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Ainsley Maitland-Niles: Midfielder or in deNile?

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Impact

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I like Maitland-Niles and want him to be part of the future here. Still someway to go in the season. Let's see if he can train/play his way back into contention.

He has to get used to being Arteta’s versatile technical full back option. If he does it well enough, it could be his route into the first team. Similar to Cancelo at Man City.
 

Macho

In search of Pure Profit 💸
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AMN has had 21 games and over 1100 minutes of action this year. It isn't like he's Reiss Nelson or Calum Chambers and barely getting a look in. 13 starts. They might not all have been PL games but he's been given a lot of opportunities to show his worth and played a lot of football.

And he just hasn't been very good. And his effort level and body language have been ... pretty crap. And I really want him to succeed because you can see the class and talent there at times, but it's getting harder and harder to support him. Dude just looks lazy out there. 13 starts this year and I can't think of any games where I thought he was one of the team's top 3 or 4 players on the pitch or made a real positive impact. And several where it was the opposite. At some point you simply have to earn your minutes by playing well. Like Soares just did against Newcastle. Or Pablo Mari when he got his chance. Or ESR.

Willian was obviously a terrible signing. But every team in every sport in the history of ever is going to give their major offseason signing 10-15 games on the trot at the start of that contract to work his way into form. If anything, it's actually shocking he's been dropped from the first team as quickly as he has been. And there's a lot to criticize Arteta for - including his role in signing Willian in the first place - but continuing to shovel PL starts his direction is not one of them.

Xhaka ... yeah, in that case Arteta has a problem and needs to have his toy taken away from him.
Do you not think it’s a bit harsh that AMN had to perform at LB in a difficult match to see day light again? I do.

I don’t read too much into body language myself I think some players are just naturally languid.

I’ve heard things about AMN, but I don’t know the guy so I want to give him the benefit of the doubt.
 

Melquiades

Active Member
Do you not think it’s a bit harsh that AMN had to perform at LB in a difficult match to see day light again? I do.

I don’t read too much into body language myself I think some players are just naturally languid.

I’ve heard things about AMN, but I don’t know the guy so I want to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Pro sports at the highest level is a harsh business. AMN's role on this club is to be a utility guy covering multiple positions and to be ready for what gets thrown at him, and he didn't deliver.

Plus - and this is a big thing to me - the issues he had in that game weren't errors out of effort. If he got burned for a goal making an ill-timed run upfield trying to make something happen offensively and was dumped for it, I'd be pretty sympathetic. But he just looked sloppy and unprepared. Casual passes, loose touches, too many turnovers. And I'll agree that his languid style can maybe transfer to looking unfairly lazy off the ball, but that doesn't apply to careless, casual play with the ball at his feet. No matter what position he's playing.

I hope that wasn't his last chance but at some point the player has to be responsible for his own performances and I can't blame Arteta for souring on him given what we've seen this year.
 

Pyres7

Well-Known Member
He has kind of blown his chances this season but the fact that he's being used as a utility player has worked against him. He's almost being punished because he has done a good job covering different positions in the past.

I don't care how many minutes he's built up, he's a young player learning the game and he's being thrown in at LWB one game, RWB next. 15 minutes off the bench here and there. One game in the EL in his preferred CM position (where he actually played quite well) and never seen there again. Then he gets thrown in the bin after flopping at LB in a back four.

Some players need a run of games to build up confidence and sadly AMN is never gonna get that here. On a personal level AMN needs to get his head down, learn one position and go to a club where he can consistantly get games in that position. If he's dead set on playing in CM he might have to start off in the championship but it'll get his career a hell of a lot further than if he wastes away here.
 

Macho

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Some players need a run of games to build up confidence and sadly AMN is never gonna get that here. On a personal level AMN needs to get his head down, learn one position and go to a club where he can consistantly get games in that position. If he's dead set on playing in CM he might have to start off in the championship but it'll get his career a hell of a lot further than if he wastes away here.
Pretty much agree with this. For me there’s no way he doesn’t get in this team as a RB or Wingback/CM but that’s the situation at the moment and sometimes football goes like that.

He’s out of here this summer anyways.
 

Blood on the Tracks

AG's best friend, role model and mentor.
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I was one of the biggest proponents for keeping AMN in the summer. I'm still glad we did because that £15m offer from Wolves wasn't up to scratch.

I've been really disappointed with his performances this season though, he seems to have regressed somewhat. There's an air of sloppiness that's crept into his play that I don't care for.

As things stand he's a John O'Shea type utility player for us. I don't hold his shocker at LB against him, that was a lot to ask. He won't make it at CM here and he's fallen down the pecking order at RB this season. Cedric has largely outperformed him as Bellerins back up.

I'm not sure his attitude is up to scratch either.

I'd definitely be more open to selling him this summer
 
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Melquiades

Active Member
He has kind of blown his chances this season but the fact that he's being used as a utility player has worked against him. He's almost being punished because he has done a good job covering different positions in the past.

I don't care how many minutes he's built up, he's a young player learning the game and he's being thrown in at LWB one game, RWB next. 15 minutes off the bench here and there. One game in the EL in his preferred CM position (where he actually played quite well) and never seen there again. Then he gets thrown in the bin after flopping at LB in a back four.

Some players need a run of games to build up confidence and sadly AMN is never gonna get that here. On a personal level AMN needs to get his head down, learn one position and go to a club where he can consistantly get games in that position. If he's dead set on playing in CM he might have to start off in the championship but it'll get his career a hell of a lot further than if he wastes away here.

But, again, at some point the onus has to be on the player.

You could take any player and they'd probably look better if they were given a run of 10-15 PL games in their preferred position. Willock, Nelson, Chambers, whoever. But on a top team (or at least one with ambitions of being a top team) those opportunities are going to be very few and far between if you don't perform. Arsenal shouldn't be a charity. When you get that chance, you have to deliver. ESR came in, performed immediately -> first team. And plenty of players have come into new situations or new roles on this team this year and performed immediately. Holding, Saka, Pablo Mari. Soares yesterday is the latest to get an opportunity and then perform.

AMN has had 13 starts this year to show something - anything - and he simply hasn't. And he's looked listless and careless in the process. He had back-to-back starts in midfield just before Christmas, and wasn't good then and there, either.

And yeah, if he played for Brighton or Newcastle on a team with lower standards and expectations, AMN would be getting to start every game and maybe his performances improve. But that isn't going to happen at Arsenal. And more to the point, does anyone really want Arsenal to be the sort of team where a young-ish player is given a half-season of crap performances to try and make something of themselves?

And the treatment of Willian or Aubameyang isn't the same thing. When you've won 2 PL titles and 70 caps for Brazil and are on 250k/week or whatever, you're going to be treated differently. For any team, anywhere.
 

CaseUteinberger

Established Member

Country: Sweden
If he would put his mind to it he could be an excellent left or right back. He is very solid 1-on-1 defending, has plenty of speed and is strong. He just doesn't seem to have the right attitude. Last game he played he was absolutely shocking. Just super sloppy when he got game time again.

I would love for him to come through with us, but am starting to feel the ship has sailed.
 

Iceman10

Established Member
Lots more comments about his attitude than management of him in this thread recently, would like to see the stuff about his attitude (and application) confirmed somehow although instinctively it does make sense, but I’d say this balance of comments also seems to reflect a bit more trust in the manager right now. Not completely sure if it is justified yet, for example this kind of marginalisation was somewhat paralleled in not bringing on Pepe as a sub against Newcastle even when things were pretty comfortable. Tine will tell.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
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For years people on here have been saying we should play him in midfield, "he's so mobile, we lack that" etc etc, totally ignoring the fact that you need to be able to pass if you're gonna play midfield, and for all AMN's qualities he's a 23 year old footballer who cannot pass a ball at PL level.

AMN at his best is glorious, literally the coolest guy out there, but at the end of the day this is professional football and nerds like Philipp Lahm sh*t all over cool kids like AMN who don't do their homework.
 

Iceman10

Established Member
In Arteta’s latest press conference he acknowledges that Arsenal are looking at possible options for better cover/competition for Tierney. The fact that Arteta is entertaining this discussion seems to me to be more evidence that he would like to cash in as much as possible on AMN. Would also say the way Arteta words things, hedging bets, is just uncertainty of bringing in a LB and selling AMN within remaining days of this window or having to wait until summer.

Arteta admits that is not ideal and says the club are exploring the possibility of strengthening in that department.


“That option is open and we will be looking to see what is available,” he said.


“With the departures of Kola we are a little bit short with left-footed full-backs at the moment. We can use Ainsley, we can use Bukayo and we can use Cedric [Soares], who has played in that position.


“So we have some unnatural options. To Kieran, obviously we don’t, but we can adapt.”

https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/we-are-in-that-process-arsenal-focused-on-new-signings-amid/
 

MikelHadADream

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For years people on here have been saying we should play him in midfield, "he's so mobile, we lack that" etc etc, totally ignoring the fact that you need to be able to pass if you're gonna play midfield, and for all AMN's qualities he's a 23 year old footballer who cannot pass a ball at PL level.

AMN at his best is glorious, literally the coolest guy out there, but at the end of the day this is professional football and nerds like Philipp Lahm sh*t all over cool kids like AMN who don't do their homework.

He also lacks probably the most important aspect of a midfielder, intensity. Hes far to laid back to play CM at a high level, oponents would run rings around him. He should dedicate himself to becoming a fullback.
 

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
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He also lacks probably the most important aspect of a midfielder, intensity. Hes far to laid back to play CM at a high level, oponents would run rings around him. He should dedicate himself to becoming a fullback.
Disagree, I still don't think full back is for him, will never reach his potential there. I think his best bet is to leave and go to a team that will actually play him CM.
 

Rasmi

Negative Nancy

Country: England
I know he had a bad game last time out but surely he could have played today
He is done here. I think Arteta just dont think he is a serious player and has given up on him. Cedric is preferred on either wing ahead of him
 

gunner4lyfe

Established Member
He is done here. I think Arteta just dont think he is a serious player and has given up on him. Cedric is preferred on either wing ahead of him
Well I saw that he isn't serious for a long time now. We should have sold him in the summer but I guess Arteta expected him to change. Now we'll be lucky to get 10 mil for him
 
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