All about development

Tottenham Hotspur 1-3 Arsenal
The FA Youth Cup sponsored by E.ON
Sixth Round Proper
White Hart Lane, Tottenham Hotspur FC
7.45pm, Thursday 5 March 2009
Live on Setanta Sports

Arsenal manager Steve Bould admitted he would not stand in his players' way if the opportunity came in for them to move out on loan, after seeing them come from behind to beat Spurs in The FA Youth Cup Quarter Final at White Hart Lane.

Late goals from captain Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Rhys Murphy clinched the win after Kyle Bartley had cancelled out Jonathan Obika's early opener.

And Bould believes the next step for his youngsters is to gain more experience in order to develop further.

"It's all about development for these players," he said. 

"We were missing Henri Lansbury tonight as he is on loan at Scunthorpe, but if players move it's the right thing to do at this stage.

"But playing at places like this is as good as playing for the first team."

The former Arsenal defender was certainly delighted with the performance his young team delivered on the night.

"It was fabulous," he added. "We said at half-time to keep believing and the chances will happen.

"Once we scored the first, I thought we could go on and win the game and the second goal couldn't have come at a better time."

And Bould added he had no preference who his team meet in the Semi-Final, with the Gunners set to face either Norwich City or holders Manchester City.

"I've got no preference," he added. "Whoever it may be, we will just try to take one day at a time as the old cliché says."

Goals

Tottenham
Obika 5

Arsenal
Bartley 50, Emmanuel-Thomas 89, Murphy 90