Ainsley Maitland-Niles: Midfielder or in deNile?

[DanDare]

His wrong foot crossfield ball to Saka to mount a counter was absolutely magnificent. J just feel he's too talented to not persist with.

You don't lose anything playing him over Bellerin even if it wasn't the best performance

 

[MutableEarth]

There was a bit where Elneny got the ball in space and our attackers start running.

Instead of playing them in he just turns round and passes it to Holding. It actually enraged me ngl. Like pure anger watching that

It's classic Elneny tbh. But at least he doesn't take a million touches first!

Truthfully players get associated with positions based on cognitive bias of their current coach. Southgate only ever uses Saka as a full back but at Arsenal it’s recognised that he’s progressed from that.

I see AMN as a CM. A number 8. He’s comfortable on the ball (sometimes too comfortable), can beat a press, has decent pass selection and is tenacious defensively.

I picked Wijnaldum just because there aren’t that many of that type around compared to the 90s when teams played 442 more frequently.

He’s certainly no worse in midfield than Xhaka and Elneny. It’s not an outlandish experiment when you look at our deficiencies in that area.

Precisely how I see him aswell. A #8 who can cover ground and offer defensive support and force transitions as well as help to create overloads. Painfully obvious to me that this is a far, far better use of his abilities than as a defensive full-back.

 

[GunnerBP]

Despite getting hardly any minutes in midfield, I think playing AMN at CM could be essential for this team to turn things around. His versatility makes him so valuable.

His experience at RB, RWB, LWB, and LB has made him very good defensively so I think he's capable of playing DM. His technique is better than Elneny's and he is a progressive passer. He can win tackles, beat the press with his technique, and quickly advance the ball. But DM probably isn't his best position.

He has the ability to make late runs into the box and create chances too, so he could also play as a B2B/#8.

Pairing AMN with Partey would be a quality midfield and allow us to play 4-4-2. Nketiah and Auba linked up pretty well, and we need to use a formation that helps us create goals. Also with a 4-4-2, our wings are going to tuck in and try to get the ball between the lines, and when that happens we could get exposed on the flanks. AMN's experience on the flanks will be a big help defensively.

Also, we can't overlook how well our young players play together. They've grown up together at this club, and this familiarity can have a massive impact at the highest level. The sum becomes greater than its parts.

AMN and Saka, and maybe Nketiah, as regular starters will be huge because they are all on the same wavelength. AMN quickly finding Saka after winning the ball, and then Saka finding Nketiah will be so common. Add in Nelson, Willock, ESR, and Balogun, and we have a lot of attacking options with a ton of potential who will play better when they get to play together.

 

[Pyromaniac]

He is LEVELS above Bellerin. If Bellerin is going to be back in the starting 11 without AMN seriously ****ing up, I'm gonna lose my last bit of respect for Arteta.

 

[novar]

Well done making Davies kick him and stealing the ball from Richarlison that one time

MOTM 3/10

 

[RandomHero84]

I'd clear out a lot of pure **** before I let him go.

 

[MutableEarth]

Relatively decent game. Didn't disgrace himself against some dangerous runs down his side - only really got beaten twice that I remember.

Still would much rather he be in midfield, if only because of how **** Elneny and Ceballos are. I'm fine with Bellerin at RB if it means those two are not in the team.

 

[Pop Tart]

He did get caught a couple of times but people will overlook this. A decent game not much else

 

[Ash10]

He did get caught a couple of times but people will overlook this. A decent game not much else

This but the bar is too low now days tbh

 

[mpower2540]

Relatively decent game. Didn't disgrace himself against some dangerous runs down his side - only really got beaten twice that I remember.

Still would much rather he be in midfield, if only because of how **** Elneny and Ceballos are. I'm fine with Bellerin at RB if it means those two are not in the team.

Continuing to persist with those two in midfield is a sackable offence on its own

 

[Big Poppa]

Relatively decent game. Didn't disgrace himself against some dangerous runs down his side - only really got beaten twice that I remember.

Still would much rather he be in midfield, if only because of how **** Elneny and Ceballos are. I'm fine with Bellerin at RB if it means those two are not in the team.

Yeah just put him in midfield, that’s his position. His engine and ability to tackle without fouling is much more needed there, especially in the absence of Partey.

 

[MutableEarth]

Yeah just put him in midfield, that’s his position. His engine and ability to tackle without fouling is much more needed there, especially in the absence of Partey.

Every game in which he doesn't sh*t the bed at RB I am pleasantly surprised. I just don't see him there long term, he doesn't look natural there unless he's recovering. Whenever he drifts central that's when he looks comfortable.

 

[Macho]

Absolutely bun by Godfrey :rofl:

Ah dear

 

[Zaza]

Had an okay game. Clearly better than Bellerin and should be first choice from now on. Better one on one than Hector.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Got out paced by Godfrey but handled Richarlison well. Wierd player but a good game Richarlison wasn't very dangerous so good job

 

[Pyromaniac]

Just imagine what Richarlison would have done to Bellerin and then put AMNs game into perspective

 

[MutableEarth]

I've said it privately but I'm gonna have to do it publicly now - I gotta defend Bellerin. He really hasn't been as bad as people have been saying. The last couple games he's had a tough time IMO but overall I don't see how he's been so terrible that people still want AMN to play over him instead of his actual position where the midfielders are way way worse than Bellerin is.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I've said it privately but I'm gonna have to do it publicly now - I gotta defend Bellerin. He really hasn't been as bad as people have been saying. The last couple games he's had a tough time IMO but overall I don't see how he's been so terrible that people still want AMN to play over him instead of his actual position where the midfielders are way way worse than Bellerin is.

I think this partially stems from his performances after his injury. I might be wrong, but I feel he has lost a yard or two of pace.

Secondly, I think many wish AMN well, and hope he will succeed. The wingback is perhaps a more open spot for him than central midfield. Hector has been here a long time, some might feel it is time he moved on.

Nothing wrong speaking up for our players, there are plenty who talk them down!

 

[Maybe]

I've said it privately but I'm gonna have to do it publicly now - I gotta defend Bellerin. He really hasn't been as bad as people have been saying. The last couple games he's had a tough time IMO but overall I don't see how he's been so terrible that people still want AMN to play over him instead of his actual position where the midfielders are way way worse than Bellerin is.

That's the thing, when you start defending a player by saying it's not as bad as it seems, you know that it's not good either. That goes for too many of our players, and both FB's are limited and cripple our game development.
Agree on AMN, he would be a bigger improvement over Elneny and Xhaka than he would be over Bellerin, but with Partey coming back soon, I think he has a better chance of knocking Bellerin out of the team than Partey

 

[MutableEarth]

This, bellerin was decent at the start of the season. Even in some of his bad games recently always one or two crosses he has put in have been decent. Down to the attackers not taking the chances. Amn got done like a kipper a few times today but it is not mentioned on here

AMN is not often beaten 1v1 (when he's on it) and I think most people would expect Richarlison to beat him at least once, which happened. I didn't have Godfrey beating him on the bingo card but hey ho. He won pretty much every other duel he needed to win.

I think this partially stems from his performances after his injury. I might be wrong, but I feel he has lost a yard or two of pace.

Secondly, I think many wish AMN well, and hope he will succeed. The wingback is perhaps a more open spot for him than central midfield. Hector has been here a long time, some might feel it is time he moved on.

Nothing wrong speaking up for our players, there are plenty who talk them down!

He's definitely not quite as quick as he was but he's still a very serviceable RB and I think the complicated nature of the RB role under Arteta has made his job quite a bit harder. I've seen him pop up in the inside right channel a lot, sometimes really high up the pitch in an almost attacking midfield role then have to sprint his bollocks off to get back into position. This is literally what happened for Son's wonder strike in the NLD.

I'd argue CM should be more open. Our midfielders are incredibly bad IMO. It's easily our weakest position and even signing Partey hasn't moved the needle enough for us. RB is pretty weak too but that's mainly because Bellerin has had no real competition for years. His competition is Cedric, an aging international who's never been more than adequate, and AMN, who's a midfielder.