Could the introduction of this forgotten gunner be the unpredictability that wins Arsenal the league?
Arsenal have a good chance of winning their next seven games, as many expect them to, but Mikel Arteta needs to change his tactics to add some unpredictability to Arsenal’s game. This ‘something different’ could be him tweaking his line-up. As we mentioned a few days ago, Arteta has to change his starting lineup, and who knows, even one change could get Arsenal back on track. What changes could you make to Arteta’s default lineup?
Personally, I’d reintroduce Emile Smith Rowe to the starting lineup. My call to give Smith Rowe a chance stems from Arteta’s statements during his news conference for the Southampton game.
While addressing the media Arteta on Thursday revealed how Smith-Rowe’s performances in training are slowly convincing him he is ready to help the team, saying via Arsenal.com: “[Smith Rowe] He’s pushing. In football, it’s not about what you’ve done a year or a month ago; it’s about what you do now, what you did yesterday, and what you’re going to do tomorrow. The player has to have that mindset, and the contribution has to be now to the team to make us better and win games. It is there. Very close, yeah.”
We all know how powerful the 22-year-old can be on a good day; during the 2021-22 season, when he had 10 goals in 33 league games, he was “unstoppable”. After witnessing him sparkle last season, it was assumed that this would be his season, but injuries have held him back.
He hasn’t discovered his magic since his return, but Arteta probably hints that he has based on what he’s been seeing at Colney. So if the Arsenal boss believes that unleashing the Hale End graduate is what Arsenal needs to find their winning formula, then why not? In terms of where he plays, I’d start him in place of Xhaka. Thus, the midfield will be with Thomas Partey as the No. 6 and Martin Odegaard and Smith-Rowe as the double No. 8. What are your thoughts if Arteta decides to pursue that route?
Daniel O