Arsenal have moved to secure the services of three of the club’s most promising Under 16′s this week by offering them scholarship terms three months early.

Zach Fagan, Anthony Jeffrey and Isaac Hayden have all been offered deals while German Under 16 midfielder Serge Gnabry will sign scholarship forms when he completes his move from Stuttgart in July. The three are as yet the only youngsters who have had their futures secured, while a selection of others have had a decision put on hold.

Those who are waiting on that important call include goalkeeper Billy Duval, plus midfielders Jamal Wiseman, Alfred Martin and Jordan Palmer-Samuels. However, some have already been tolod they are feel to leave. Timothy Monsheju and Lewis Kinsella are just two of those, with the latter featuring for Chelsea’s Under 18′s this morning.

Arsenal announced 13 new scholars last year, but it seems certain the number of those getting signed this year will be dramatically less.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hailed match-winner Alex Song after the dramatic 1-0 win over West Ham.

The Gunners left it till the 88th minute against their London opponents at the Emirates Stadium, after Avram Grant's men had battled valiantly in defence.

Song latched on to a Gael Clichy cross to nod past the excellent Rob Green and make it two goals in two league games.

Wenger told Sky Sports: "He is amazing because he came as a centre-back, becomes a defensive midfielder and now he plays like a striker.

"He has added something to his game. He has good timing to get into the box because in the first half he had two good chances, one on his right foot and one header as well.

"When you get two or three chances in the game as a defensive midfielder that means you have good timing.

"(It was a) fantastic piece of play and Clichy has improved a lot going forward. He is calmer and has a good right foot now as well."

West Ham remain bottom of the Premier League after the defeat but Wenger admits his side were in a real battle.
Battle

"It was a battle. It was a battle where on our side we needed to be patient, intelligent and sometimes a bit lucky," he added.

"West Ham defended well. Their keeper as always has a great game against us and at the end of the day our keep-going spirit got us through.

"We didn't make mistakes at the back, we kept a clean sheet and in this kind of game this is the most important."

On the Hammers' plight, he remarked: "You would never guess (they were bottom of the league) if you saw them play today.

"If they keep that spirit and keep going like they did today they will never remain there, they will push up very quickly."

The Gunners now travel to Ukraine to face Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday and Wenger hopes the team can earn qualification to the next stage of the competition.

"We will see a different Shakhtar Donetsk to what we have seen because they will have felt humiliated here and will want to put much more dynamic into their game," he said.

"But there is a good opportunity to qualify and guarantee top of the group. It's a great opportunity for us and we go there trying to win the game."

Fabianski :  8/10 (Mr safe hands, 2nd clean sheet in a row. Was very posivitve today. punched well and made 2 decent saves.

Sagna : 6.5/10 ( Decent game, played the pacey Obinna well, but wasteful with his final ball into the box.Eboue gives us more and should start at home vs this type of team who play 4-5-1
Koscielny : 7.5/10 ( Back in the starting 11 and played very well. Showed decent pace)
Squillaci : 7.0/10 ( Just gets on with his job, nothing flash about him. Solid)
Clichy : 9.0/10 ( *MOTM – GREAT run and cross for the match winner, His best game in a very long time)
Fabregas : 7.0/10 ( Not his best game, Green made a very good save in the first half to stop Cesc. But his passing was off today)
Nasri : 7.5/10 ( VERY unlucky not to score with a 30yd freekick that hit the bar. Picked his passes well and always looked dangerous)
Denilson : 6.0/10 (Sloppy with his passing, doesnt have the class conpared to Wilshere)
A Song : 8.0/10 (Booked again, Wasesnt having a great game but popped up in the box to head home Clichys cross. Won us the game)
Arshavin : 5.5/10 (Starting to worry me, His current run has been very poor. Walcott,Rosicky or Vela need to start ahead of him on this show)
Chamakh : 5.5/10 ( Was he even playing? Cant recall anything possitive he did during the game, Never looked like scoring, Poor show, Didnt get anything out of Da Costa )

Substitutes
Eboue : N/A
Walcott : 7.5/10  ( Changed the game for us, We went more direct and he almost scored by hit the inside of the post)
Bendtner : 6.0/10 ( Looked more dangeros then Chamakh)