Why Arsenal's FA Youth Cup success proves the future is bright at Colney

Omari Hutchinson continues to impress in the U18 ranks

Omari Hutchinson hype is real: here's why Arsenal's FA Youth Cup success proves the future is bright at Colney

By Tom Harle

You can't win anything with kids, apart from the FA Youth Cup. 

Arsenal last won the FA Youth Cup in 2009 with a team featuring Jack Wilshere and Francis Coquelin and rogue names like Gilles Sunu and Luke Ayling.

Not to mention Oğuzhan Özyakup - who didn't even make the team for the final. 

They kept their hopes of doing it again alive on Friday night as Ken Gillard's young charges dispatched West Ham 3-1 in the fifth round to tee up a quarter-final clash against Liverpool. 

History suggests that Youth Cup successes are an unreliable indicator of a golden generation of youngsters and the stars of a Youth Cup run are hostage to the recruitment policies at boardroom level.

So is the impressive run this year a sign of a glorious new era at London Colney, or a flash in the pan for players who won't ever pull on the first-team shirt?

A glance lower down the team sheet for the Europa League second leg against Sparta Prague suggests it's the former. 


Azeez showing the way


U23 goalkeeper James Hillson made a first-team matchday squad for the first time and Miguel Azeez, who starred in the Youth Cup fourth round win over Blackburn Rovers, has made the bench in the last two games. Midfielder Azeez made his first-team debut as a late substitute against Dundalk. 

It seems Mikel Arteta's close relationship with Per Mertesacker means the pipeline from academy to first team has never flowed this fast in a generation.

The big friendly German said last year how much he enjoyed giving his former team-mate 'headaches' with the quality of his production line and it seems they are tough decisions Mikel is only too happy to make.

The boss told Sky: "I love to work with young players and give them the opportunity." 
The way in which Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka have grown into the standard bearers at senior level means that unlike at other clubs, there are no hang-ups on the risk of giving young players opportunities.

The Europa League era is not what we wanted, but one silver lining has been the platform it's given to help bring through our academy products.


Balogun has huge potential


It seems that 19-year-old Folarin Balogun is the next cab off the rank with the ink barely dry on a new long-term deal keeping him at the Emirates for five years.

But hot on the teenage striker's heels are Omari Hutchinson, Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Khayon Edwards, all crucial in catapulting Gillard's side to the last eight this season. 

Hutchinson signed professional forms in November and has since kicked on with match-winning displays for the U18s against Everton and then bagging a brace against West Ham. 

As a capable operator on either flank, in a No.10 role and even as a full-back, Hutchinson's versatility means he would be a swiss army knife solution in any matchday squad.

It's worth saying he is yet to even make his U23 debut - he was named on the bench in March for the first time - but recent evidence is that if you're good enough, you're old enough. And long may that continue.

Photo credit: Getty Images

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