Our player feature this week is Anna Patten, a young defender who went on the first team trip to Portugal and Spain and played against FC Bayern.

Name: Patten

First name: Anna

DOB: 20/04/1999

Position: Right-back or Center-back

Squad number: 32

anna
Anna Gerhardt of Germany crosses past Anna Patten of England during the U17 Girls International Friendly match between England and Germany at Bisham Abbey on February 16, 2015 in Marlow, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Anna has just started playing with the first team and is a regular with the Development Team.

She played at right-back for the Arsenal Ladies u17 team and at centre-back for the England u17 team. She was part of the highly successful Arsenal u17 team that completed a League and Cup double last season. She was also part of the the England squad that made it to the u17 World Cup quarter-final in Jordan last year.

A natural full-back with all the technical and physical attributes required, she can certainly challenge Alex Scott for a place in the first team when the new season starts in September.

She can also cover at centre-back, although there are already four options there with Jemma Rose, Leah Williamson, Vyan Sampson and Lotte Wubben-Moy.

Patten made her first team debut in Spain at centre back alongside Jemma Rose.

The small squad size of the Development Team means Anna has also played in midfield this season and all the outfield players are getting games on regular basis. This is crucial for any players development between 18 and 22/2323 and an important step towards the first team.

With Alex Scott near the end of her playing career, there is be a chance to stake a claim for the right-back spot in theĀ  future.