Gerardo Bruna from Real Madrid

[Shaggy]

It's an incredible list.

So is that it? No more? There was that James McCarthy lad...from Hamilton...who we nearly got. I noticed he scored the other week. Think he's just 16?

Thought of one I missed! That Plessis lad from Lyon. Make it 31.

[dww]

Arsenal started about 2 years before we did and I think they have spent serious money on young players to go straight into the first team.

I don't think they have bought as many young players for the reserves as we have.

I'm not sure that is really entirely true - were Traore, Denilson, Song and Diaby introduced straight into the first team (are they even there now)? I do however agree with you that Arsenal started a long time before us but I think the efforts of the two clubs are comparable, the difference being that Wenger seems more willing to blood the young players (or maybe it is just he has had a first team he is happier with for longer and so it is easier to slot people in without affecting the team pattern).

[andyinswinton]

Barragan came and went.

[andyinswinton]

I think the Arsenal youth team thing is one of the biggest myths in football.

A lot has been made this week about United going out of the league cup whilst Arsenals kids beat Newcastle but Arsenals team included half a dozen internationals!

When they beat us last season, they included Julio Baptista who cost Madrid £20 million! I'm not knocking their players or what they have done but the media hype is very misleading.

[redsarebest]

Gerardo Bruna new from Real madrid , 16, cm
Astrit Ajdarevic paddy berger lookalike, swedish, camAlexander Kacaniklic is he the Hungarian goalie –is he loaned back to someone
Ben Robinson eh?
Dani Pacheco forward , barca, youth team
Dean Bouzanis Aussie goalie, mad hair
Emilano Insua Argentinian lb,argentina u20
Gary Mackay Steven blonde Scottish winger, youth team, looks tricky
Krisztian Nemeth the better of the two Hungarians, featured on Eurosport once
Andras Simon Hungarian, cm, ?
David Amoo tall black cm , youth team looks strong & effective, Millwall
Lucas Leiva Brazil superstar soon, dodgy haircutMarvin Pourie German, CF, scores a lot, youth team Mihail Alexandrov see Kacaniklic – one of them must be the goalie
Mikel San Jose cb, youth team, looks a bit wild

Nikolay Mihaylov ah that is the Hungarian goalie
Sebastian Leto Argentinian superstar soon, dodgy haircut
Ronald Huth Columbian or thereabouts, CB, looks solid, youth
Jordy Brouwer reserves, Ajax, CF, starting to score now, not the best
Ryan Crowther Stockport, RW,
Daniel Ayala CB, Spanish I thinkPeter Gulacsi is this the Hungarian keeper
Francisco Duran CB,
Godwin Antwi, on loan Hartlepool, boy mountain, star wherever he’s been
Jack Hobbs, scares me, CB, Lincoln, reserves
Paul Anderson, Swansea on loan, RW, hot and coldBez Idrijaz (?), on loan c.Palace, CF, Austrian u 20Nabil El Zhar , Moroccan , M, reserves, very skillful
Miki Roque, CB, Spanish, on loan spain
Daniel Plessis, lyon, CDM, looked class in reserves

[dww]

I think the Arsenal youth team thing is one of the biggest myths in football.

A lot has been made this week about United going out of the league cup whilst Arsenals kids beat Newcastle but Arsenals team included half a dozen internationals!

When they beat us last season, they included Julio Baptista who cost Madrid £20 million! I'm not knocking their players or what they have done but the media hype is very misleading.

Arsenal team:
Fabianski, Justin Hoyte, Eboue (Diaby 64), Senderos, Traore, Diarra, Denilson, Song Billong, Walcott, Bendtner, Eduardo

How many of those were well international before they came to Arsenal (or to an Arsenal feeder team)? Eduardo would be about the only one and obviously Walcott was hyped by all in English football so hardly counts as a staggering Arsenal find.

[Shaggy]

Gerardo Bruna new from Real madrid , 16, cm
Astrit Ajdarevic paddy berger lookalike, swedish, cam
Alexander Kacaniklic Bulgarian right-sided midfielder, I think
Ben Robinson 14 year old keeper
Dani Pacheco forward , barca, youth team
Dean Bouzanis Aussie goalie, mad hair
Emilano Insua Argentinian lb,argentina u20
Gary Mackay Steven blonde Scottish winger, youth team, looks tricky
Krisztian Nemeth the better of the two Hungarians, featured on Eurosport once
Andras Simon Hungarian striker
David Amoo tall black cm , youth team looks strong & effective, Millwall
Lucas Leiva Brazil superstar soon, dodgy haircut
Marvin Pourie German, CF, scores a lot, youth team
Mihail Alexandrov Bulgarian midfielder
Mikel San Jose cb, youth team, looks a bit wild

Nikolay Mihaylov - Bulgarian keeper
Sebastian Leto Argentinian superstar soon, dodgy haircut
Ronald Huth Paraguayan centre back
Jordy Brouwer reserves, Ajax, CF, starting to score now, not the best
Ryan Crowther Stockport, RW,
Daniel Ayala CB, Spanish I thinkPeter Gulacsi is this the Hungarian keeper
Francisco Duran Iniesta type Spanish midfielder
Godwin Antwi, on loan Hartlepool, boy mountain, star wherever he’s been
Jack Hobbs, scares me, CB, Lincoln, reserves
Paul Anderson, Swansea on loan, RW, hot and coldBez Idrijaz (?), on loan c.Palace, CF, Austrian u 20Nabil El Zhar , Moroccan , M, reserves, very skillful
Miki Roque, CB, Spanish, on loan spain
Daniel Plessis, lyon, CDM, looked class in reserves

Corrections, to the best of my knowlegde, in bold.

[thekop]

[So we have three excellent prospects, Insua, Pacheco and Bruna.

The future is looking

That'll do for me AF

[paulcooper4]

That'll do for me AF

theres a lot more than 3 of them with huge potential mate. wether they have the desire to reach the very top only time will tell

[Lee]

It will probably be next season or never for both of them.

Quite agree

Big next season - in my opinion too - will be make or break at LFC for Anderson, Hammill, El Zhar, Antwi & Roque

I think El Zhar will make it... just have a feeling that he'll break into the 1st team and establish himself. Would be good if a few more of the above (especially Anderson & Hammill) could do the same

[Zapater]

What's the bet that none of those guys bar Lucas plays a competitive game for us in the next 3 seasons?

[dww]

Quite agree

Big next season - in my opinion too - will be make or break at LFC for Anderson, Hammill, El Zhar, Antwi & Roque

I think El Zhar will make it... just have a feeling that he'll break into the 1st team and establish himself. Would be good if a few more of the above (especially Anderson & Hammill) could do the same

I'm not sure it is any sort of last chance for Antwi and Roque. I think Rafa will give the defenders a little longer to mature. For Hammill especially next season he has to be looking to get PL experience - preferably with us, but if he doesn't make a step up again this year I think he will be better off looking elsewhere for regular football.

Not seen enough of either El Zhar or Anderson to offer a comment. How old are they though.

[paulcooper4]

Quite agree

Big next season - in my opinion too - will be make or break at LFC for Anderson, Hammill, El Zhar, Antwi & Roque

I think El Zhar will make it... just have a feeling that he'll break into the 1st team and establish himself. Would be good if a few more of the above (especially Anderson & Hammill) could do the same

Although El Zhar had the better reputation when he signed. From what ive seen with my own eyes in the ressies I would say El Zhar is the most skilful probably on the training ground with keep ups and stepovers etc but he just doesnt seem to cut it on the pitch, whenever I watch him anyway.

Anderson seems to have it all but, to me, always seems to have a confidence crisis when things are going well for him bizarrely rather than when things arent working.

Hamill to me looks like the one with the most complete package to make it into the first team, great dribbling skills, doesnt mind the physical side and learns more than the other 2 from what I can see. He used to want to beat the same man again and again rather than put a decent ball in but he has slowly got better at removing this from his game.

[peekay]

What's the bet that none of those guys bar Lucas plays a competitive game for us in the next 3 seasons?

Not even Insua ?

[Harv]

I cant help but get excited when we sign a youngster of this supposed caliber.

Hopefully he can live up to his reputation, although being 16, i wouldn't really expect anything out of him for a couple of years at least.