Emile Smith Rowe’s summer fitness campaign is going according to plan. A few weeks ago, it was noted that he was so determined to be in his best shape ahead of next season that he’d even hired a personal coach, Sean O’Shea, who’s also worked with Luke Shaw and Virgil Van Dijk in the past, to guide him on a personal training schedule to get him on track.
Following O’Shea’s training, the Gunner was to continue his resurgence project in the UEFA Euro U21 Tournament, where he had the chance to represent England. The hope was that the Arsenal playmaker would re-find himself, and fortunately, there’s every hint that he has done so.
In two games in the Euro U21, the Arsenal No. 10 has managed two goals. One might look at the form the Englishman is in and get the feeling that we are starting to get a glimpse of the real Smith-Rowe, who managed ten goals and two assists in the 2021–22 PL season.
Unfortunately, we didn’t see the 22-year-old thrive last season, with injuries and a lack of match fitness holding him back. There was talk that he could be sold this summer, but those speculations have since cooled.
The feeling is that the Hale End Graduate will stay at the Emirates and fight for his spot in Arteta’s line-up. And if it necessitates him fighting, Smith Rowe says that’s what he’ll do, as he wants to return to Arsenal as a Euro U-21 Champion and have all the motivation to fight for a starting spot next season.
He, as per BBC admitted, “[It was] definitely a tough season for myself, [with] injuries and stuff and then not quite getting back into the team. So, coming here with England has been great for me to get minutes and get some goals. I’m really happy at the moment.
“My main target right now is to get back into the Arsenal team, but obviously first we want to win this tournament. Hopefully, I can have a long future and get more England caps and make sure I’m fit for every game, and play as many minutes as I can.”
If there’s one Gunner to watch next season, it could be Smith-Rowe; he has a case to prove next season.
Sam P
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
Surely this got to be a massive year for the kid at Arsenal and by extension his career.
Smith Rowe is back scoring goals for fun , this time the gaffer will make no mistake on unleashing this kid that have shown so much.
With Havertz and Rice likely signing, where do you see him getting decent game time?
No the League cup isn’t decent game time, the FA Cup yes but not nearly enough games.
Now that ESR seems back to REAL and FULL fitness, it is impossible to imagine he will not stay here and pay a key role in our title challenge and in CL this coming season. I have no doubts he will prove one of our top players.
I THINK HE WILL HAVE A LONG CAREER HERE TOO.
Really admire ESR and Arteta would a complete idiot to let him go ( to fund Soggy Rice, maybe??). Time to see him step up to the plate in midfield where he belongs!
“Soggy Rice”? Or soggy comment, as I suggest yours is ? Not your sensible bit about ESR, but about Rice, which is immature and unthinking.
I suspect ESR will compete with Martinelli for the LW position ,at least at the beginning of the season, and hopefully Arteta will use them both to avoid one or other being overplayed which was the case with Saka and Martinelli last season.With the arrival of Havertz, Arteta will have plenty of options up front and it will be interesting to see how he deploys his forces from game to game.A number of players are bound to be moved on, but the injury to Tomi, will preclude him from being one of them.
We need quality in our squad depth and ESR is a welcome addition.Last season was a lesson to MA.I see him rotate his team enough times.
With the competitions we have even before injuries and suspensions,ESR will have enough minutes to impress.
That’s one area that he excels over Havertz his shooting. Havertz will play the left 8 ala D Bruyne, he’ll need to practice his shooting though as Odegaard did last season to excellent effect. Rowe will have to bide his time but you do get a feeling that he could play very well in an attacking midfield role
ESR is such an intelligent player. He understands movement and space. His beautiful goal against Israel U21’s was football as Art. How lucky we are to have him.