Ainsley Maitland-Niles: Midfielder or in deNile?

He has always been crap offensively.
He's only slightly better attacking than AWB.

 

Maybe his style sense is technically better, that's a point for argument.

 

I still sure we keeping him but you hope can improve going forward. He should forget about the midfield thing because passing ability is not great

 

Physically gifted but otherwise an average footballer.

 

He’s always been like this though?

People like him because he’s slightly better on the ball than Bellerin and can hold his own 1v1 against the best attackers in the league.

 

Yeah man sad times.

Slightly unrelated but how old are you ffs? Sometimes I think you can’t be much older than me due to the things/people you’re familiar but other times I think you must be pushing 80.

 

I thought he started to help nullify Salah & TAA but that happened only in 2nd half.

In the first half he just didn't do enough defensively and we could have just started Saka instead who would have done the same defensively but would have been better in attack.

 

Defensively he was good but going forward and his passing....well the less said the better.

Maybe he just needs more opportunity in that respect, I mean the times I saw him in MF under Wenger he was technically competent and could pass decently if not well, but who knows.

Ironically Bellerin had a torrid time too so there's not really much to be said for him too.

 

The same agenda bums on here tearing into AMN even though he was not worst player on the pitch but they still seem to despise him.

Makes you wonder.

 

He is solid defensively. Just wish he could improve his quality in the final third. So far it has been a bit all over the place.

 

I agree with most other people’s sentiment here. Pretty solid defensively. Very bad today going forward, he made the runs, but was useless with the ball.

 

Not his best game but also not terrible.

 

No there isn’t, so let’s get straight to the point shall we? What does AMN excel at?

 

One on one defending
Standing tackles
Adaptability
Pace
Strength on the ball

What he doesn’t excel at is consistency. But if you’re playing in a different position and out of the team every other week while learning the game is that surprising?

 

Had a poor game but that’s to be expected now and then.

Glad it seems that he’s staying.

 

Typical scapegoat player yet Eddie is the real deal.

 

I agree with all of this.

I feel like his mentality lets him down though. Big games he looks incredible, but mid week games against fodder he doesn’t look interested.

I’ve heard murmurs of things about him in the past in regards of lateness in training, application and other stuff. I have very little facts to hand but I’m willing to bet that’s why he’s not kicked on until recently despite being in this team for a while.

 

Has a very casual attitude. It's one of those that could go either way....either he realises how fortunate he is to be a professional footballer and he aims to make the most this opportunity he has or he doesn't and falls in to mediocrity.

It's really down to Ainsley.

 

Would change his caption to 'Elite penalty technique'.

 

Made Adrian look like an absolute ****. Love it.