Ainsley Maitland-Niles: Midfielder or in deNile?

[RacingPhoton]

He must, surely.

Partey won't be fit, and I don't want to rush him back either.

While Xhaka is suspended, and won't Mo miss a couple of games due to having to quarantine when he gets back, or something?

If Mo is here, I totally see Arteta starting him ahead of AMN. It would be great if he was quarantined. Just like how injuries forced him to start ESR last season, this is the only way we can expect Arteta to do the right thing.

 

[The_Playmaker]

Funny how he is starting him at cm in friendlies after he said he wants to play RB. Arteta is going to mess him up.

 

[Batman]

I definitely have criticisms of how Arteta has handled certain players, but the guy went to war with Özil and benched Auba for being late to practice. He's clearly willing to hold star players to account, the one weird Willian situation notwithstanding.

I don't agree with everything on how AMN has been handled either, but when the team is trying to move him on but the agent is killing moves to quality teams and then the player calls out Arsenal on social media ... I can see where they'd be pretty frustrated. They've been doing everything they can to loan him to good teams last January and then sell him now and the player/agent have done everything to make it as difficult as possible and then whine when their actions cause the result they want to not happen.

Özil was binned by the club for speaking on a genocide in China. He benched Auba once for being late to a match which is the only discipline you can point to of a senior player. There are no other examples. He picks fights with those he can bully, kids. Willian wasn't disciplined at all because Edu and Kia are in cohoots and there may have been some pushback for disciplining him. He picks and chooses who he cracks down on based on how fervently they kiss up to him and how capable they are of fighting back. He is a textbook coward and hypocrite. He came in speaking about non negotiables yet doesn't apply that across the squad. There are obvious exceptions based upon his whims and his fears.

He's a cancer and he needs to be excised before this club succumbs to him. Don't give me this BS about the club is frustrated. Torreira downed tools 2 years ago and they make every accommodation for him. He's whined on TV, radio and in the press and he and his agent certainly have not helped the club find deals. He's never been punished. Why? Human garbage like Xhaka mugs the fans off and costs the club points, leading to missing out on Europe and millions in revenue. Is that not a bit worse than a social media post? Yet that c*nt is given an extension, a raise and the captaincy after flirting with Mourinho all summer in a blatant show of disrespect and then excuses are made for him when he does what he always does and gets his marching orders for a stupid challenge. Make that make sense. You can't. There's no meritocracy at Arsenal any longer. It's a circle jerk of weak, unintelligent men who get their claws out when their fragile egos are challenged and Arteta is the ring leader.

 

[Rimaal]

Özil was binned by the club for speaking on a genocide in China. He benched Auba once for being late to a match which is the only discipline you can point to of a senior player. There are no other examples. He picks fights with those he can bully, kids. Willian wasn't disciplined at all because Edu and Kia are in cohoots and there may have been some pushback for disciplining him. He picks and chooses who he cracks down on based on how fervently they kiss up to him and how capable they are of fighting back. He is a textbook coward and hypocrite. He came in speaking about non negotiables yet doesn't apply that across the squad. There are obvious exceptions based upon his whims and his fears.

He's a cancer and he needs to be excised before this club succumbs to him. Don't give me this BS about the club is frustrated. Torreira downed tools 2 years ago and they make every accommodation for him. He's whined on TV, radio and in the press and he and his agent certainly have not helped the club find deals. He's never been punished. Why? Human garbage like Xhaka mugs the fans off and costs the club points, leading to missing out on Europe and millions in revenue. Is that not a bit worse than a social media post? Yet that c*nt is given an extension, a raise and the captaincy after flirting with Mourinho all summer in a blatant show of disrespect and then excuses are made for him when he does what he always does and gets his marching orders for a stupid challenge. Make that make sense. You can't. There's no meritocracy at Arsenal any longer. It's a circle jerk of weak, unintelligent men who get their claws out when their fragile egos are challenged and Arteta is the ring leader.

If only you had softened the language I would have liked the post. Your vocab is too aggressive, otherwise I agree with core of the post.

 

[Batman]

If only you had softened the language I would have liked the post. Your vocab is too aggressive, otherwise I agree with core of the post.

I'm Batman. If you want a boyscout post, call Clark.

 

[Blankety Blank]

How do you know he didn't speak to Edu first?

There was no serious bid for him because Arteta benched him. When he got game time last season, wolves made a bid for him.

And he didn't kick up fuss. This is what I mean when I say the Arsenal or at least Arteta runs a media campaign against players he doesn't like. Even Allardyce called him "a great lady" in the video @Macho posted a few pages back but for some reason, it seems our manager wants to demonize any player that have a bit of a personality.

Well i think it unlikely due to the timing but who knows?
Maybe he is a model pro & Arteta is simply being a tool?

Perhaps it is a personality thing?

To me he is a' 'squaddie' A backup midfielder & option at RB.
Whatever the situation It make no sense to let him go on loan.

 

[Blankety Blank]

Funny how he is starting him at cm in friendlies after he said he wants to play RB. Arteta is going to mess him up.

Lol not sure how playing him in his favoured position is gonna mess him up .
A good pro should be able to play anywhere tbh.
He will likely get minutes here in midfield this season so the kid needs to sharpen his passing.

 

[Trilly]

A good pro should be able to play anywhere tbh.

Makes sense now why Man U signed Ronaldo when what they really needed was a DM. That CR7-Pogba pivot is going to slap.

 

[2Smokeyy]

Makes sense now why Man U signed Ronaldo when what they really needed was a DM. That CR7-Pogba pivot is going to slap.

Not sure why people are moaning about Auba playing LWB/LB since a true pro should be able to play anywhere like @Blankety Blank said.

 

[Blankety Blank]

Not sure why people are moaning about Auba playing LWB/LB since a true pro should be able to play anywhere like @Blankety Blank said.

Lol the guy in the OP was talking about playing AMN in CM in a friendly ffs.
I think a good pro certainly should be able to play anywhere in a friendly.

Its hardly advocating Rob holding as a number 10 in the prem league.

AMN who the thread is about is very much seen as a utility player.

Other players have similar roles in squads all over the world. Hes a fairly average player so its not quite like asking Ronaldo/messi to play CB even if they could make a better fist of it than Callum Chambers

 

[Get These Hands]

Sell Elneny and let him be our 4th choice CM. He can also cover fullback. Versatile players like AMN are vital in any squad.

 

[Get These Hands]

Özil was binned by the club for speaking on a genocide in China.

Nothing to do with his awful form and appalling attitude then?

 

[Oxeki]

Sell Elneny and let him be our 4th choice CM. He can also cover fullback. Versatile players like AMN are vital in any squad.

And how do we sell Elneny?

 

[drippin]

And how do we sell Elneny?

Dress him as a woman, and sell him at the Qatari slave market?

 

[Batman]

Nothing to do with his awful form and appalling attitude then?

Obviously not because again, Granit Xhaka was just handed a contract extension. You might want to change your name if this is the best you can do. Right now the hands in question look a bit like this:

 

[2Smokeyy]

Elite mentality from my boy AMN.

Only losers have been wanting him sold and praying on his failure.

 

[drippin]

Yesterday in the training match against Brentford, Arteta played 3-4-3 with AMN & Elneny in the middle.

Patino came in for Elneny later, meaning AMN played 90 minutes in the 4-0 win as a midfielder. He also came on as a sub in the cup win to play as a midfielder.

It seems Arteta is finally giving him chances there.

White and Gabriel also played, which is very nice.

Match report: Arsenal 4-0 Brentford

Goals from Gabriel, Lacazette and a Cedric brace secure the win in a behind-closed-doors friendly at London Colney

www.arsenal.com

 

[The_Playmaker]

Yesterday in the training match against Brentford, Arteta played 3-4-3 with AMN & Elneny in the middle.

Patino came in for Elneny later, meaning AMN played 90 minutes in the 4-0 win as a midfielder. He also came on as a sub in the cup win to play as a midfielder.

It seems Arteta is finally giving him chances there.

White and Gabriel also played, which is very nice.

Match report: Arsenal 4-0 Brentford

Goals from Gabriel, Lacazette and a Cedric brace secure the win in a behind-closed-doors friendly at London Colney

www.arsenal.com

He doesn't have a choice. He has no other midfielders. Elneny, Partey are injured. Xhaka suspended. Lokonga is our only option.

 

[drippin]

He doesn't have a choice. He has no other midfielders. Elneny, Partey are injured. Xhaka suspended. Lokonga is our only option.

Well, duh! The point is that this is the second time this season he has given AMN midfield minutes.

It's obvious he is thinking AMN as a backup option for midfield. It's not just some speculation anymore. Also if he performs well when given a chance, of course he can get even more minutes later.

Btw. Elneny was substituted at 33 minutes for Patino, not sure how bad injury. Looking like AMN will get more of those midfield minutes soon.

 

[The_Playmaker]

Well, duh! The point is that this is the second time this season he has given AMN midfield minutes.

It's obvious he is thinking AMN as a backup option for midfield. It's not just some speculation anymore. Also if he performs well when given a chance, of course he can get even more minutes later.

Btw. Elneny was substituted at 33 minutes for Patino, not sure how bad injury. Looking like AMN will get more of those midfield minutes soon.

Okay let's be real. Under Arteta, AMN has predominately been USED as a utility player. He has played lwb, rwb, rb in important games and lesser games. He has never cemented a place in any of those positions for a substantial period of time.

From when he came out and said he would like to play CM he was sent on loan. Let's, take that into consideration here. A player who has played a lot of games for Arsenal was sent on loan. To do what exactly? Develop? No he was sent because he wasn't wanted. He came back from his loan and said he wanted to play rb. What does Arteta do? Play him in midfield.

It is an absolute Headscratch. For any player let alone an academy product.

Now I am of the opinion that AMN can offer something in midfield. Pace, athleticism, combativeness and ball recovery. He can win it and play it simple. There is value in that kind of player. More Value than Elneny ffs. Who has been given all the CM midfield minutes under the sun.

The ONLY reason Arteta is playing him in CM now is because he knows when it comes to Norwich, Xhaka is suspended, Partey wont be ready. Elneny who is also ahead of him btw is injured. So now it is literally AMN and Lokonga.

There is two ways this can go. He has a MOTM performance and maintains his place for another week. Or he plays averagely because let's face it. In what world could he be match fit? It's a lose lose situation. He plays well he lose his place. He plays badly it's an Arteta I told you so moment. He has been sabotaged.