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Ainsley Maitland-Niles: 2019/2020 Performances

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roz

Fake News Merchant
If he gets a coach that can play him consistently in midfield then he won't end up in league 2 as his talent is huge.

Sometimes it's just the case that a player isn't the right fit for certain coaches and their philosophies. AMN would've been perfect for the old Mourinho that took over Chelsea imo.
A talent so huge that 4 different managers decided not to play him there
 

GoonerJay24

Well-Known Member
A talent so huge that 4 different managers decided not to play him there

Your right but this is a huge club with experienced international midfielders

None of Henry's club or international coaches played him as a striker until he played under Wenger again.
Similarly, Lampard in his younger days he played across the midfield but when Mourinho joined Chelsea; Lampard was pushed in the CAM position and became a specialist.

Obviously those are exceptional talents and not comparing AMN with them. But Coach and player relationship is key for me.
 

roz

Fake News Merchant
Your right but this is a huge club with experienced international midfielders

None of Henry's club or international coaches played him as a striker until he played under Wenger again.
Similarly, Lampard in his younger days he played across the midfield but when Mourinho joined Chelsea; Lampard was pushed in the CAM position and became a specialist.

Obviously those are exceptional talents and not comparing AMN with them. But Coach and player relationship is key for me.
Our midfield is average, the fact he cant get a game there is telling. By all means AMN could go onto have a decent career (maybe even with us) but he will never hit the heights of any of the players you mentioned.
If the rumours are true regarding lack of work in training/turning up late etc. Then it paints a pretty bad picture of AMN. Whether or not its because he’s disillusioned at the thought of playing RB shouldn’t matter as really he has achieved very little and at the very least should be professional. It really is the bare minimum at any club let alone Arsenal.
 

L3T5 PL4Y

Flair Accuser
AMN really doesn't seem all that good in reality to be bothered about imo. We should make a deal with Norwich for Aarons with him going the other way.
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
He’s 23 in a few months, players on a top trajectory have normally made some sort of mark by now.

Him challenging Bellerin, or being someone who has great attitude and application, could’ve been his mark here.
 

L3T5 PL4Y

Flair Accuser
He’s 23 in a few months, players on a top trajectory have normally made some sort of mark by now.

Him challenging Bellerin, or being someone who has great attitude and application, could’ve been his mark here.
He is 23? Wow. Here's hoping by his mid 30's we will figure where he is supposed to play and if he can do anything beyond running.
 

Macho

In search of Pure Profit 💸
Dusted 🔻

Country: England
Not always a bad thing to stick to your guns, this guy has been a fake rb a lot longer than saka has filled in at lb.

If you’re not careful you end up being a utility player with no position, it’s not always about going with whatever you coach at the time says. Yes we’ve had 4 managers and atleast half are jokers/not serious. We will never know what he can do in his preferred position.
 

MikeVinna

Established Member
The really strange thing to me is that Sokratis is playing RB over AMN even though Ainsley did a decent job filling in (even under Arteta in the beginning). Makes me think there’s reasons other than his ability in play.
 

Mrs Bergkamp

Double Dusted
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Not really, I like AMN but he should be listening to his coach. A direct comparison is Saka who has been one of if not our standout performers this year, he’s not a left back but he’s happy to play there for the good of the team as well as the development benefits to his career.

Football is a team game and there is no room for 22year olds that think they know better. If he wishes to move on as a result more fool him as he’ll end up in league 2 following the many who end up regretting leaving.

completely with Arteta on this.
@Kav makes a fair point. Saka is having his break out season whilst AMN is four years on to his senior career. It's a bit like Walcott who didn't know his best position when he was 25! AMN should listen to Arteta but he has to manage his own career too.
 

roz

Fake News Merchant
@Kav makes a fair point. Saka is having his break out season whilst AMN is four years on to his senior career. It's a bit like Walcott who didn't know his best position when he was 25! AMN should listen to Arteta but he has to manage his own career too.
Fine. But dont do it to the detriment of the club that gave you everything. I got no time for that.
 

Mrs Bergkamp

Double Dusted
Dusted 🔻
Fine. But dont do it to the detriment of the club that gave you everything. I got no time for that.
It's a weird situation but there's no real news about AMN doing anything wrong unlike Guendouzi for example. If AMN feels he can't play RB properly, I'd prefer him to say so. Our fans will slaughter him for any poor performance anyway. I suspect he's not rated having no standout quality apart from his pace but it's s disappointing because imo, he could play the same role as Partey. Our MF is dire. No idea why he can't get a game. Ox's last game for us is the most disrespect I've seen from a player. AMN has tried to help the club possibly to the detriment of his career. Nobody want to be Grimandi.
 

truth_hurts

but Holding’s hair transplant was painless
I'd sell him personally. That said, I reckon he'd be a decent Prem level cm. Depends on whether he'd accept a rotation role?

We still need 2 top cms. The only top midfielder we have hasn't been world class for 2 and a half seasons. No reason why he can't be for us, what McTominay is for United. A player that always puts in a solid performance.
 

Tom349

Active Member
I'd sell him personally. That said, I reckon he'd be a decent Prem level cm. Depends on whether he'd accept a rotation role?

We still need 2 top cms. The only top midfielder we have hasn't been world class for 2 and a half seasons. No reason why he can't be for us, what McTominay is for United. A player that always puts in a solid performance.

As it stands we aren't loaded with midfield options. Cellabos is off at the end of the season and Torreira may join him if reports of him being unsettled are true. That leaves just Xhaka and Guendouzi as current options for the deeper midfield role although I would argue Wilock is much more suited to a deeper role than the advanced role he has been playing. Add in a replacement for Torreira should he leave and that still only leaves three options meaning there would be plenty of game time for AMN if he were to still be around next season.
 

The_Playmaker

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
Seems to have played midfield yesterday and impressed according to all reports.

Is it that surprising though? He gets bashed so much while playing as a full back. Yet what midfielders can be an effective full back and central midfielder? Partey? Kimmich ? Kante? Fabinho? It's not easy.

His first touch isn't good enough. His positioning is bad. His passing isn't good enough. He lacks concentration. All negative comments repeatedly used on this forum.

Physically. The fact is , he is faster, stronger, more agile, more athletic, more powerful, more two footed than any midfielder we have.

Skill wise. He is also one of the best stand up tacklers in the whole squad. He is a better header of the ball than our entire midfield. He is the best dribbler in our midfield, he is the ONLY midfielder other than Guendouzi on occasion who can drive with the ball. He is truly a box to box central midfielder and all of his supposed weaknesses at full back simply don't appear in his game when he plays centrally.

The only problem that I have with AMN is his attitude and he may have rectified that if he has been given a shot in midfield.

I'd take Guendouzi and AMN over Ceballos and Xhaka anyday.
 

truth_hurts

but Holding’s hair transplant was painless
As it stands we aren't loaded with midfield options. Cellabos is off at the end of the season and Torreira may join him if reports of him being unsettled are true. That leaves just Xhaka and Guendouzi as current options for the deeper midfield role although I would argue Wilock is much more suited to a deeper role than the advanced role he has been playing. Add in a replacement for Torreira should he leave and that still only leaves three options meaning there would be plenty of game time for AMN if he were to still be around next season.

This is the problem, I see AMN as a mid-table level CM at best. We need to start investing in some top class cms.

I could be completely wrong though and AMN may be a perfect fit stylistically for what Arteta is trying to achieve. He lacks the tenacity, but he is quicker, stronger and more comfortable on the ball than Torreria and has a better engine. My point being he could be a decent back up for our midfield.

I do find it interesting that he featured yesterday. Thought that his time was up here.
 

Oxeki

Match Day Thread Merchant
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Country: Nigeria

Player:Saliba
His biggest problem is his concentration. He always has a tendency to switch off during games.

We've seen it repeatedly while he was playing as a full back. He's lax with his touch and seems to check out mentally. Just imagine him playing as a CM when gets crowded out constantly. He's going to look like a worse version of Xhaka.

He has the physical qualities that our midfield lacks; Athletism and Power. But all that is useless if he can't apply himself
 

The_Playmaker

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
His biggest problem is his concentration. He always has a tendency to switch off during games.

We've seen it repeatedly while he was playing as a full back. He's lax with his touch and seems to check out mentally. Just imagine him playing as a CM when gets crowded out constantly. He's going to look like a worse version of Xhaka.

He has the physical qualities that our midfield lacks; Athletism and Power. But all that is useless if he can't apply himself

He switches off during dead time. A full back has alot of dead time when the game is on the other side of the pitch. In midfield he is constantly in a battle so his concentration is much better. He has shown that he doesn't switch off in central midfield.
 

nick gould

Well-Known Member
Is it that surprising though? He gets bashed so much while playing as a full back. Yet what midfielders can be an effective full back and central midfielder? Partey? Kimmich ? Kante? Fabinho? It's not easy.

His first touch isn't good enough. His positioning is bad. His passing isn't good enough. He lacks concentration. All negative comments repeatedly used on this forum.

Physically. The fact is , he is faster, stronger, more agile, more athletic, more powerful, more two footed than any midfielder we have.

Skill wise. He is also one of the best stand up tacklers in the whole squad. He is a better header of the ball than our entire midfield. He is the best dribbler in our midfield, he is the ONLY midfielder other than Guendouzi on occasion who can drive with the ball. He is truly a box to box central midfielder and all of his supposed weaknesses at full back simply don't appear in his game when he plays centrally.

The only problem that I have with AMN is his attitude and he may have rectified that if he has been given a shot in midfield.

I'd take Guendouzi and AMN over Ceballos and Xhaka anyday.
I take it you are a huge fan of AMN. I agree with you on Athleticism, the boy is never out of breath. I think if he added intensity and focus in his game he could easily do the job of two midfielders like Kante, and Matuidi. I am not sure he has the best driving runs, that's Willock' speciality. Ceballos maybe better at dribbling. But just for his physical attributes, I hope the boy changes his other traits and make himself useful here.

His best games were against big teams, Manchester United in particular when he was fired up intercepting for fun and going into tackles. The fact that he still has some more gears to shift into may help him.
 
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