Eastick hails Arsenal’s English talent

By Declan Taylor

England Under-19 manager Brian Eastick believes Arsenal have a “terrific track record” in producing home-grown talent.

Captain Henri Lansbury and Gavin Hoyte were both included in Eastick’s 18-man squad for Tuesday’s friendly with the Czech Republic at Walsall’s Banks’s Stadium. Unfortunately, a back injury kept Lansbury out of action but Hoyte completed 90 minutes at centre back in England’s goalless draw.

After the game, the manager paid tribute to Arsenal’s production of young Englishman before running the rule over the two Gunners in the squad.

“Arsenal have some very good young English players,” Eastick said. “It’s not rocket science, if you are a young player at a top club it is very difficult to break through into the first team - you have got to be an exceptional talent. 

“Arsenal have got a terrific track record though. If you look at the number of players playing in the Premier League now there are a lot of them from there.

“Players like Fabrice Muamba, who captained my team here a couple of years ago, Steve Sidwell, David Bentley, Arsenal do produce a lot of players. But you have to be a bit special to secure a place in Arsenal’s first team.”

The Young Lions struggled to create any clear-cut chances against a resolute Czech defence, but Eastick thought that the absent Lansbury might have made the difference.

“If you look at his four goals for us this year they have all come from around the edge of the box - the Germany goal comes to mind,” he went on. “The game against the Czech Republic was very similar to Germany, which we won 1-0, but we have drawn 0-0. It shows how tight those games are.

“He is one of those players who can score a goal; he’s very, very good in and around the 18-yard box. He is a talent and I’m sure Arsenal have loaned him out to get some valuable experience and hopefully it will do him the world of good.

“He’ll find the game style different to what it is in Arsenal’s reserves and at international level. He has gone on loan for his education – to experience all that.

“As for Gavin, he has that great asset of pace. He is on loan at Watford and I think he needs to improve a little bit on the ball at times, but of course if you have that pace at the back it is a massive asset. It covers a multitude of sins.”

[Friday, March 27, 2009]

Print this page Email to a friend