The Carling Cup isn’t good for much, but it make you think about one thing right now – Arsenal’s reserve team of children would walk the Championship, Manchester United’s would struggle to get a point.
Too harsh? We don’t think so, United’s reserves lost at home to Coventry in a bit of a pitiful display while Arsenal’s just took Sheffield United apart at Bramell Lane. And as always, it was an Arsenal reserve side that would struggle to get served in the pub such was the rampant youth throughout the side,
And as expected, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger overhauled his team completely.
Gibbs, 18, was handed a first-team debut alongside fellow teenagers Denilson, Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner.
Only the presence of 31-year-old Gilberto – who was overlooked for the captaincy in favour of keeper Lukasz Fabianski – pushed the average age of the team over 21.
Of course, let’s not forget that Sheffield United have been a bit rubbish, but the performance alone shows Wenger has more strength in depth than any other manager in England. Bit worrying for their rivals, since the first teamers currently sit perched atop the Premier League table anyway.
We’re not sure how much longer this generation can be called the ‘kids’ as they’ll soon have as much experience, and probably more trophies, than many of the footballer’s they play against. But hey, whatever works.