Ainsley Maitland-Niles: Yutility

[Tir Na Nog]

Don't get the reactions on here, don't think he's been playing well at all. Offers next to nothing in possession, let alone attacking areas, and only gets by because of his engine and rounded skill set that gets him maybe one good tackle per game in defensive areas. Will never be a RB or RWB. Should we praise him for the effort? That I can understand, but it is ridiculous that the first team of Arsenal FC only has one competent RB.

His performance in the second half vs United especially up against Martial was pretty good defensively and he did score the goal on Thursday but other than that I agree. There's nothing truly exceptional about his performances. When we move back to a back 4 there's absolutely no way in hell he should be playing at RB, perhaps at wing-back you get away with a bit more.

It's obvious that Emery's long term vision is in a 4-2-3-1 formation but is being forced to play a different formation due to a lack of competent full-backs currently. Our first choice wing-backs cannot play as full-backs. However as we progress we really need proper full-backs. So if there rumours about Wan Bissaka are true then I'd be totally supportive of using AMN as part of the deal. There's no future for him once we go back to 4-2-3-1. We won't be playing with wing-backs, he can't play RB and there's no way in hell he'll be chosen ahead of Xhaka, Guendouzi or Torreira as a midfielder. He'd end up just being a utility play way down the pecking order, which he'd fall further down as we improve the squad.

 

[Impact]

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is part of a new generation of Arsenal academy products with the tactical, technical and physical ability to play (to a good standard) in multiple positions.

Unless we are talking about exceptional talents, at the elite level, I still agree with Wenger's point that you have a player at 23.

Remember he is still only 21. Right now, there is a gap at right-back. AMN can play there. AMN needs games. We have a relatively small budget for a club of our size and a high potential prospect (Vontae Daley-Campbell) in the academy who is not quite ready for the step up. Makes all the sense in the world for Ainsley to continue his development with games at RB/RWB.

As time progresses and the squad is built, he can move into one of his more natural positions further forward. Understanding the position will only help his development even if he ultimately moves into the middle or the right-wing. As a midfielder, he will better know the places to cover when shuttling across and as a winger, the places to support his full back defensively.

 

[tap-in]

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is part of a new generation of Arsenal academy products with the tactical, technical and physical ability to play (to a good standard) in multiple positions.

Unless we are talking about exceptional talents, at the elite level, I still agree with Wenger's point that you have a player at 23.

Remember he is still only 21. Right now, there is a gap at right-back. AMN can play there. AMN needs games. We have a relatively small budget for a club of our size and a high potential prospect (Vontae Daley-Campbell) in the academy who is not quite ready for the step up. Makes all the sense in the world for Ainsley to continue his development with games at RB/RWB.

As time progresses and the squad is built, he can move into one of his more natural positions further forward. Understanding the position will only help his development even if he ultimately moves into the middle or the right-wing. As a midfielder, he will better know the places to cover when shuttling across and as a winger, the places to support his full back defensively.

I agree, RW/RWB is the only place he's needed at the moment, he needs to grab it and build on it. Before his recent games I thought we might sell him in the summer but now he has a chance to cement a place in the team in a position that we need.

 

[arsenefc]

i would prefer he takes Torreira's spot. Has presence.

 

[Garrincha]

I cant really see him going anywhere unless the player pushes for it. On a long deal (2023), reasonable wages & looks on track to finish the season with around 1500 first team minutes.

Palace wont value him close to Wan-B & we have other players like Chambers / Elneney to use as potential makeweights if required.

 

[Big Poppa]

i would prefer he takes Torreira's spot. Has presence.

Torreira's "presence" or lack thereof is more than compensated for by his anticipation, tenacity and passing. There is more than one position in central midfield so what about the revolutionary idea of both of them playing?

 

[Mark Tobias]

Torreira's "presence" or lack thereof is more than compensated for by his anticipation, tenacity and passing. There is more than one position in central midfield so what about the revolutionary idea of both of them playing?

 

[Mo Britain]

He is having a decent season without setting the world alight. Hasn't done enough to nail a starting XI but is a useful squad player and is still progressing. Keep.

 

[yybecause]

Think we'll play a lot of 3 at the back next season also, which opens up enough minutes for his steady improvement. as a RWB and RCM, even some RM and potentially LWB if he keeps his form up, that is a lot of opportunities.
would love to see him play well constantly and get a chance as a RCM in a 433

 

[Big Poppa]

Think we'll play a lot of 3 at the back next season also, which opens up enough minutes for his steady improvement. as a RWB and RCM, even some RM and potentially LWB if he keeps his form up, that is a lot of opportunities.
would love to see him play well constantly and get a chance as a RCM in a 433

It's hard enough to predict Emery's tactics for the next game let alone next season. I'd say the main thing for Ainsley is to focus on developing his passing, positioning and concentration. The rest is there for him to succeed.

 

[Mark Tobias]

It's hard enough to predict Emery's tactics for the next game let alone next season. I'd say the main thing for Ainsley is to focus on developing his passing, positioning and concentration. The rest is there for him to succeed.

I think it is a fairly good prediction though. It has been a kind of work up to this formation. 2 months ago the forum was awash with comments like "let him figure out his best eleven" or "He's still working out the better formation for us" and I'd say they were half and half accurate. I'm hoping he remains very flexible but has a better idea of how to set up vs certain opposition.

 

[Big Poppa]

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is part of a new generation of Arsenal academy products with the tactical, technical and physical ability to play (to a good standard) in multiple positions.

Unless we are talking about exceptional talents, at the elite level, I still agree with Wenger's point that you have a player at 23.

Remember he is still only 21. Right now, there is a gap at right-back. AMN can play there. AMN needs games. We have a relatively small budget for a club of our size and a high potential prospect (Vontae Daley-Campbell) in the academy who is not quite ready for the step up. Makes all the sense in the world for Ainsley to continue his development with games at RB/RWB.

As time progresses and the squad is built, he can move into one of his more natural positions further forward. Understanding the position will only help his development even if he ultimately moves into the middle or the right-wing. As a midfielder, he will better know the places to cover when shuttling across and as a winger, the places to support his full back defensively.

The difference between knowledge and truth... I think that was Wenger's downfall.

Logically, everything you've outlined is correct, and I totally understand the pragmatism behind this approach to a player's development too. However what it doesn't take into account is the human factors.

A player like Ainsley will not be thinking of his age like that. He'll be comparing himself with his peers and when Bellerin returns from injury, he'll go from regular minutes to start-stop again.

It's not easy for young players to motivate themselves to perform at a consistent level when that happens regardless of how much it theoretically should've added to their adaptability.

Fundamentally, AMN's perception of his value will be considerably different once he gets a run of first-team games and heightened recognition (e.g. an England call up).

I guess my point is, when it comes to the trajectory of a young player, the scientific approach Wenger's philosophy was purely intrinsic and assumes a linear correlation between age and maturity. Which is fundamentally false. He leant too much towards trying to "mould" a footballer based on a technical formula rather than channel their individual motivators to serve him best.

As much as Sarri for example, is completely right that Hudson Odoi isn't ready to start every week in the PL until he learns how to influence the game off the ball, he will fail to retain the services and confidence of someone who is now aware of others who think he is "ready to play anywhere".

 

[Big Poppa]

I think it is a fairly good prediction though. It has been a kind of work up to this formation. 2 months ago the forum was awash with comments like "let him figure out his best eleven" or "He's still working out the better formation for us" and I'd say they were half and half accurate. I'm hoping he remains very flexible but has a better idea of how to set up vs certain opposition.

I hear you. To me though I'd question the idea that Emery is close to a long term set up because he still needs a few more windows to get the players he truly wants.

He's done an incredible job with what Wenger left him, but if we bought an elite winger or two as he wanted, we'd have less reliance on attacking wing backs, meaning less reliance on 3 at the back and more of a set up akin to the match away at Sp**s.

He's also had to adopt a flexible approach to accomodate players like Özil, for example, who may or may not be part of his long term plan. I just feel like it's difficult to extrapolate how we'll set up on the basis of a squad that's likely to look very different this time next year.

But who knows eh.

 

[Slartibartfast]

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Worst performance i've seen since Chambers in Wales a couple of years ago

 

[Hope]

I won't start him till season end. Absolutely not good.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Seriously fail to see whats supposed to be that good in this lad

 

[ksarp]

This is vintage Niles. One good game , then produces a shocker. Has peaked.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

Not good enough. And he never plays his natural position, which leads me to think Emery doesn't rate him enough there either.

But he's young and better than Lichtsteiner I reckon..

 

[RacingPhoton]

This guy is clearly not the right person on the wing. He has openly told many times that he wants to play in the midfield. Still, we keep playing him in the wrong position. No point in blaming him for that. If we can't see him play in the position he wants, then sell him. Ffs, don't put players in the wrong position.