Ainsley Maitland-Niles: 2019/2020 Performances

[MutableEarth]

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.

You might be an even bigger AMN stan than me!

(personally, I agree)

 

[TromsoGooner]

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.

Agree with most of our post but not the part about his heading, he`s quite awful actually. Certainly not better than Xhaka who is actually decent enough aerially.

 

[Impact]

Think I'm a bigger fan than either of you, @The_Playmaker and @MutableEarth.

I actually think Maitland-Niles has more potential in midfield than Guendouzi for me. He has everything you would want physically in a PL midfielder and has the technical capability of an Arsenal academy product. Hopefully Arteta sees that and works to improve his intangibles (reading the game, positioning and decision-making etc).

I see him in the Fernandinho/Fabinho mould of midfielder. If (big if) we sign Thomas Partey, I think Ainsley should be his direct back-up.

 

[SingmeasongSong]

We can create an AMN fan club

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Easily better talent than Guendouzi imo. Arteta seems to see a lot of value in our local talents. A good foundation to build the future squad on.

A lot of work still left for AMN but Arteta is the right manager for him!

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Sell if good offer comes in!

 

[Oxeki]

Still not convinced by him.

Still think he'll be in a fight for a place in a midtable team a few years from now

 

[Red London]

I used to really rate AMN, I liked his composure on the ball when he used to be played in midfield.

I think the last 18months have unfairly put me off him, and I have come to see him as someone we can maybe cash in on. Saying that, if Arteta sees plans for him in midfield it will completely rejuvenate my hope.

 

[RunTheTrap]

I don't know why people thought he wouldn't make the transition to midfield when he got older; whether it was Arsenal or somewhere else that was always the question. Kimmich, Partey, Lahm, Zanetti, Fabinho and Daley Blind all made the transition too and they've been excellent at it. He's probably one of the quickest players at the club so it kinda made sense for him to play at fullback to deal with pacey wingers. If he were slow or averaged pace, I'm sure the whole right back experiment would never have happened. People forget he's only 22 too.

I have heard people say that sometimes some footballers can't play in midfield because of their "angles" specially, when discussing fullbacks and midfielders. I don't know what that means though, can anyone please explain it to me?

 

[RunTheTrap]

P.S our best games under Arteta all came when AMN was on the pitch too.

 

[grange]

Wenger liked to play young midfielders out wide so I think holding that against AMN is a bit disingenuous when it comes to managers not selecting him for midfield. I don't think Emery ever had a long term ideal for AMN or any young player. Arteta came in and noticed a guy with a bad attitude and has instructed him to work it out. With that tune up game, it seems like Arteta is happy with what he has seen from him since they have returned to the facilities. Maybe the break paid off.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Agree with most of our post but not the part about his heading, he`s quite awful actually. Certainly not better than Xhaka who is actually decent enough aerially.

Can't see that I've mentioned his heading but I didn't know he was bad at it. I think its a clean slate for him atm.

 

[goonerfamily]

I don't know why people thought he wouldn't make the transition to midfield when he got older; whether it was Arsenal or somewhere else that was always the question. Kimmich, Partey, Lahm, Zanetti, Fabinho and Daley Blind all made the transition too and they've been excellent at it. He's probably one of the quickest players at the club so it kinda made sense for him to play at fullback to deal with pacey wingers. If he were slow or averaged pace, I'm sure the whole right back experiment would never have happened. People forget he's only 22 too.

I have heard people say that sometimes some footballers can't play in midfield because of their "angles" specially, when discussing fullbacks and midfielders. I don't know what that means though, can anyone please explain it to me?

If you imagine that you're playing right back, you are mostly the player furthest to the right of the pitch which means you are always receiving the ball from a player to your left

Now imagine that you are playing central midfield, you can receive the ball from players behind you, ahead of you, to the left and the right. First touch and using it to move into space is much more of an art at CM than fullback

 

[DasBootist]

lol Why do peeps keep mentioning his heading ability. Heading is down on the list of attributes needed for a midfielder in the modern game.

 

[TromsoGooner]

Can't see that I've mentioned his heading but I didn't know he was bad at it. I think its a clean slate for him atm.

Sorry, replied to the wrong post.

 

[tap-in]

I've never been convinced. Another player who isn't good enough for Arsenal. Unless we are happy to be mid table!

 

[The_Playmaker]

lol Why do peeps keep mentioning his heading ability. Heading is down on the list of attributes needed for a midfielder in the modern game.

Every attribute is needed for a midfielder. Being able to win the ball in the air in the centre of the pitch is an attribute needed in England. Maybe not so much Spain or Italy. When you consider out two centre backs are the only headers of the ball we have, when you consider set pieces it is imperative your central midfielders can header.

Xhaka isn't good in the air. He is just tall. AMN can actually jump and he wins quite a lot of headers. Guendouzi on the other hand is pathetic in the air and if you watch us play, the amount of times Guendouzi loses an aerial battle and Özil just doesn't attempt to header is ridiculous. Every single one of those moments gives the opposition incentive and makes us weaker. We have to win as many individual battles as we can. We can't afford not to.

We lose so many aerial duels.

 

[lazyfreak]

Wenger liked to play young midfielders out wide so I think holding that against AMN is a bit disingenuous when it comes to managers not selecting him for midfield. I don't think Emery ever had a long term ideal for AMN or any young player. Arteta came in and noticed a guy with a bad attitude and has instructed him to work it out. With that tune up game, it seems like Arteta is happy with what he has seen from him since they have returned to the facilities. Maybe the break paid off.

Clearly you're not aware that he was always a right a winger. And now he has more games under his belt as a full-back/wing-back than he has as a CM/DM.

 

[nick gould]

He played in midfield again. There was a repeat of Luiz to AMN long ball, he headed it down to Lacazette who couldn't keep his shot down. His ball control and concentration let him down near the edge of our box and that led to their goal.

 

[grange]

Clearly you're not aware that he was always a right a winger. And now he has more games under his belt as a full-back/wing-back than he has as a CM/DM.

He made his club debut in CL replacing Aaron Ramsey back in 2014. And, in 2016-17 season, he made appearances at right back and midfield. Seems like you're the one unaware here.