Ainsley Maitland-Niles is currently a youth product on Arsenal’s books, who after spending a year on loan in the Championship, has managed to grab his chance of being offered a role in the Arsenal first team. Many fans wouldn’t have expected Maitland-Niles to be given the role he is currently occupying in Arsene Wenger’s plans, but his presence in the squad is promising for his talent nevertheless.
Maitland-Niles is predominately a winger and has played on the wing as a number seven for the majority of his youth career at Arsenal. A regular feature for the Gunners youth sides, Maitland-Niles got a loan to Championship side Ipswich, where despite a lack in statistical proof (ie. Goals and assists), Maitland-Niles did actually impress and he has returned to Arsenal very much in Arsene Wenger’s plans.
Many fans were left surprised to see Maitland-Niles present in the starting line up against Nottingham Forest last week in the EFL cup match. The majority had been expecting Mathieu Debuchy to line up as the second choice right back, but instead Wenger gave Maitland-Niles a chance to shine in the position and he was absolutely fantastic on his starting debut for the club.
Now as a matter of rewarding him for that performance, Wenger has named Maitland-Niles in the squad to face Basel, which could be an opportunity for the Englishman to show what he is capable of once again. It is however expected that he is likely to take up a position on the bench.
It was only yesterday that Carl Jenkinson, who I assume to be Arsenal’s actual second choice right back behind Bellerin, instead of Debuchy, had returned to training. Although this game was obviously far too early for Jenkinson to make his return after missing most of 2016, it seems as if Maitland-Niles has left a lasting impression on Wenger and an impression that Le Prof would like to experiment with again.
Will we see Maitland-Niles in the line-up tonight?
By AH
Hope so…
Good one for him.
Basel ain’t push overs. I know the players and manager knows. Let’s not allow complacency set in.
I’m all for the youngsters getting experience in the first team in the league cup and Fa cup games but not at this stage of the champions league. Maybe in the last group stage game if we have already guaranteed qualification to the knock out stage but definitely not in tonights game.
I hope that Wenger doesn’t rest too many of our key players against Basel, Especially in defence.
It seems as if Wenger has promised Ospina the Champions league games and I’m sure that everyone is okay with that.
But for example, it could be very costly if Wenger starts with Niles, Holding and Gibbs in defence tonight and I just hope that he puts out a reasonable strong team because Basel have a very good record Playing in England, I don’t think that they have ever lost a game in these shores? ? Chelsea, Man United, Liverpool and the Spuds.
Good winger. Am loving the fact that Wenger is converting wingers into fullbacks. To play as a winger for Arsenal you need to be of the highest quality. Iwobi and Jeff will be of that quality in future.
For the others like Bellerin and MAITLAND WHO COULD NOT BE WORLDCLASS WINGERs converting them into fullbacks is a wonderful idea.
Isn’t there any good left winger in the Under 21 that we could start converting to a Left back like we did for Gibbs?
Gibbs is a solid premier league left back and we are lucky to have him and Nacho. he came in against Chelsea and he just fitted in straight away like and arsenal player.
That’s because he is an Arsenal player! Lol.?
What? ?