4 Arsenal u21s held back for first-team & miss Birmingham draw
Ahead of Arsenal’s u21 game against Birmingham City in the early hours of Friday afternoon, the key talking point was the absence of a few key starters.
Defenders Jaden Dixon, Marli Salmon, and Marcell Washington were all left out, presumably with a view to involvement in first-team training and potentially Arsenal’s Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. Max Dowman also remains with the senior side.
With the players remaining, Arsenal certainly had the best chances of the first half, with Andre Harriman-Annous hitting the post after good work from Ife Ibrahim, who was back in the u21 team after his midweek first-team appearance in the League Cup.
Harriman-Annous had a couple of other efforts saved in the first 45 minutes, and Birmingham City were lucky a late deflected effort from Ceadach O’Neill didn’t go in and wasn’t subsequently converted by Josh Ogunnaike on the rebound.
But the two teams went in at 0-0 at half-time, with the hosts grateful to goalkeeper Tyrese Warmington.
The second half continued in much the same way, with Arsenal having more chances to take the lead but Warmington continuing to deny them.
Substitute Evan Mooney found himself through on goal at one stage, but his shot was smothered. Mooney picked up the rebound and laid it off for Maalik Hashi to shoot from the edge of the area, but Warmington had managed to get back into position for another save.
Birmingham City did have some shots of their own, but they were largely from distance and off target. Arsenal goalkeeper Khari Ranson wasn’t nearly as busy as his opposite number.
Summer signing Igor Tyjon perhaps should have won the game late in injury time, but as his shot went wide, the match finished goalless.
Ranson, Hamill, Clarke, Upson, Ogunnaike, Ibrahim, Hashi, Julienne, O’Neill, Harriman-Annous, Scanlon
Mbala (for Hamill, 46), Mooney (for Scanlon, 59), Stevens (for O’Neill, 59), Tyjon (for Julienne, 59), Agustien (for Hashi, 72), Porter, Nwaneri