Ainsley Maitland-Niles: Midfielder or in deNile?

[say yes]

Wonder if he gets some minutes as a ‘6’ this season given he’s obviously worked his way back into Arteta’s affections.

Would prefer him getting minutes there than Elneny.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Wonder if he gets some minutes as a ‘6’ this season given he’s obviously worked his way back into Arteta’s affections.

Would prefer him getting minutes there than Elneny.

He'll never be a midfielder, no one has played him there. It's a myth like Auba up front or Luiz in the midfield.

 

[say yes]

He'll never be a midfielder, no one has played him there. It's a myth like Auba up front or Luiz in the midfield.

Don’t think that’s strictly true. Remember Wenger playing him there at United away (where he had a great game), and (while it’s not the same thing) he often moves into a midfield role in this formation under Arteta.

Agree that managers don’t seem to favour him there for whatever reason, so it doesn’t seem likely. But I’m just querying whether he might get a run out there this season if we don’t get Partey. Arteta clearly rates him, he wants to play there, and we don’t need him at FB as much anymore given recent signings.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

He'll never be a midfielder, no one has played him there. It's a myth like Auba up front or Luiz in the midfield.

Agreed but Auba at CF a myth you say?!

Definitely not, even played there sometimes under Emery, aside from his two seasons there for Dortmund under Tuchel.

Hopefully today is the start of Arteta transitioning more into seeing him centrally, I'm sure that's part of Arteta's long-term plans as was suggested in media outlets this summer.

 

[AberGooner]

 

[drippin]

Just what I thought could happen, Arteta convincing AMN that the wingback role for him can be like a midfielder.

 

[PressResistance]

It's not even the fact that we signed Cedric, it's the fact we decided to give him a 4 year permanent contract. This was a guy deemed surplus to requirements at a mid-table side. One of the most mind-boggling deals I can remember. It's not as if we took a punt on some guy and got it wrong, we all knew Cedric wasn't anywhere near good enough, yet still gave him a 4 year contract. It just makes me think there was more to this deal than we know about. It can't be for pure football reasons.

It isn't baffling, it was a rimjob given to Kia by his b-u-m boys Raul and Vinai. Turned a perfectly reasonable loan for depth into a long commitment to a player we can replace with an average player at his position in the Championship.

Fuming at his, Mari's and Luiz's transfer, could have had Aouar and two decent players in.

 

[2Smokeyy]

Good stuff.

Love the fact we’ve got two players now in AMN and Partey with PnP. I think teams are going to find it even harder to get past us with the 3-4-3 formation now as both players are excellent at recovery.

 

[krackpot]

silently racking up the games for England and AFC.

Love to see it.

 

[SingmeasongSong]

He'll never be a midfielder, no one has played him there. It's a myth like Auba up front or Luiz in the midfield.

Auba as CF a "myth" - his kost profilic position, the one where he got topscorer and got signed by us for more than 60m, but okay

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Auba as CF a "myth" - his kost profilic position, the one where he got topscorer and got signed by us for more than 60m, but okay

Ok but that's no relevant to Arsenal where every manager played him on the left. I swear some of you just have no comprehension skills lool.

 

[SingmeasongSong]

Ok but that's no relevant to Arsenal where every manager played him on the left. I swear some of you just have no comprehension skills lool.

He started in the middle here too and did very well.

The issue you and some others are missing, is that we just don't have enough equality on the wings ever since Wenger left and Arteta as well as Emery were/are forced to compensate for an imbalanced squad.

Auba has been put to the LW by Emery and later on by Arteta because they did not trust our other options there and the importance for that position in their ways to play is paramount.

Auba never became a LW at Arsenal football club because he is best there, but because we did buy two CFs for big money and completely screwed our squad balance and did not plan properly for all positions in terms of quality.

 

[truth_hurts]

I do wonder if AMN can develop as a box to box midfielder. He has a lot of attributes. I wouldn't mind a player like Todd Cantwell in the squad, but AMN can probably do the same job.

Glad that he's staying particularly as his sale wasn't key to getting Partey.

 

[drippin]

I do wonder if AMN can develop as a box to box midfielder. He has a lot of attributes. I wouldn't mind a player like Todd Cantwell in the squad, but AMN can probably do the same job.

Glad that he's staying particularly as his sale wasn't key to getting Partey.

I think AMN could work in midfield, just needs much more consistency in his passing. Sometimes he has amazing games, only to in next one screw up a few very easy passes. That's not acceptable especially in midfield.

 

[truth_hurts]

I think AMN could work in midfield, just needs much more consistency in his passing. Sometimes he has amazing games, only to in next one screw up a few very easy passes. That's not acceptable especially in midfield.

Agree, his passing can be sloppy, but the way he works to get the ball back as long as he isn’t playing at the pivot, he has more positive attributes than negative.

 

[Macho]

Can’t ever see him in midfield for us tbh. Wolves was his opportunity to do that and even then, they were signing him as a wingback.

As much as I like him, his passing is a bit too sloppy. 1v1 defending is his USP, he’s a natural. If he wants to play at the highest level, he needs to embrace the fullback/wingback roles.

Just wished he had done it sooner before Cedric.

 

[Red London]

He'll never be a midfielder, no one has played him there. It's a myth like Auba up front or Luiz in the midfield.

Wenger played AMN at CM in a few EL and PL games but then had to fill in at full back due to injuries.

Rafael Benitez played David Luiz and it was actually a decent success, my Chelsea friend said he liked him there. And lastly how are you counting Auba? I assume you mean under Arteta but the guy being a striker is far from a myth he has played there for most of his career.

Saying all this I think AMN will be utilised in a James Milner fashion, he can fill in at both full backs, wide and CM if you really need him to. Saka on the other hand has the ability to play in the midfield or front 3.

 

[RunTheTrap]

Tbh, he more or less plays as a CM from LWB. Now that we have Partey, I wonder if he could be one of the pivot partner. I always believed AMN would end up in midfield, his pace is too good to put to use at this moment. He really reminds me of an early Partey in a way. Played out in RB and even out wide and it wasn’t till he reached 24/25 was he considered a full time midfielder. So who knows maybe AMN will follow suit.

Saka
Partey-AMN
I wouldn’t mind seeing that once. Lots of power, technical skills and mobility.

 

[Football Manager]

Tbh, he more or less plays as a CM from LWB. Now that we have Partey, I wonder if he could be one of the pivot partner. I always believed AMN would end up in midfield, his pace is too good to put to use at this moment. He really reminds me of an early Partey in a way. Played out in RB and even out wide and it wasn’t till he reached 24/25 was he considered a full time midfielder. So who knows maybe AMN will follow suit.

Saka
Partey-AMN
I wouldn’t mind seeing that once. Lots of power, technical skills and mobility.

I don’t see any stand out attribute in him. Central midfielder is the last outfield position that required pace.
If he has good pace then he is more suitable to be a winger or a wingback.

 

[RunTheTrap]

I don’t see any stand out attribute in him. Central midfielder is the last outfield position that required pace.
If he has good pace then he is more suitable to be a winger or a wingback.

Sorry I wasn’t clear. I’m saying because he has pace, they’re more likely gonna use him out wide where it’s more effective but I think when he gets older and slows down, I can see him being converted into a CM