Liverpool FC Forum

by **Owzat** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 10:51 am

I was thinking about the reported youth of Arsenal's side so I decided to compare the ages of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd and Tottenham to find out just how young their teams are and if Arsenal do have an exceptionally young squad

Based on 1st team squads and players likely to be more than fringe players (also keeps it fairly even numbers for fair comparison) All ages are rounded up to the next 1/4 of a year

Average ages

Chelsea - 24 players, average age around 27.5
Man Utd - 23 players, average age around 27
Tottenham - 24 players, average age around 26
Liverpool - 23 players, average age around 26
Arsenal - 22 players, average age around 24.5

By age bracket

U20

Arsenal - 3
Man Utd - 1
Tottenham - 1
Liverpool - 0
Chelsea - 0

20-23

Arsenal - 8
Liverpool - 7
Man Utd - 7
Tottenham - 5
Chelsea - 3

24-29

Chelsea - 16
Tottenham - 14
Liverpool - 14
Man Utd - 10
Arsenal - 7

30+

Chelsea - 5
Man Utd - 5
Arsenal - 4
Tottenham - 4
Liverpool - 2

So 91% of Liverpool players are aged 20-29, 65% of Man Utd players are 24 or older with 22% over 30. 50% of Arsenal players are under 24 while 58% of Tottenham players are aged between 24 and 29.

Between the five teams 35 of the 116 players are under 24 - that is 30% and pretty impressive. The youngest players, all U21, are :

08/10/89 Traore 18 (Arsenal)
16/07/89 Bale 18.25 (Tottenham)
16/03/89 Walcott 18.5 (Arsenal)
13/04/88 Anderson 19.5 (Man Utd)
16/02/88 Denilson 19.75 (Arsenal)
04/05/87 Fabregas 20.5 (Arsenal)
22/04/87 Mikel 20.5 (Chelsea)
16/04/87 Lennon 20.5 (Tottenham)
09/04/87 Song 20.5 (Arsenal)
09/01/87 Lucas 20.75 (Liverpool)
28/12/86 Huddlestone 20.75 (Tottenham)
19/12/86 Babel 20.75 (Liverpool)

Youngest keeper is Fabianski 22.5 (18/04/85) The top five don't have many young CBs, Agger, Senderos (both 22.75) and Kaboul (21.75) are the younger in that position.

And what Liverpool players ages and DOBs are :

DOB Age Player

09/01/87 20.75 Leiva
19/12/86 20.75 Babel
30/08/86 21.25 Leto
22/01/85 22.75 Sissoko
12/12/84 22.75 Agger
08/06/84 23.25 Mascherano
20/03/84 23.50 Torres
17/01/83 24.75 Arbeloa
15/01/83 24.75 Pennant
02/11/82 25.00 Idantje
31/08/82 25.25 Reina
25/11/81 26.00 Xabi Alonso
30/01/81 26.75 Crouch
24/09/80 27.00 Riise
22/07/80 27.25 Kuyt
30/05/80 27.50 Gerrard
05/05/80 27.50 Benayoun
24/09/79 28.00 Aurelio
21/07/79 28.25 Voronin
22/09/78 29.00 Kewell
28/01/78 29.75 Carragher
20/04/76 31.50 Finnan
07/10/73 34.00 Hyypia

Not bad, oldest player is coming up 34, only 2 players over 30 and Rafa is buying in plenty of youngsters not included (the above is more or less the 1st team squad) All the strikers are under 29 although I feel we may be light a CB. Both keepers have plenty left in them with Carson out on loan also young.

Looks pretty good, the majority of this team could be together for a good five years, those that are good enough

by **NiftyNeil** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 11:08 am

Statto! Statto!

Good post that though. It's been clear to see though over the last couple of seasons that Rafa is laying the foundations for the future. He's also thinking outside the box now by bringing in young S Americans. In the past, it was always the continental teams that brought players over and watched them grow into superstars. Hopefully it will be us owning the £20m+ valued players.

by **mungi** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 1:03 pm

yeh stats i good to look at. but whats the point of this? age doesnt necceraily mean skill

by **weringo** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 12:44 am

Alonso is 25 not 23

by **LFC2007** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 2:04 am

Owzat wrote:25/11/84 23.00 Xabi Alonso

That DOB would make him 22, but you say he's 23, but he's actually 25 :Oo:

by **Owzat** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:45 am

mungi wrote:yeh stats i good to look at. but whats the point of this? age doesnt necceraily mean skill

No but those players should all get better. I didn't think many would ask why it is an advantage to have a young squad that also happens to be top of the league. If we had 5 or 10 players over 30 do you think that would be better than now? They'd be experienced but also either be at their peak or past it, these players we have could be the makings of a squad that stays together in the main for five or more years. If we're to restore league dominance, or at least compete for the league over the next five to ten years, we hardly want to be rebuilding the squad during that time because players are old or retiring

Weringo - thanks for noticing, I must have hit the 4 and not the 1 ie Alonso was born in 1981 not 1984. I was in a bit of a hurry to do that before I went to work, had about 20 mins to do 116 players and the internet source was verrrrry slow at times

LFC2007 - if you READ my original post I state all players ages are rounded up to the next 1/4 year ie Alonso will be 26 in less than 1/4 of a year. And as explained to Weringo I miskeyed his DOB.

by **Rafa D** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:49 am

The thing is, this squad we have now if it stuck together could challenge for the next five years easy (minus Sami

)

by **Owzat** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:06 am

Absolutely. Sami might do us a good job for a year or two more but not against quick strikers and so I think we should have replaced him this season. We may not get five years out of Finnan, possibly but not certain. I'd also look at how much Kewell plays this season and if he proves what I believe which is we won't get half a season out of him from now on, then we should sell him. We bought a good player based on what he did at Leeds, sometimes you don't always get what you thought you would be getting and have to move on.

If Rafa next summer makes the squad even younger I won't be too unhappy, that our strikers are all the right side of 30 is good news indeed and if you look at the first team (well what started yesterday)

DOB Age
31/08/82 25.25 Reina
20/04/76 31.50 Finnan
07/10/73 34.00 Hyypia
12/12/84 22.75 Agger
17/01/83 24.75 Arbeloa
15/01/83 24.75 Pennant
08/06/84 23.25 Mascherano
25/11/81 26.00 Xabi Alonso
19/12/86 20.75 Babel
20/03/84 23.50 Torres
22/07/80 27.25 Kuyt

Two over 30, and one only because Carra is injured, and six of the team under 25. We won six nil

by **hello_red** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:51 pm

Stats stats and more stats. Interesting to read that our squad is in a good position age wise and how long the current set up will be around. And Agger was born on the exact same day as me.

by **sworth26** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:16 pm

I think you need to get out more:D

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