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[Albion] Ainsley Maitland-Niles







Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
73,369
West west west Sussex
They wouldn't sell to their direct competition.
 


Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
30,521
Not for me Clive.
 


Sheebo

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2003
29,226
Not sure we’re in for a young RB - LB on the other hand...
 
















edna krabappel

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 7, 2003
47,228
Bang average.

Indeed. I think sometimes people are fooled by young players being at "big" clubs, and assume they must be of a very high standard. That may be true of Chelsea's current crop, but Arsenal have never been that sort of club.

They have produced some disgustingly ordinary young players over the years, several of whom they've deviously dumped on us (Graham Barrett, Joe O'Ceaurruill, Chuba Akpom, and another really poor defender whose name escapes me temporarily). I think Valur Gislasson (one for the kids there) might have been ex Arsenal too.

I have a feeling Maitland-Niles will end up being a fringe midfielder somewhere like Hull or Bristol City, before dropping slowly down the leagues via Sunderland and Plymouth Argyle.
 




GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,471
Gloucester
Indeed. I think sometimes people are fooled by young players being at "big" clubs, and assume they must be of a very high standard. That may be true of Chelsea's current crop, but Arsenal have never been that sort of club.

They have produced some disgustingly ordinary young players over the years, several of whom they've deviously dumped on us (Graham Barrett, Joe O'Ceaurruill, Chuba Akpom, and another really poor defender whose name escapes me temporarily). I think Valur Gislasson (one for the kids there) might have been ex Arsenal too.

I have a feeling Maitland-Niles will end up being a fringe midfielder somewhere like Hull or Bristol City, before dropping slowly down the leagues via Sunderland and Plymouth Argyle.
Yes, not good enough for us, I feel.
 




A1X

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Sep 1, 2017
17,517
Deepest, darkest Sussex
If he was that good he'd be playing regularly for Arsenal. It's not like their first team is so good a talented youngster wouldn't get game time.

Arsenal aren't Chelsea, City or Liverpool. They're barely Spurs.
 




DarrenFreemansPerm

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sep 28, 2010
17,328
Shoreham
Indeed. I think sometimes people are fooled by young players being at "big" clubs, and assume they must be of a very high standard. That may be true of Chelsea's current crop, but Arsenal have never been that sort of club.

They have produced some disgustingly ordinary young players over the years, several of whom they've deviously dumped on us (Graham Barrett, Joe O'Ceaurruill, Chuba Akpom, and another really poor defender whose name escapes me temporarily). I think Valur Gislasson (one for the kids there) might have been ex Arsenal too.

I have a feeling Maitland-Niles will end up being a fringe midfielder somewhere like Hull or Bristol City, before dropping slowly down the leagues via Sunderland and Plymouth Argyle.

Gavin Hoyte.
 


Farehamseagull

Solly March Fan Club
Nov 22, 2007
13,769
Sarisbury Green, Southampton
Indeed. I think sometimes people are fooled by young players being at "big" clubs, and assume they must be of a very high standard. That may be true of Chelsea's current crop, but Arsenal have never been that sort of club.

They have produced some disgustingly ordinary young players over the years, several of whom they've deviously dumped on us (Graham Barrett, Joe O'Ceaurruill, Chuba Akpom, and another really poor defender whose name escapes me temporarily). I think Valur Gislasson (one for the kids there) might have been ex Arsenal too.

I have a feeling Maitland-Niles will end up being a fringe midfielder somewhere like Hull or Bristol City, before dropping slowly down the leagues via Sunderland and Plymouth Argyle.

To be fair, the names you mention we had previously were a long way from their first team, Maitland-Niles has featured a fair bit.

I will also say that we got Sidwell from them which didn’t turn out badly.
 




edna krabappel

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 7, 2003
47,228
To be fair, the names you mention we had previously were a long way from their first team, Maitland-Niles has featured a fair bit.

I will also say that we got Sidwell from them which didn’t turn out badly.

I realise that, but equally it never fails to amaze me how clubs like Arsenal and Spurs (the prime examples) keep some players on for so long when it must be painfully apparent the they are never, ever going to be anywhere near the first team. Look at Jonathan Obika. He was on Spurs' books until he was TWENTY FOUR.

Surely somebody at Spurs, or during his dozen or so loan spells at lower league clubs, would have identified at some stage before he reached his mid twenties that he was nowhere near the standard required, even to make a career in the Championship? When you look at all the kids who get released at sixteen, seventeen, eighteen etc, and he kept on getting new contracts until he was twenty four?? I'm sure he's a thoroughly nice chap but he was absolutely stealing a living there.
 




Billy the Fish

Technocrat
Oct 18, 2005
17,472
Haywards Heath
Indeed. I think sometimes people are fooled by young players being at "big" clubs, and assume they must be of a very high standard. That may be true of Chelsea's current crop, but Arsenal have never been that sort of club.

They have produced some disgustingly ordinary young players over the years, several of whom they've deviously dumped on us (Graham Barrett, Joe O'Ceaurruill, Chuba Akpom, and another really poor defender whose name escapes me temporarily). I think Valur Gislasson (one for the kids there) might have been ex Arsenal too.

I have a feeling Maitland-Niles will end up being a fringe midfielder somewhere like Hull or Bristol City, before dropping slowly down the leagues via Sunderland and Plymouth Argyle.

Sidwell being the exception.

Was Paul Dickov Arsenal? Colin Pates?
 


edna krabappel

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 7, 2003
47,228



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