By Richard Clarke
So far Arsenal’s Carling Cup campaign has been all about education, education, education.
Arsène Wenger’s young side have been to West Brom, Everton and Liverpool, each time coming back with their reputation enhanced. Yet although those can be considered taxing tutorials they pale in comparison to the examination confronting the ‘Young Guns’ this evening.
White Hart Lane is the most unlikely finishing school for anyone sporting the red and white of Arsenal. It may be ‘only’ the Carling Cup — reportedly fourth out of four in Wenger’s list of priorities — however this Semi-Final first leg will be played with the passion and pace of any North London derby. Despite all that Wenger can see the benefits.
“Frankly I would have liked an easier run of games to the Semi-Final,” said the manager. “But there is nothing like a tough education in life.
“When you are a parent you want your children to have a little less of a tough education and something a bit more soft. But at the end of the day if they get through it then you know they are equipped for the demands of playing at a club like Arsenal.”
The youngsters are not only equipped, Wenger argues their quality is actually pushing the first team to greater heights.
“I made a decision at the start of the Carling Cup that, because we have such a young squad, I needed to know about them,” he said.
“I could not waste a year with players who did not get top-level competition. To give them an education I needed to choose one trophy and play them in there. I did that in the Carling Cup.
“At the moment this team pushes so hard that you can see it has an effect in the first team. They know the competition is just so hard.”
Wenger has bolstered his squad this evening with a number of first-teamers. Cesc Fabregas, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, Alex Hleb and Justin Hoyte all have more than 10 Premiership starts this season. However Denilson, Mark Randall, Armand Traore and Theo Walcott certainly represent the future of the Club. Meanwhile Abou Diaby, only 20 himself, is likely to start after nine months out with a broken and dislocated ankle.
“This is not only a Semi-Final, it is London derby and against Tottenham,” said Wenger. “That shows you the task will be very big. I am confident that not only they can do it but they really want to do it.
“When you can win at Everton and Liverpool you can win anywhere in England or in Europe. I was not surprised by the quality of their play at Anfield but perhaps I was by the score. I did not expect six goals.
“Of course this will be a different game with a different problem and we have to find the solution. We certainly want to score away from home tonight. Basically we went out at the Semi Final stage last year because we did not get a goal in the first leg at their ground.
“Overall I feel our young players are making progress. In the last four years our strength has become deeper and our young players have become better.
“But, in our job, talent is one thing then you have to show it on the pitch with no inhibitions. If you want to be an Arsenal player you need to do that.”
Let the lesson begin.
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