low past Paddy Kenny for 5-0.

It looks like this kid has goals as well as everything else inside him which is fantastic. I think he should get an International cap, grab a hatrick and come back like a man boy possessed.

Bendtner and Vela were on their hatricks and it was Bendtner who had the chance first, he slotted it wide of the far post when it looked like he would score. He was taken off to save his legs for the first team squad.

Simpson, Landsbury and Francis Coquelin came on for Nic, Merida and Song who unfortunately came off injured.

Coquelin showed his versatility by showing a good display at right back with Hoyte moving into center back to replace Song.

Coquelin is a player I like very much, at 17 he has a big future like many of these players. We can hope and pray that this pack stay together at Arsenal.

Carlos Vela managed to grab his 3rd on the 87th minute. Aaron Ramsey made the assist and Vela drilled it in off the Irish goalkeeper.

Early Vela signs? Well he looks very good, very stylish and talented. What does this mean for Eduardo? Will he come back to find that this 19 year old has been improving so much so that he has over taken him in the pecking order?

Carlos Vela is quicker, more skilful and maybe better link up play than Eduardo. Eduardo is still a big game player who is one of the best finishers in the world, let alone at the club. He is proven at every level but from what we have seen so far, Vela could soon overtake the Crozilan.

So 6-0 and a very impressive display from a group of exceptional young players. I found my way into a pub after the game and most of the conversation was about the talented players we have at our disposal. A mate of mine described Bendtner as ‘Smithkamp’ a mixture of Alan Smith and Dennis Bergkamp. We all had our ideas of what our team should be and none of us agreed, that just showed the depth of talent we have, not experience, but talent. And in my eyes it is enough to win trophies.

For those who were crying out for big money signings, well soon the likes of Vela, Wilshere, Ramsey, Bendtner will be worth £15 million +