Arsenal under-21s Head Coach Mehmet Ali expressed his delight with his team’s first-half performance in their 4-2 victory over Manchester United at Meadow Park on Friday night.
The young Gunners surged to a commanding 4-0 lead by halftime, with Khayon Edwards scoring twice and additional goals from Michal Rosiak and Jimi Gower. While United fought back in the second half with goals from Ethan Ennis and Ethan Wheatley, Arsenal’s first-half display was the highlight of the match.
“I’m really pleased that we won the game, but what stood out was our outstanding first-half performance,” said Ali.
“We’ve had a somewhat disjointed pre-season due to the Euros, with players moving between the first team, different experiences, and varying squads. However, what this game showed is how united we are as a club—from the first team down through the under-21s, under-18s, and the academy. No matter who played, they delivered. While there’s room for improvement in the second half, there are plenty of positives to take from tonight.”
Mehmet also highlighted the impact of first-team exposure on academy players like Ethan Nwaneri, Ayden Heaven, Josh Nichols, and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
“It’s invaluable for them to gain that exposure and absorb lessons without even realsing it. Being around the first team helps them understand the culture. The first-team players have been incredibly supportive, which has not only impressed the staff but also built trust among the players.
“What they showed tonight is how well they can reintegrate into their age group after experiencing the first-team environment. That’s not always easy, but they handled it brilliantly. I’m really pleased with how they performed.
“Their experience trickles down to everyone, and it’s something the other players pick up on. We train with the first-team players quite often, so we’re constantly learning."
Mehmet concluded by expressing his excitement for the upcoming season, while re-emphasising the true purpose of academy football: development.
“We’re really excited for the season ahead, but our primary focus is to keep pushing our players to aspire to play for the first team or build a career in this industry. It’s easy to get caught up in winning a game, but what truly matters is looking ahead three or four years from now and seeing who from this game is playing for Arsenal or thriving in the game.”
Copyright 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
