YOUNG REDS AIMING TO OUTGUN ARSENAL
Steve Hunter 29 January 2008
Hughie McAuley is hoping his Academy team can thrive at the prospect of playing at Anfield for the first time when Liverpool face Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup fourth round on Tuesday night – a match you can listen to online from 7pm GMT.
We have a commentary special for you on this website featuring analysis from former Liverpool striker John Durnin, and extensive highlights from the match on Wednesday.
Liverpool might have won the competition two years on the spin but this is a new team and a new challenge for the class of 2008.
Indeed, out of the 11 that are expected to start against the Gunners, only four have played at Anfield before. Swedish playmaker Astrit Ajdarevic was a regular in last season's victorious team, while leading goalscorer Nathan Eccleston, captain Steven Irwin and centre half Martin Kelly have had substitute appearances in front of the Kop.
The Gunners boast a mix of international talent and a few of their team have already tasted first-team experience. In the last round Arsenal thrashed Burnley 5-1 and one of their star prospects, England Under-17 international Henri Lansbury, scored a hat-trick.
They are managed by former Gunners defender Steve Bould, who was part of the Arsenal team that won the title at Anfield in 1989.
Liverpool also netted five goals in their third round win at Wycombe Wanderers so McAuley is hoping his team can give a good account of themselves.
"Playing at Anfield is an experience in itself whoever you play against, and it's a fantastic chance for our boys," McAuley told Liverpoolfc.tv.
"For most of our team it will be the first time they have played at Anfield and it will be exciting. The fact that we are playing Arsenal is an added bonus.
"We will be looking to Astrit to guide us if you like. He has played at Anfield before and he can help some of the other lads. He can talk to players and he has a cool and calmness about his game that will help everybody on the night.
"Hopefully our boys will be motivated enough and enthusiastic to give a great contribution and show what they can do, and I am sure they will."
Liverpool go into the game in great shape. They didn't play at the weekend because the Manchester City game was postponed and the players are in top physical condition for this encounter.
"We have prepared very thoroughly for the Arsenal game," he said. We've had a chance to work with the players on a few things and they are raring to go.
"We will playing against a typical you might say Arsenal team in the sense they play good football, they pass the ball very well and have got some very exciting young players like Lansbury who can make things happen. He is very similar to David Beckham and in appearance. He will be a threat and is somebody we need to be aware of.
"I saw them comfortably beat Burnley 5-1 and I think this will be a good game. It will also be a good comparison between the two teams because we like to think we can pass the ball well and play a bit ourselves.
"They have four or five players that have played for the Arsenal first team so we know what we are up against. In saying that it's more important that we concentrate on our own game and our own style and give our players a licence to go out there and enjoy it, and hopefully get a good result.
"We want to do well and keep our run going in the FA Youth Cup. Games like this are a great experience which young players need to develop their long term future at the football club.
"We will be playing attacking football and try and score goals, while at the same time stop Arsenal scoring."
Although this is McAuley's first season back at the Academy after a spell of coaching the reserve team at Melwood, he did manage the Liverpool team with Steve Heighway that won our first FA Youth Cup in 1996.
"I remember that very well when we had Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher in the team and that was a very exciting year," he added. "To win the youth cup is a fantastic achievement and we have done great to do that the last couple of years.
"To win it two years in succession is testimony to the staff at the Academy and the hard work that has gone on working with our younger players. A lot of that squad are now at Melwood and part of the reserve squad which is good to see.
"This is a new campaign with a lot of new players and we hope we can do well again because we have a lot of good individual players in this team. Whether or not we can do as well as last years's team only time will tell, but we will be having a go that's for sure."
For many supporters visiting Anfield this will be their first sighting of exciting talents like winger David Amoo and 16-goal Nathan Eccleston. McAuley is certain the Reds faithful will like what they will see.
"David is a very, very quick player who likes to run at defenders and I think the fans will like his open style of play, because he is exciting to watch," he enthused.
"Nathan has been probably our most prolific goalscorer this year. He is an excellent individual player who likes to take people on and make things happen in the penalty area, and hopefully he can show what he's all about in this game. We are certainly hoping so."
Meanwhile, last season's under-18 manager John Owens is hoping McAuley's new team can emulate the success of the past two campaigns and make it three FA Youth Cup titles in a row for Liverpool.
Now academy manager, Owens worked alongside Steve Heighway when they team achieved back to back success in the competition.
"We had a really good squad the past two seasons and people always ask me 'What's the secret of winning the FA Youth Cup? The answer is quite simply having good players," said Owens.
"The nucleus of that team went to Melwood and we have a new group now. We have a lot of good individual players and the question will be can we perform as a team on the night? We certainly hope so and we have confidence that they can.
"I have watched Arsenal and they have got some very good players. They are just like their first team and very good to watch. I remember we played Chelsea last season in the competition and they had a big reputation, but we beat them 2-0 at Anfield.
"Our hope is the Arsenal players don't perform on the night and our lads can click into gear and win the game."
Supporters should note entry to the game will be through the Kop turnstiles with admission £4 for adults and £2 for juveniles (aged 16 or under) and senior citizens.
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Good luck tonight Lads....
All you locals.....get down and support our young lads tonight
