Wenger's "failed" youth project

Three months and a decent revival later, Arsenal have now well and truly gone some way to establishing themselves at the right end of the league table. The nightmarish start to the current campaign, although not yet a distant dream, has now been replaced by a string of solid if not elegant performances. There is still no guarantee that we will finish in the top four this season, but then, it looks like we've given ourselves a bloody good chance. The added experience in the squad has no doubt played a huge part in the resurgence with the likes of Gervinho, Arteta, big Mert and Santos adding some steel and calm to a flamboyant and young team. There seems to be a notion doing the rounds though, that Wenger's investment in experience, has meant his youth project of many years has failed and that he has abandoned his youth policy. I'm not quite sure about that. 

Let's take a look at the Gunners' squad. Arsene has entrusted a 20 year old, Wojciech Szczesny with the responsibility of being Arsenal's number 1. At right back, while we have Bacary Sagna as first choice, his immediate back up was the unheralded Carl Jenkinson, who was just beginning to impress people like me with his pin-point crosses from the right flank (although a long way from being close to the class of Sagna in defence), before he was attracted by the comforts afforded by Arsenal's brand new state of the art medical facility. At left back Kieran Gibbs who joined us at 17 is still only 21 and was the preferred starter before another injury allowed Santos to take his place. Djourou joined at 16. In midfield we have Jack Wilshere (not starting only because of injury), with Deeeeench Frimpong and Coquelin who have stepped up this season and are making sure Alex Song (who also joined Arsenal as a teenager) stays on his toes. Aaron Ramsey has been first team material for a while now. Upfront we have Theo Walcott who joined at 16 or 17 and is now a regular starter. Ever injured Diaby joined at 20; is another player who would have played a lot more regularly if not for his injury record. Also not to forget are new signings Oxlade Chamberlain and Miyaichi. Add to this list, some of the reserves who are on the fringes such as Benik Afobe, Ozyakup, Eastmond, Sanchez Watt and Ignasi Miquel (a few starts this season too!) just go to show the number of young players we have who are either first team or very close to being in the first team.

While I have already acknowledged that Arsene has invested in some experience this season, I would argue that he has always bought players who have played at a reasonable level, even if in some cases they weren't always established in the true sense of the word. He has bought players like Vermaelen, Koscielny, Hleb, Lehman, Rosicky, Arshavin, Chamakh, Gallas, Kanu, Gilberto, Sol Campbell, Sagna, Wiltord and more in the past who were by no means teenagers. The players he added this term have undoubtedly more experience than most or all of the players mentioned above at the time of joining Arsenal, but you also have to factor in the departures of Fabregas and Nasri which would have discouraged him from buying people who needed a long time to adjust to the English league. 

All Wenger's dealings in the transfer market have also been within reason, taking a path different to certain other teams. The fact that the media and a lot of pundits see this unsustainable spending as a measure of "ambition" is laughable. Anyway, there's no time to go into that now. 

I don't think Arsene Wenger will ever abandon his policy of giving youth a chance, and rightly so. The lack of silverware has probably contributed to the "failure" theory but if that's the only measure of success in your mind, I think I've failed and will always fail to make you see the my point of view. As far as I'm concerned the people who think his youth project has ended or failed are either blind and deaf or have their brains located in some place other than their heads. The word failure is not an exaggeration here, its just false. Arsene knows (better than most).