While the German is obviously talented enough to think about making the step up into the first-team UEFA regulations have made his inclusion in the Champions League squad difficult. So the League Cup game with Bradford looks likely to be the next time we see him in action.
Thomas Eisfeld is fast emerging as one of the top talents in the Arsenal youth team. The former Borussia Dortmund midfielder was considered a gamble when Wenger signed off on a six-figure sum to bring him to North London in January.
He had struggled with injuries during his time in Germany but Arsenal scouts spotted the potential in the 19-year-old and despite not yet making a Premier League appearance the playmaker has made an impression for the under-21’s, on the pre-season tour of Asia and during a cameo in the 7-5 win at Reading in the League Cup.
Compared by some to current Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky and others to former legend Freddie Ljungberg I prefer to think of him as an amalgamation of both with a little hint of Cesc Fabregas thrown in for good measure. The end product is obviously a highly talented footballer.
At the moment getting game time in the Arsenal team is obviously difficult with swathes of competition ahead of him in the current pecking order. However a League Cup quarter-final tie with Bradford City on December 11th gives him a genuine chance of first team action.
It has also been mooted that he could feature in a youthful side against Olympiakos in the final group game of the Champions League as The Gunners have already sealed their place in the final 16.
It would of course be brilliant for him to feature in the competition but unfortunately it will not happen.
Unfortunately Thomas Eisfeld was not registered with the Champions League squad at the start of the season.
Now before all the ‘Wenger-haters’ out there grab their pitchforks this was not due to a lack of foresight from the French master but rather due to UEFA rules ruining everyone’s fun once again.
For the Champions League teams can register both an ‘A’ and ‘B’ squad. The ‘A’ squad is 25 names long and must contain a minimum of eight players who trained in the same country as the representative club for three years prior to turning 21.
Arsenal’s looks like this:
Goalkeepers: 1. Wojciech Szczesny, 21. Lukas Fabianski, 24. Vito Mannone
Defenders: 3. Bacary Sagna, 4. Per Mertesacker, 5. Thomas Vermaelen, 6. Laurent Koscielny, 11. Andre Santos, 18. Seb Squillaci, 20. Johan Djourou, 25. Carl Jenkinson, 28. Kieran Gibbs
Midfielders: 2. Abou Diaby, 7. Tomas Rosicky, 8. Mikel Arteta, 15. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 16. Aaron Ramsey, 19. Santi Cazorla, 23. Andrey Arshavin, 47, Serge Gnabry
Forwards: 9. Lukas Podolski, 12. Olivier Giroud, 14. Theo Walcott, 27. Gervinho,29. Marouane Chamakh
No Eisfeld in sight. Therefore you would expect him to be in the ‘B’ squad. The ‘B’ squad is exclusively for players 21 or under so you would think he is a prime candidate for inclusion. However UEFA also states that all players in the ‘B’ list, of which you can name unlimited amounts of players, must have been at the club for two years without interruption.
Considering Eisfeld only signed for Arsenal in January it makes him ineligible for inclusion on the ‘B’ list along with the likes of Damian Martinez, Jon Toral, Kristoffer Olsson and Hector Bellerin who all signed in the summer of 2011.
Basically as Eisfeld was not included in the ‘A’ list he was ineligible for the ‘B’ list.
Which is a shame as it would have been great to see him in Champions League action.
Should Eisfeld be on the ‘A’ list instead of Serge Gnabry who is also ineligible for the ‘B’ list?
image: © wonker
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
