What's Age got to do with it........?

[Charlie Wayman]

Of course being the youngest squad in the Premier League has a lot to do with our performances and our league position, what do you expect raw, unpolished talent learning its trade in the hothouse of the best league in the world.

....and the second youngest squad by a matter of a few days?

Arsenal

[chiknsmack]

Arsenal have struggled for the last couple of years with a squad of mostly youngsters. Now they're seeing the rewards for their faith and patience and could even challenge for the league this season.

Southampton have struggled for the last couple of months with a squad of mostly youngsters. Now they're a couple of years away from seeing the rewards for their faith and patience and could even challenge for the league in two or three seasons.

[Wurzel]

12 minutes ago, chiknsmack said:

Arsenal have struggled for the last couple of years with a squad of mostly youngsters. Now they're seeing the rewards for their faith and patience and could even challenge for the league this season.

Southampton have struggled for the last couple of months with a squad of mostly youngsters. Now they're a couple of years away from seeing the rewards for their faith and patience and could even challenge for the league in two or three seasons.

Except Arsenal accumulate a squad of youngsters with the intention of them growing together, with the potential to win the league one day, maybe this year.

We accumulate a squad of youngsters with the intention of selling them on before we get to that winning things stage and starting all over again.

Although to be fair, once we've been through that cycle 3 or 4 times we should have raised enough profit to then be able to retain a squad that could challenge for honours*. Realistically it's taken Arsenal several years to get themselves back to that stage.

* Edit: This plan of course relies on the assumption of us not getting relegated in the meantime

Edited 20 October, 2022 by Wurzel
Add the assumption

[qwertyell]

We weren't even a young team last night. Average age of the outfield players in the starting XI was 26 (rounding up).

 

[SotonianWill]

30 minutes ago, qwertyell said:

We weren't even a young team last night. Average age of the outfield players in the starting XI was 26 (rounding up).

 

but then we were missing arguably our two best players aged 18 and 20 (replaced by 26 and 25 y/o). not to mention it can’t be long before elyouseless, 28 is dropped for a djenepo or edozie

[Saint IQ]

13 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Of course being the youngest squad in the Premier League has a lot to do with our performances and our league position, what do you expect raw, unpolished talent learning its trade in the hothouse of the best league in the world.

....and the second youngest squad by a matter of a few days?

Arsenal

Who probably have triple the budget than we do if not more? 

And top academy players coming through like Saka and Smith-Rowe.

If Arsenal come 2nd this season that's the equivalent of us getting say 8th or even 9th.

[Tamesaint]

21 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Of course being the youngest squad in the Premier League has a lot to do with our performances and our league position, what do you expect raw, unpolished talent learning its trade in the hothouse of the best league in the world.

....and the second youngest squad by a matter of a few days?

Arsenal

Do you still support Arsenal as you did when we were in league 1?

[Nolan]

 

if you go by Transfermarkts listing of Squad by Age. 

Saints have 7 players under 20. Arsenal have 1.

Caballero, Walcott and McCarthy (41, 33 and 32) add a lot to the  average Squad age 

 

Edited 21 October, 2022 by Nolan

[trousers]

47 minutes ago, Tamesaint said:

Do you still support Arsenal as you did when we were in league 1?

Probably depends which of the multiple 'Charlie Wayman' account users you're referring to...

[Convict Colony]

thought this was a tina turner song

[Charlie Wayman]

5 hours ago, Tamesaint said:

Do you still support Arsenal as you did when we were in league 1?

Gosh, you have a good if slightly flawed memory. Just to correct the record, one of my sons used to be an Arsenal ST holder and on a few occasions he loaned me his ticket. I enjoyed watching Arsenal play and still do and The Emirates is a decent venue for an away day but most definitely I have never been a supporter in the sense of fan -aticism.

Once a Saint always a Saint, it's in the DNA

My point in this thread is not to over-play the youth card and use it as an excuse for poor or inept performances, if kids are good enough they are old enough.

[Charlie Wayman]

5 hours ago, Nolan said:

 

if you go by Transfermarkts listing of Squad by Age. 

Saints have 7 players under 20. Arsenal have 1.

Caballero, Walcott and McCarthy (41, 33 and 32) add a lot to the  average Squad age 

 

Good work even if bit MLG

[Charlie Wayman]

4 hours ago, trousers said:

Probably depends which of the multiple 'Charlie Wayman' account users you're referring to...

One and only old chap, one and only. Keep 'em guessing wouldn't you agree? 

[notnowcato]

Got to do, got to do with it.....

[Holmes_and_Watson]

I thought I felt strongly about this topic, but turned out to be a second hand emotion. 🙂

Edited 21 October, 2022 by Holmes_and_Watson