Emile Smith Rowe has been urged to maintain his level of performance and get better after the Gunners signed Martin Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid.
Before Smith Rowe emerged as an important player for the club in December, the Gunners had been struggling with creativity.
The Englishman helped them get better, but they always planned to land another number 10 this month.
They couldn’t pass up the chance to land Odegaard when he became available, and Smith Rowe’s fine start to his Arsenal career could be hampered now.
There is the possibility that Mikel Arteta will bench the Arsenal teenager and field the more glamorous Odegaard.
However, Jamie Redknapp has urged him not to fear, but to maintain the standards he has been producing at the club.
He admitted that Smith Rowe would be worried about the position that Arteta would play him now, but he has done a good job so far, and should just focus on taking his chances when they come.
He told the Pitch to Post Preview Podcast: ‘Emile Smith Rowe has come in and been a revelation. They needed someone to light the flame, give them that spark.
‘I remember at Liverpool when Graeme Souness gave myself, Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler our debuts we had no fear. The senior players were more nervous, a bit consumed by fear.
‘I felt that as I got older but when you’re a young player you don’t care, you just want to play.
‘For Emile Smith Rowe this is the dream. He’s an academy boy and you can see he’s doing a great job, the fans love him.
‘I hope with Odegaard coming into the club, that doesn’t stop him being instrumental in what they’re doing.
‘The hardest thing for him will be – and I’m sure he knows this – where he plays is a position where you’re always looking for the best in the world or players in that position to be a No 10 or wide man. He’s competing with some of the best.
‘So he’s going to have to always maintain these standards he’s producing right now.
‘But I’ve been so impressed with him, I love his work ethic, I love the way he runs with the ball, he’s been a breath of fresh air for this team, exactly when they needed it.’
It’ll be interesting to see whose spot Odegaard takes in the match day squad tomorrow…
Even if – which may well happen – ESR is benched tomorrow, he has nothing to worry about as he is developing into a fine player with an excellent workrate and quite soon I hope both he and Odegaard are in the team together.
If that means getting XHAKA out, so much the better. And the ball will then move far more quickly if that happens, please God! Or should that be, please MA!
Xhaka, our Vice Captain, is going nowhere mate. Watch him score a 60 yard screamer tomorrow to win us the game 😉
true talk
I’d love to see Xhaka take the handbrake off and shoot more, provided he hits the target.
@twig. My thumb is up for your comment on Xaka. I have been saying that he is integral in our team at the moment, but some know-all fans keep condemning him.
Players should be based on current form and Xhaka, along side Partey, has been performing well.
I trust Smith Rowe irrespective of whoever comes in will still perform. That Kid has got it!