Emile Smith Rowe: The Croy-10 Cruyff

[Big Poppa]

I said this a year ago, I’ve had to eat my words.

He’s not amazing as people would have you think, but he’s a nice and tidy player and gets about. The new breed of creative players.

Flopped most of his forward passes today though, but I don’t think Arsenal win any matches without this guy.

You can no longer get away with just standing around waiting for the ball as a number 10. Özil divided a lot of fans and those who called him out were often accused of reducing football from art to athletics.

ESR isn’t going to split defences with no look outside the foot passes, but his first touch, spatial awareness, balance, tenacity and movement create just as many, if not more chances.

Would love to see him, Ødegaard and Saka all on the pitch together but I think that’s too much unpredictability for Arteta.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

ESR is not Özil's replacement, I think people need to erase that idea from their minds. ESR is there to do a lot more off the ball than Özil does, his movement and ability to win the ball high up the pitch are two of his biggest assets. He's good at receiving the ball in tight spaces and either turning or laying it off and has formed great understandings with Laca and Saka which has helped make the attack tick.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

Not sure I agree with sub yesterday. ESR was playing well when he got substituted. He started pretty average but improved as the game went on.

 

[The_Playmaker]

Starting to do things in mens football that he did regularly in under 23s. Carrying the ball large distances and taking players on. He is developing really fast.

He and Ødegaard are really different players. ESR away from the ball where as Ødegaard comes to it. Would be interesting to see Pepe, ESR, Ødegaard, Saka, Laca all in the same line up.

 

[OnlyOne]

Won't lie, he doesn't stand out as a kid you know and I think that's key.

 

[avenellroad]

Seems to have have a hit a wall physically. Looked absolutely gassed after about 40 minutes.

Arteta needs to give him a breather and start with Ødegaard on Saturday

 

[Sweet'n'Soulful]

Time to give the lad a rest and unleash the fury of Odin.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

The overload of games starting get into him he looked absolutely done at 2nd half even with 10 men

 

[Riou]

He puts so much energy in as our attacking mid, a bit like Rosicky...don't underestimate how important his running is, both in attack and defence...he's constantly pressing, opening up angle for passes all over the attacking third, a very selfless player.

Don't think we would have dominated so much in that first half without him.

 

[Macho]

He puts so much energy in as our attacking mid, a bit like Rosicky...don't underestimate how important his running is.

Lol this is all that matters in football sadly. A lot of talented players get buried for not excessively running, whilst so-so players get talked up for effort.

Not saying ESR is in that bracket I’m more looking at Henderson. Even the talented Martinelli to an extent.

In any case, the kid needs a breather he looks physically spent - even when we had 11 men.

Ironically, I see a lot posters who are very positive about ESR absolutely sh*t all over Lacazette earlier this season when he was breathing heavily after the ridiculous role he was made to play. But I digress.

Europe via the league looks all but done, so I would start Ødegaard and see what he can do. Especially as ESR has had a couple of quiet games now.

 

[novar]

Really hoping he doesn't turn out like Rosicky, he was fairly ****. The first AM that became deadwood for us.

Anyway, even if his impact on the team was greatly exaggerated just to spite Lacazette, if Pepe gets to remain threatening from now on most of the credit can actually go to him, even if it means he's getting less involved in other areas of the pitch

 

[Trilly]

Think next step from him is to show a bit more, in terms of progressive passing especially as a no10. I don't think he's a no10 tbh but if that's the role he's going to play for us then yeah.

 

[RunTheTrap]

Lol this is all that matters in football sadly. A lot of talented players get buried for not excessively running, whilst so-so players get talked up for effort.

Not saying ESR is in that bracket I’m more looking at Henderson. Even the talented Martinelli to an extent.

In any case, the kid needs a breather he looks physically spent - even when we had 11 men.

Ironically, I see a lot posters who are very positive about ESR absolutely sh*t all over Lacazette earlier this season when he was breathing heavily after the ridiculous role he was made to play. But I digress.

Europe via the league looks all but done, so I would start Ødegaard and see what he can do. Especially as ESR has had a couple of quiet games now.

ESR has a long list of injuries in his already short career. His fitness was always a concern but no one expected him to be this integral to the Arsenal team already so his fitness has to be managed especially as this is his first real season of men's football. As for Lacazette, he's another issue.
Lacazette is a grown was man. When he first came into the PL he put on some weight and it affected his stamina. Yes, he puts on a shift but so does Rooney, Cavani, Suarez, Drogba etc and they still manage to score a healthy amount of goals. Laca's inability to both score a lot of goals and work hard was annoying but tbf to him he has improved since the season as progressed.

 

[novar]

Gave up on arguing football is more than running since fans started seeing Danny Welbeck as a non banter player.

You can only concede defeat at some point.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

ESR doesn't do headless chicken runs. He presses the space brilliantly and almost single handedly forces the opposition to go long or quickly wide. It's really intelligent and quite different to the Akexis Sanchez one man press. If we can play a proper 433, he'll have less to do and be more of an attacking threat.

 

[bonzka]

ESR doesn't do headless chicken runs. He presses the space brilliantly and almost single handedly forces the opposition to go long or quickly wide. It's really intelligent and quite different to the Akexis Sanchez one man press. If we can play a proper 433, he'll have less to do and be more of an attacking threat.

Partey the single pivot in 433?

 

[wolfkidultman]

Really hoping he doesn't turn out like Rosicky, he was fairly ****. The first AM that became deadwood for us.

Absolutely clueless. When did you start following Arsenal, out of interest?

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Partey the single pivot in 433?

No. Partey, probably flanked by a b2b with defensive attributes and one more creative. If Willock and Azeez ever reaches their potential, them with Partey in a 3 would be interesting. Partey as a single pivot works if we played a diamond in midfield

 

[Ibadan]

Partey the single pivot in 433?

I'd hoped people had been dissuaded of this notion by now. imo Partey is way too progressive a passer to be a sole pivot, I doubt it'll happen too much.

 

[Riou]

Really hoping he doesn't turn out like Rosicky, he was fairly ****.

Gave up on arguing football is more than running since fans started seeing Danny Welbeck as a non banter player.