The Hale End Academy of Arsenal may not only have the keys to the success of the Gunners in the long term, but can also be the secret ingredient for England that finally ends 60 years of pain.
The Gunners Academy has long been one of the best in the country and produces players such as Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Tony Adams and Martin Keown for Club and Country.
While more recently Bukayo Saka has become one of the first names on the team schedule for England, and a regular competition for Premier League player of the season.
Now Arsenal cherishes four new gems that could be the future of both England and Arsenal after shining on international duty in the last two weeks.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, Max Dowman and Tommy Setford have the potential to form the spine of an English team that can guide the three lions to their first taste of success since 1966.
Lewis-Skelly became the youngest debutant goalkeeper of England ever last Friday when he came to the end of a cutting Jude Bellingham Pass to put England 1-0 against Albania in the World Cup qualifications.
The 18-year-old was appointed player of the game for his striking performance and received the nod without hesitation by Thomas Tuchel on Monday against Latvia.
Tuchel has already “fallen in love” with the young person from watching him in the training during the course of a week.
While Arsenal -Baas Mikel Arteta has shown his confidence in the teenager by giving him 16 starts for the first team this season – including in matches against Tottenham, Man City and Man Utd.
Many thought that Lewis-Skelly's best partner Ethan Nwaneri might also be called for the first team of England during the international break, but Tuchel chose a risk of the rising star.
Instead, Nwaneri received his first call-up on the U21 side of Lee Carsley, who in the past had already represented England on U16, U17 and U19.
The attacking midfielder, 18, made that opportunity exactly as you would imagine – a goal for his full debut in a victory over Portugal.
It was a familiar face, a wonderful body feint to move the ball on his left pin and a curly effort found the corner.
Arsenal -fans have seen Nwaneri several times this season, in what is something of a trademark movement for the teenager who has eight goals for the first team for the Gunners.
Lee Carsley flowed over the debut goal of the young person and said: “Everyone knows exactly what will happen, but you can't stop.
“He took his goal so well, but what we should continue to remember is that he is 18. It is incredible.”
It is not unreasonable to think that this would have been the first and final goal of Nwaneri for the U21 side of England.
If he continues his shape, Nwaneri could be a mainstay in the first team of England for years – especially given the displeasure of Thomas Tuchel about his current wing players.
You should either live under a rock or be a Tottenham fan to have avoided the conversation about how Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri can be the future of England and Arsenal in recent weeks.
But a little less is said about 15-year-old Max Dowman, the child to be a world beater that is called 'the next kaka'.
Dowman spent the international break with the U17s of England, where he played three games and registered a target contribution in each -including a spectacular solo -run and finished against Noord -Ierland.
Midfield Maestro has already written history by becoming the youngest player who scored in the UEFA Youth League at the age of 14, 8 months and 19 days this season.
While he regularly trains with the first team of Arsenal and even brought to Dubai for the training camp of the Gunners, where he certainly attracted the attention of Declan Rice.
Rice said this week: “Just wait until he hopefully gets into the team, the boys get to see him because he is a special talent.
“Max is the best 15-year-old in the country. I recently had so many lyrics about Max where people watched and said:” Wow, what a talent. “So he is one to pay attention to.”
That waiting will continue, where Dowman is unable to play in the prem of the Gunners because of age restrictions stating that a player must have become 15 August 2024 to play in the competition.
Dowman has already earned a reputation at the level of youth and, just like Jack Wilshere and Jack Grealish, it is often on the receiving side of kicking opposing players who struggle to get close to him.
It seems almost inevitable that Dowman will be part of the Senior Team of England on his current process at some point in his career.
The youth ranks of Arsenal do not stop there either.
Goalkeeper Tommy Setford, who is led by the ranks by the Gunners since a relocation of Ajax in the summer, is another name that could make the figure for England.
Setford, 19, plays with the Young Lions on U16, U17, U18 and now U19 level, where he expanded a series of three consecutive clean sheets for his country against Portugal on Tuesday.
Dutch Shot Stopper even held a clean magazine for the first team of Arsenal earlier this season when he made his debut at only 18 against Preston North End in the Carabao Cup.
England can be set to a spine through their team that has completely come from the Hale End Academy.
Setford in Doel, Lewis-Skelly in Defense, Dowman plays for him in midfield and Nwaneri who offers the attacking threat at the top.
That is of course an ambitious dream that Arsenal fans and academic coaches themselves will tell that it is unlikely that it is unlikely that it will happen soon or not at all.
But with the way the four young stars are currently performing, you certainly cannot exclude it as a possibility.
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