A busy Tuesday at London Colney

A trip to the Sobha Realty Training Centre to cover Mikel Arteta and Renee Slegers' press conferences for Arsenal and Arsenal Women on Tuesday afternoon

Happy Thursday,

Hello from Arsenal’s training ground London Colney, or the Sobha Realty Training Centre, to give it its full name.

I’m writing these notes in the same room that Mikel Arteta and Renee Slegers have just given their press conferences.

Arteta’s ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup clash with Crystal Palace at the Emirates on Wednesday. Slegers before AWFC’s Champions League clash vs Bayern Munich at Meadow Park the same evening.

One of the reasons I write this Substack column is to give you a brief insight behind the scenes as a journalist that covers Arsenal on a daily basis, as well as a few observations that I note along the way.

Mikel Arteta speaking at London Colney on Tuesday afternoon. CREDIT: Picture courtesy of Arsenal FC

Firstly, Arteta was early again.

Nearly 15 minutes early.

Which for someone like me whose time is always squeezed means I now always *fly down a couple of junctions along the A1 simply to be early, in other words, to be on time.

(*Disclaimer: Please note if there are any traffic cops reading this I always adhere to speed limits…)

Long gone are the days when covering an Arsene Wenger press conference, you would be kept waiting by the great man for sometimes up to half an hour. Wenger, always liked his pressers early, which I was convinced was to ensure journalists had to battle through rush-hour traffic to get to Colney for his 9am starts.

I recall a Freddie Ljungberg presser when he kept everyone waiting nearly 45 minutes. Freddie, being Freddie, no-one could be annoyed with such an engaging character.

Whereas, back in August, Arteta started his weekly press conferences far earlier than the time announced.

It was a lesson that I always remember - as it was around the time that he employed a magician to keep his players on their toes.

Well, the possible prospect of Arteta starting his press conference early certainly keeps journalists like me on my toes, hence the fact I got here early.

Normally, Arteta is quite jaunty, and invariably has a laugh and a joke with the assembled press.

Today (Tuesday, December 17), Arteta seemed a tad brisk, almost offhand. As if he had far better things to do than speak to the press. The whole press conference lasted only 16 minutes. Which is no-one near the total normally allowed for league games.

I think it reflected his take on the League Cup.

Because, while he said all the right things about wanting to win this tournament, I’m not sure his body language agreed, seeing four extra games (if Arsenal make it to the final, which, I must admit is a big if) as more of a hindrance, when it comes to chasing the big trophies such as the Premier League and the Champions League.

Which, until it is certain that Arteta and his team won’t face a play-off - most probably by beating Dynamo Zagreb next month - hangs heavy over his schedule.

Anyway, no doubt you’ll hear/read/see his quotes shortly, so I won’t go into too much detail, suffice to say, tomorrow evening just got that little bit more interesting, not least because it will be intriguing to note the starting XI he fields, certainly compared to the one he’ll pick to play at Selhurst Park, when the teams meet again on Saturday, this time in the Premier League.

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Renee Slegers and Steph Catley’s pre Bayern Munich press conference at Colney

Renee Slegers and Steph Catley’s pre Bayern Munich press conference at Colney

I really like the fact that the club try as much as they can to hold Arsenal Women’s press conferences at Colney on the same day as the men. (Massive kudos to Dan and Sophie behind the scenes for all the hard work they do throughout the year.)

Which meant I could get a glimpse of Renee Slegers up close. I’ve covered AWFC for a few years now on and off, back when I was the Arsenal correspondent at the Islington Gazette newspaper, and it’s been wonderful to see just how much the women’s game has grown over the years.

I still try to keep my eye in as much as I can, for the newspaper I write for, the Morning Star, as well as the Gooner Fanzine, and have been to eight games, either to cover them, or as a fan with my daughter so far this season.

I’m also really proud that we now produce a 64 page full colour digital issue solely devoted to Arsenal Women - read our current issue here

I’m also really proud that the Gooner Fanzine has such brilliant AWFC writers, starting first and foremost with our dedicated reporter Freddie Cardy, who covers every game. You can read Freddie in print, on our website, and of course, in our digital issue.

It was also good to fire a couple of questions at Renee during the presser, and I thought she gave impressive answers as an impressive leader.

The team have rallied to her leadership since she took over in the aftermath of Jonas Eidevall’s departure, following unacceptably poor form, not least first and foremost in terms of results, with the Gunners back up to third spot through excellent performances, as well as qualifying early for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

See the Gooner Fanzine for our extensive coverage of Arsenal Women including today’s press conferences, but whatever happens, I genuinely believe that the club should hand Slegers a long-term contract as permanent Arsenal head coach.

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Arsenal U21 1-2 Sunderland U21

Monday evening saw a trip to Meadow Park, Boreham Wood’s ground, where the Arsenal U21s play their home games.

As someone who has watched the club’s youth sides for decades, I have to say that while there are a raft of talented youngsters - quite simply you have to be technically gifted to be at Hale End - the results have not matched their ability this season.

And so it was against the Black Cats in Premier League 2, as the youngsters from the north-east looked far more streetwise, and, dare I say it, tougher. Of course, football isn’t just about strength and will to win, but it certainly helps to have those in your locker, readily available. It just felt Sunderland wanted it more, despite our gilded youngsters possessing outstanding technical ability.

That said, I was impressed by first team squad fringe defender Ayden Heaven, although another two players I’ve been raving about, Josh Nichols (who made his debut during the 5-1 win over Bolton in the League Cup earlier this season) and Josh Robinson, who had been pulling up trees had underwhelming games.

It is a process, bringing youngsters through, and the club deserve plenty of credit for the progression of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis Skelly, I’m not sure how many of the current crop of U21s will be close to making the grade in Mikel Arteta’s first team in a few years. They’re certainly not ready now.

Which, I suppose, is the point of academy football, to bring players on whose progress wildly fluctuates due to their youth and inexperience.

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Arsenal Player Ratings:

Player Ratings: Arsenal U21 1-2 Sunderland U21

Sunderland U21s beat Arsenal U21s 2-1 on a cold night at Meadow Park

Tymer Tutierov put Sunderland U21s ahead early on to put the vistiors ahead, prior to a second half equaliser from Nathan Butler-Oyedeji.

That was before a late winner by substitute Marcus Neill sealed all three points for the Black Cats on a cold evening at Meadow Park.

Lucas Nygaard: 5/10 - Excellent block early on but looked shaky in terms of positioning and distribution when Sunderland marauded forward and seemed to lose confidence as the game progressed.

Josh Robinson: 6.5/10 - A threat when powering forward even if Sunderland capitalised on the extra space when regaining possession

Lennon Patterson: 6/10 - Gave his all before being switched for Josh Nichols at the break

Zane Monlouis: 7/10 - Excels at driving the ball out of defence but has to be careful about giving away fouls

Ayden Heaven: 7.5/10 - A solid defender with excellent attacking instincts. A good touch and technique. The first team prospect also displayed good anticipation to cut out balls. Not afraid to play the ball long. Brave when blocking

Harrison Dudziak: 6.5/10 - Another who saved his team with last-gasp blocks after Sunderland transitions

Ismael Kabia: 6.5/10 - The No7 looked lively when given the ball along the right flank

Jimi Gower: 6.5/10 - Always available to give and take a pass in tight spaces

Khayon Edwards: 6.5/10 - Engaged in an absorbing tussle with Sunderland’s centre-backs. Showed an excellent touch at times when spinning off his man after dropping deep

Salah Oulad M’Hand: 5/10 - For someone so talented he simply has to be more proficient in dead ball situations while also valuing possession when not ceding the ball to the opposition when well-placed. Does not need to beat a player twice and has to be more efficient given his skills

Nathan Butler-Oyedeji: 7/10 - Tightly marked and unable to unlock the obdurate Sunderland backline during a frustrating opening 45 minutes. Made amends with an excellent equaliser after the break to make it 1-1

Substitutes:

Josh Nichols: 6.5/10 - Swapped with Lennon at the break

Andre Harriman-Annous: 6/10 - Replaced Kabia late on

Ismael Oulad M'Hand: 6/10 - Came on for Dudziak with moments remaining

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See you at the Emirates press box on Wednesday evening, via flogging a few copies of the Gooner Fanzine outside first.

Come on you Gunners

Cheers

Layth