I’m shocked that different gossip columns say that Arsenal are willing to let Emile Smith-Rowe leave for Chelsea. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
There may be some truth to these speculations. Even so, I would expect many Gooners to be against the club letting the 23-year-old leave.
If you followed the Hale End Graduate over the summer, you would see how hungry he was to return to his best. He was on a personal training programme for a while after the end of the season. He went on to impress in the Euros U-21’s, instrumental in England winning it.
After that, he didn’t take the long-deserved summer vacation he had earned; he immediately opted to link up with Arsenal in their US pre-season. Many felt that he had found his mojo and would finally get back to his best. However, three games into the season, Arteta has yet to utilise him as many hoped he would, in fact he’s treated him like a fringe player.
Which begs the question: if Havertz, who’s struggling to play as a left-sided No. 8, can be afforded that much game time, why can’t Smith Rowe be tried out in that role? The No. 8 role Havertz is playing is there for the taking, and what stops Smith Rowe from taking it?
Admissions from Jamie Carragher and Smith Rowe are what every Gooner needs to listen to (or read) to understand that letting the utility man (who can play in the wings and midfield) leave is a transfer blunder.
Carragher admitted in 2021 that the Hale End graduate is a natural and noted he needs to add goals to his game to be at his best, as he said as per Football London, “I mentioned his lack of goals at this moment, and that’s the only thing he needs in his game.
“He’s been outstanding again, indeed, that first half. When he gets on his bike, you’re not catching him. He’s as quick with the ball as he is without it. He gets a little bit of fortune, no doubt, that deflection off [Tyrone] Mings. He’s fantastic when he runs with the ball; he’s never out of control, and he gets that little bit of luck we all need at times.
“Just wrong-foots the goalkeeper. His fourth Premier League goal, and if he adds that to his game, we have got a star. He’s as good as anyone in the league when he’s running with the ball.
“He can use both feet; he never looks like he’s out of control; and the pace at which he can actually run with the ball at his feet—we have so many special players in this country, especially in attacking areas. We have an abundance of talent, and Smith Rowe is one of them.”
On the other hand, Smith-Rowe admitted he’s been a Gooner through and through and even notes Chelsea rejected him, so why should he join them?
“I grew up in an area that should be more Crystal Palace than anything else, but I was an Arsenal fan,” Smith Rowe said in an interview with the Daily Mail in March 2021. “I trialled at Chelsea and didn’t get in. Something about me not being big enough, I’ve heard!”
Why would Arsenal let a true Gooner sit and rot on the bench
Its not about true gunner as we have all seen the case of Wilshere. It’s about what is best for players and club. At current scenario its best for ESR to leave and best for Arsenal to sell when he has still got sale value. No club is going to fork 30-40 mil for ESR, the amount which seemed tribal 1 year ago. So to sell hom to Chelsea seems reasonable as he wont make us weak or make Chelsea stronger. Do the business when offer comes.
He won’t make Chelsea better same as kane when he joined poch
👍Great business by Chelsea; sell Havertz to Arsenal for £65 million and buy ESR for £30-£40 million. What a joke on Arsenal.
The reason Arsenal will sell ESR is because he has asked for a transfer due to Arteta preferring Havertz over him.
OZ Except that what you outline has NOT happened and will NOT happen, at least not with ESR.
I expect panic and hysteria from our younger fans , not from such as you . A disappointing post to read from a fan whom I HAVE ALWAYS RESPECTED as being sensible.
What has changed and why have you changed ?
He will come alive again, a loan deal is the best option and a particular type club, at the moment Aston Villa with the Spaniard at the elm is perfect.
I am very disappointed we have not seen more of ESR to sell him to a direct rival would be a bad mistake. Didn’t the manager say ESR is a fantastic player? Why not play him when he is a fantastic player and why sell him to a direct rival?
Sure, Viera had a good cameo against Fulham, but ESR has given us many more great performances than just 30 minutes.
@John
In case you didn’t get the memo, Arteta is a liar through and through. Right after declaring Tierney is in our season’s plans, he immediately shipped him out on loan to Real Sociedad. I trust nothing that comes out of that man’s mouth.
Arteta has his favourites and unfortunately for Smith-Rowe, he isn’t one of them. From that game he was subbed in and subbed out in the same match after only a few minutes I knew it was over for him. I would hate to see Smith-Rowe leave but I don’t think he will get any game time if he stays especially with Havertz and a rejuvenated Fabio Viera competing for the same role. After how Arteta handled Guendouzi, I think we all know he does not give second chances once he decides he hates you. Even Gabriel Magalhaes should probably leave and join Real Madrid if he can. Tierney saved himself, so can Smith-Rowe!
ESR is better than Havertz. He has more of everything except height. He has never let us down whilst playing and fits into Arsenal ‘style’ football. He loves the club. He is an England quality player and helped England, big time, win the U21 Word Cup.
WTF!
Madness sheer madness and the coaches rational based on sheer wishful thinking.
Arteta would sell the whole team if need be to accommodate Havs. Gabs on the bench, ESR moving, TP as RB, Saka and Martinelli stranded upfront, what a waste of pure talent. We needed to strengthen the bench but we weakened the first team. Next who?
Smith Rowe and his connection should ask for a seasons long loan to Aston Villa, he could return in phase 5 as a monster in midfield.
I always laugh when i hear this phase 1, 2, 3,4 ,5 10. .lol . If after 3 seasons you cant win a throphy , you should be branded a failure but what do i know . Our rebuild is seeing us let our best players out for peanuts while we still have dry dead bones in the team .
Can anyone name a player Arteta has brought from the academy . As big as mancity squad is Rico lewis and Palmer get playing time.
Arteta seems to have let one good season go right to his head. It took Wenger a decade before he became obsessed with the idea he could fit square pegs in round holes and that he could take any turd and polish them into a diamond. Unfortunately, neither was true. Yet Arteta is already at it after just three full seasons. My jaw dropped when the club spent £65 million on a player who’s never shown anything like that kind of potential. Chelsea’s boardroom must have seen, yet again thanks to Arsenal, the sight of every board member dancing a jig on the boardroom table after that offer dropped… Doubtless, if the club let Smith-Roe go in the opposite direction they’ll up on that table again. It’s a move that makes no sense. Buy in hapless Havertz and let Smith-Roe go to Chelsea? Keep playing players out of position and allow the team to struggle while better players languish on the bench or leave on loan? The hallmarks of hubris or someone who’s just lost the plot? Unfortunately one of our old nemesises is likely to supply the answer, and one won’t like.
I guess that it’s a sign of the times we’re living in.nowadays,it doesn’t take much for a player,manager..to be elevated to the levels of a legend,a generational talent,world class..!
Yet more juvenile panic over a proven falseESR rumour! Where are the grown ups on JA? Are they all on holiday!
Such a dreary panic ridden thread to read, with post after post of panic and hysteria ove rsomething that was only everyet another of the regular false rumours.
At least wait to see if rumours come true before panicking, you kids,and you are of all ages, sadly.
Arsenal have confirmed they are happy for EMR to leave, but want a full transfer not a loan. You may think that’s ‘good news’, but us ‘Juveniles’ think it’s bad news him possibly leaving wherever he goes. Going on the level of hysteria in that post, one suspects you’re one of the people Dan was referring to.
John Smith you are right about square pegs in round holes. The difference is Wenger had to try it out of necessity as funds were limited. Arteta does not have that excuse which could ultimately become his downfall. He exceeded expectations last season and got the majority of us excited, what we have seen so far this season is taking us back to the frustration of the last 10 years of the Wenger era. Hopefully Arteta catches on fast and swallows a bit of humble pie and select players who have proven there worth to the Club.
I don’t question ESR abilities as a footballer,however when he signed his new contract and given the number 10 shirt.i remember thinking/feeling (especially the timing and where we were as a team)that it was more a club thing/PR than a football decision pushed by Arteta .then again,it could have been both!!
ESR is far better than Vieira and Havertz, and equal to Odegaard. 10 goals in one season. No penalities. Loads of assist. The guy is a genious, and a fighter.
Havertz have no club heart, no fighting sprit and he’s not good enough with or without the ball.
ESR should be in the starting 11. End of story
Ji
100% agree
If I were Smith Rowe, Nelson and Meghales I will hand in transfer request and leave arsenal for Arteta. I have said severally that is systematically shipping out those players he considered not his through ignoring them from match day squad. I know some may argued and refer to Saka as a player he never bought yet, he is playing him. I want to assure those that hold this opinion to wait until he gets Saka’s back up and see what will happen.
Get me right. There’s nothing wrong in a coach getting his players. But not sacrificing good players to mediocers in the name of ” my players”.
Can anyone explain to me why ESR in on £40k per week and Reiss-Nelson is earning £100k? Could this be one of the reasons, if the rumours are correct? Oh! and Gabriel Magalhaes is on £50k and Saliba earns £190k pw. I hope that the rumours are just rumours and they both stay.
This is evil. If ESR, a true gunner, joins Chelski, then I am not a gunner any more. The guy 10 goals the season before the last, and he’s a gunner at heart and a joy to watch!
Arteta OUT Now!
We leave Smith Rowe at Arsenal , we give him a chance to fight for the number at the club.