Emile Smith Rowe was bold enough to ask for the No.10 shirt when he signed his latest Arsenal deal.
The midfielder was inheriting an iconic number at several clubs and one that a top player like Mesut Ozil had vacated.
For someone who had just broken into the Arsenal first team, it was a bold decision. Understandably, several fans didn’t initially think it was a good idea.
Are you one of those fans who was against handing him the shirt number? What do you make of him now?
These are the early days of Smith Rowe’s career, but the midfielder has already shown that he is more than capable of holding his own at the club.
His current form makes him hard to drop for Mikel Arteta and the more games he plays, the better he would become.
Smith Rowe has been worth watching with the No. 10 shirt on his back and with time he could perform better than people who have worn that shirt before him like Ozil.
The Englishman has played 11 matches in this campaign and he has chipped in with 3 goals and 2 assists in all competitions.
If he keeps his form, he could start battling for the No. 10 shirt in the senior England national team soon as well.
An article from Ime
I knew this young lad would be a superstar when I saw him score that screamer in a pre-season friendly in Singapore what must have been three years ago. When Saka broke through, I was screaming for Smith Rowe to be given his chance. I’d like to know where the doubters came from? ESR will be a better number 10 than Ozil.
“Will be a better number 10”?
He has been for ages already!
Mind you its not difficult to be better than any player who refuses to work hard and throws fake sickies when he does not fancy getting out of bed!
ESR has class both on and off the pitch. Ozil had idleitis 24/7 and for almost all his time here.
Another English hope, in a league dominated by foreigners. ESR reminds me of Aaron Ramsey. Hard working + enthusiastic but actually somewhat clumsy. At 16 Jack Wilshere was going be the next Messi but an injury ravaged career sees him virtually forgotten. Saka was the next big thing till he missed “that” penalty. Ben Foden is also the next Messi but playing for the worlds best club team and the worlds number one ranked National side Foden has never been tested till last night when he fluffed his lines. Joe Willock starred with 7 goals in a row on loan at Newcastle and was sold. The same JW has failed to score this term. Martinelli was the most promising striker in Europe 2 seasons back and was valued at 50m. Now he struggles to get on the pitch. Killing players careers with over the top hype is not new in fact it’s one of the most popular narratives of football. I keep my expectations for ESR and Saka quite low. Promising lads who if they can be consistent could be come valuable cogs in a wheel. Anything else is a bonus.
@fairfan
Once more with feeling, RealTalk right here…
The kid hasn’t done anything yet. So save the lap dances for when he has…
It is the player who gives shirt number meaning not the other way around. There was nothing special about 14 but the great Thierry made it special.
Well said HH and to be perfectly honest, I can’t remember anyone not wanting ESR to have the shirt number, although there obviously were.
I do remember those of us criticising MA for not having a player like ESR in the team, calling for his inclusion…. and it really didn’t matter what number he wore.
I was wondering the same, don’t remember anyone being upset with ESR taking the 10. Some questioned if his game time would be stifled if we signed Ode (absurd idea but it happened.)
As to criticising his inclusion when? This is one of those myths that simply didn’t happen or at least more accurately the reality of what actually happened has been deeply twisted in most peoples memories. With them turning what was a 6 day period into this massive long event of Arteta benching him.
He was eased back from a long term injury. Arteta although I guess you could argue Ljungberg literally handed him his Prem debut in Artetas 1st game before he went on loan to Huddersfield as well.
25th Nov came off the bench for his 1st minutes back from injury vs Molde, 5th Dec came off the bench for his 2nd minutes back from injury vs Rapid Wien and scored, 10th Dec started his 1st game back from injury vs Dundalk and got an assist and finally 26th Dec started his 2nd game of the season and 2nd ever in the league vs Chelsea getting an assist.
He scored 1 and assisted 1 in the Europa prior to that from 1 start and 2 sub appearances. This narrative of Arteta benching him for some length of time is untrue. He was on the bench in the prem twice after his first start all season back from injury once unused 3 days later on the 13th and again unused 6 days after that on 19th having been left out the squad for the game on the 16th. I guess technically there was 3 games between his 1st start back from injury in the Europa and his 1st 1st team start. The 1st of those 3 games however was 3 days after his 1st start and the 3 games themselves were 6 days apart. So in all Arteta didn’t hand him his prem start for those 6 days in the prem after his only start of the season in the Europa 9 days before that final unused game all coming back from a long injury. Shocking stuff. Your not wrong people complained he didn’t start earlier but think this write up gives a little insight in to how absurd it was people did complain. That was it, that is what people refer to when claiming Arteta overlooked him those 6 days in December, funny really. The man who of course refused to send him on loan that season, didn’t register Ozil in the squad at all and gave him his 1st prem start (certainly his 2nd.) 🙂
Don’t know why but messed up the 1st two europa dates it was was the 26th Nov for Molde and 3rd Dec for Rapid Wien. Doesn’t really change anything but still.
👍 👍
I honestly don’t know a single fan who was against this, what’s the point?
How about we all just watch Emile Smith – Rowe’s development, without putting undue pressure on his young shoulders and supporting him when things aren’t going that well.