From all reports Arsene is set to field the youngest Arsenal ever in tonight’s Carling Cup clash against Sheffield United. Not content with 20-21 year old players in the first team, the Carling Cup team may feature players from 16-19 years, but is Wenger going too far?

Jack Wilshere may not be the youngest Arsenal player tonight

One man who thinks so is Michel Platini, more on that later. I have all the confidence in Wenger and his judgement as more often than not he is right, but there are occasions when he has got it spectacularly wrong. Tonight may be one of those occasions.

Put yourself in the position of Sheffield United, you would be making every effort to beat those children. Yes they are good, some of these Arsenal players are exceptional talents, some even good enough to feature in the first team. The fact is they are young and with this youth can come frailties, I sincerely hope that those frailties are not exposed on the pitch tonight.

I expect Sheffield United to be physical and use their strength against us, Wenger needs to prepare the team for this and not let the rough treatment get to them. I am sure the team club’s sport psychologists will include this in the team pre-match prep.

The Telegraph reports on a leaked team meeting document. The memo was handed out to the team before the Bolton match. The players obviously paid attention to the memo as the team ethic displayed was exactly what the memo called for.

Here’s the document text.

Confidential

Team meeting 19th September 2008

The Team:

A team is as strong as the relationships within it.

The driving force of a team is its member’s ability to create and maintain excellent relationships within the team that can add an extra dimension and robustness to the team dynamic.

This attitude can be used by our team to focus on the gratitude and the vitally important benefits that the team brings to our own lives. It can be used to strengthen and deepen the relationships within it and maximise the opportunities that await a strong and united team.

Our team becomes stronger by:

Displaying a positive attitude on and off the pitch

Everyone making the right decisions for the team

Have an unshakeable belief that we can achieve our target

Believe in the strength of the team

Always want more – always give more

Michel Platini has launched a scathing attack on Arsene Wenger and his policies. Youngguns reports on the interview, which is due to be published in Le Dauphiné on Thursday. The French newspaper Le Monde has excerpts from the interview.

I don’t know what exactly is Platini’s problem with Wenger, but it seems to me that far from belittling Wenger’s philosophy, he should encouraging the development and confidence that Arsene has showed he has in young players. It is sad to see that the great Michel Platini has become such a bitter old politician.

I will be at the Emirates tonight giving my full support to the young guns, I will be disappointed if we don’t win, but not surprised. What about you?