SM
Barcelona vs. Brann: 3 hrs 39 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Iwobi: Young Gunners are giving Emery selection headache

:Headline: Iwobi: Young Gunners are giving Emery selection headache: ID:346106: from db_amp
Nineteen-year-old Joe Willock scored twice in the Gunners' 3-0 victory over Blackpool.

Arsenal's youngsters are giving manager Unai Emery a headache, according to forward Alex Iwobi.

Joe Willock scored twice in Saturday's 3-0 FA Cup victory over Blackpool, while fellow 19-year-old Eddie Nketiah also started and impressed along with 21-year-old Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

The average age of the side was reduced even further when 17-year-old Bukayo Saka replaced Iwobi for the final few minutes.

It was a potentially tricky encounter for Arsenal against the League One side on a bumpy Bloomfield Road pitch, with Blackpool having given the Gunners a good game in the Carabao Cup earlier this season, but there were few alarms for Emery's side.

Iwobi said on arsenal.com: "We knew it was going to be difficult and it's not like the Emirates where it's a big pitch. It's all tight and compact, but we managed and we were able to focus on the game and do well.

"Blackpool are a good team. They fight well and they win aerial duels and we knew we were going to be up against it but we dug deep to get the result.

"It's good that we have youngsters like Joe and Eddie who came in and did well. Even Bukayo Saka who came on. We have a lot of pace in the team.

"It's one for the manager, there's going to be a lot of headaches for who he has to play if we keep on fighting for positions and getting three goals."

Much of the focus on Blackpool was away from the pitch, with a protester delaying Arsenal's departure from their hotel by sitting on top of their team bus, while the boycott of matches by fans unhappy with Owen Oyston's ownership of the club continued.

Manager Terry McPhillips was disappointed by a lack of cutting edge but hopes his team's cup exploits can translate to an improvement in league form, where they have taken only one point from the last five games.

He said: "The first goal kills us in respect of we shouldn't have given the free-kick away and then we didn't react well enough. In the second half I obviously wanted us to get the next goal.

"When we got the next goal at their place they went a little bit. That was the key, we didn't get it. There weren't many clear-cut chances. We had lots of balls around their box and I think we had six corners and some free-kicks but we didn't do well enough like we did down there.

"The game's gone now and we dust ourselves down and get back to the league games where we need to get back to winning ways. We've enjoyed the cup runs and I think we've made the club a large amount of money and given a good account of ourselves."

McPhillips must wait on the fitness of goalkeeper Mark Howard, who was forced off in the second half with a groin problem.

amp_article__346106 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-01-06 12:00:10:
html db last update - 2021-03-07 20:38:08 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Alex Iwobi

Click here for more stories about Arsenal

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .