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Ainsley Maitland-Niles: Midfielder or in deNile?

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kash2

More Consistent Than Arteta
Oh I'll be majorly disappointed when he leaves despite expecting it to happen. He was never given a fair crack at midfield, not at any point in his first team career until Big Sam. I don't think he helped himself by being careless in multiple matches but the ability has always been there, just needed trust IMO. Playing RB is what derailed his career IMO, he never should have played there. That was the beginning of the end, and it's only on sheer natural ability that he still carved out numerous games and decent performances in the RB position - to the point that now everyone thinks he's solely a RB.

That misuse dates back to Wenger I'm afraid. I get he liked to play dudes out of position to help their development. IMO it backfired with AMN, to the point where he's unhappy with his career even though he was getting minutes at RB. So leaving IMO is unavoidable here, he has to go to rebuild his career - especially if he wants to continue being a midfielder. They don't trust him to be one here and he doesn't want to be a RB (rightfully IMO).
true. he needed to be managed carefully to preserve his natural arrogant confidence while developing his tactical awareness in midfield. Unfortunately, he came through at a very chaotic time at Arsenal. He is still very young and has an impressive CV, so its better to rebuild outside, unless uncle mikel understands that there is a world beyong ceballos and elneny.
 

boonthegoon

Arteta In by November

Country: USA

Player:Smith-Rowe
Should have sold him last summer. His stock was higher. Missed opportunity.

Him not playing rb consistently is his own problem I feel. He kept sulking about it. Could have made that position his own. I'm sure it has been mentioned many times already but just look at taa. He's also a midfielder but is being used as rb and he's owning it there.
 

Geofranco

Would let Saka date his daughter

Player:Saka
true. he needed to be managed carefully to preserve his natural arrogant confidence while developing his tactical awareness in midfield. Unfortunately, he came through at a very chaotic time at Arsenal. He is still very young and has an impressive CV, so its better to rebuild outside, unless uncle mikel understands that there is a world beyong ceballos and elneny.

He has some swagger, but I don't think he has enough natural talent to be as casual as he was. Maybe he could be a CM, but his positioning and passing would have to be really efficient cause he just doesn't have the natural ability of other young and talented CMs. What really stands out about him is the athleticism. Probably the best athlete at the club since Oxlade-Chamberlain.
 

tactica442

Established Member
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I like AMN as a full back. He knows the timing to surge forward and has the capability. I do not seem him cross much though.

From watching some very short periods of his time being shuffled as CM, he does not seem quite there. The way he open his body when receiving the ball, the link up play, positioning when without possession and in transition, and his decision making... all makes me feel awkward. CM does not seem to be his natural.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
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He got into the England squad off his fullback performances, he's getting dunked on by his own manager after his midfield performances. I feel like this debate is basically over already. Been saying for years, he can be a fullback at a big club or a midfielder at a small club, his choice. I think he's made the wrong choice, but whatever.
 

OSBK

Established Member
He got into the England squad off his fullback performances, he's getting dunked on by his own manager after his midfield performances. I feel like this debate is basically over already. Been saying for years, he can be a fullback at a big club or a midfielder at a small club, his choice. I think he's made the wrong choice, but whatever.

The standard of full back TAA/james/AWB are a few levels above AMN. He will be a good replacement for coleman at everton.
 

Big Poppa

Established Member
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Country: USA

Player:Saliba
He got into the England squad off his fullback performances, he's getting dunked on by his own manager after his midfield performances. I feel like this debate is basically over already. Been saying for years, he can be a fullback at a big club or a midfielder at a small club, his choice. I think he's made the wrong choice, but whatever.
This is such a bizarre way of looking at things.

Like pointing out a young attorney who graduated based on exams at law school should go back to studies because they lost their first couple of cases, rather than gain experience at a small law firm.

99.9% of you would never take the advice you are giving AMN and suck it up to do what you’re told. AMN feels he’s done playing the defensive utility guy. I respect that.

For some people it’s not about collecting plaudits, it’s about doing what you enjoy. Good luck to him wherever he goes.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
Trusted ⭐
This is such a bizarre way of looking at things.

Like pointing out a young attorney who graduated based on exams at law school should go back to studies because they lost their first couple of cases, rather than gain experience at a small law firm.

99.9% of you would never take the advice you are giving AMN and suck it up to do what you’re told. AMN feels he’s done playing the defensive utility guy. I respect that.

For some people it’s not about collecting plaudits, it’s about doing what you enjoy. Good luck to him wherever he goes.

Sure it's AMN's choice, it's his career, he can do what he wants. I'm just saying my assessment of him has always been that he won't make it as a midfielder at the top level, tbh i'm not sure a small PL club would take him as a midfielder. If he wants to be a Championship midfielder and he'd be happy to do that, then good luck to him. But he could be a PL player for his boyhood club, he could even get some England games, if he listened to advice.

Plenty of players change positions because it's what's best for their careers, and the vast majority of players want to play at the highest level, achieving the most and earning the biggest wages. And imo most players would change positions if a coach told them they'd have a better career doing so. It's called growing up and making a living. Players who played striker in the youth system have careers at CB, cos if they can make money from it they'll do it.

AMN doesn't have the concentration, positional awareness, 360 vision, or security in possession to be a midfielder. I love AMN, but being a fan of AMN isn't just blindly ignoring all the deficiencies in his game which exclude him from being a top level midfielder.

His problem is he has a bad agent and bad advice, and I find that very sad.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
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Another thing I'd point out is the difference between AMN and Willock. You've got two academy players who both want to be midfielders. I'd advise one to give up on that, come back to Arsenal and play fullback, and I'd advise the other to leave and join another PL club. Difference being I think Willock has what it takes to be a good PL midfielder, maybe not at Arsenal cos his passing and on-the-ball ability doesn't suit a possession team, but Willock could have a very good career in the PL. I'd tell him to go and do it.
 

Big Poppa

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: USA

Player:Saliba
Sure it's AMN's choice, it's his career, he can do what he wants. I'm just saying my assessment of him has always been that he won't make it as a midfielder at the top level, tbh i'm not sure a small PL club would take him as a midfielder. If he wants to be a Championship midfielder and he'd be happy to do that, then good luck to him. But he could be a PL player for his boyhood club, he could even get some England games, if he listened to advice.

Plenty of players change positions because it's what's best for their careers, and the vast majority of players want to play at the highest level, achieving the most and earning the biggest wages. And imo most players would change positions if a coach told them they'd have a better career doing so. It's called growing up and making a living. Players who played striker in the youth system have careers at CB, cos if they can make money from it they'll do it.

AMN doesn't have the concentration, positional awareness, 360 vision, or security in possession to be a midfielder. I love AMN, but being a fan of AMN isn't just blindly ignoring all the deficiencies in his game which exclude him from being a top level midfielder.

His problem is he has a bad agent and bad advice, and I find that very sad.
You're right..

All I'm saying is it takes time to grow into the central midfield position and AMN has only had the chance to do that with a long ball team that averages 30% possession. Bums like Allardyce and Pulis do not have a record of developing talent for a good reason, and Arteta's following a similar path. I've seen him at CM only twice for Arsenal and on both occasions he collected an MOTM award (Man U and Rapid).

This is why I say, let him go where he feels important. He's 22, probably feels taken for granted and wants to prove to himself that he's capable. He should be applauded for doing what he feels is best for his career, whether or not that works out, no?
 

AberGooner

Established Member
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Country: Scotland

Player:Gabriel
He's looked the part when given a consistent run of games, whether it be RB or LWB, so I don't blame him for thinking he deserved a run in his natural position this season. Especially when you consider the standard of players he was competing against.

It's obvious Arteta doesn't have full trust in him so he'll be moved on. In the matches I've watched he's helped improve the form and stability of a really leaky WBA side. I think he'll make a really good DM wherever he ends up and have a good career in the PL. Good luck to him.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
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You're right..

All I'm saying is it takes time to grow into the central midfield position and AMN has only had the chance to do that with a long ball team that averages 30% possession. Bums like Allardyce and Pulis do not have a record of developing talent for a good reason, and Arteta's following a similar path. I've seen him at CM only twice for Arsenal and on both occasions he collected an MOTM award (Man U and Rapid).

This is why I say, let him go where he feels important. He's 22, probably feels taken for granted and wants to prove to himself that he's capable. He should be applauded for doing what he feels is best for his career, whether or not that works out, no?

He's 23 actually, he'll be 24 by the start of next season. I just don't think it's fair to say "he's never been given a chance at CM". He's been coached by Wenger, Emery, Allardyce, ok you can criticise those managers for various reasons, but they're experienced coaches, none of them said "this guy will be a great midfielder". I just think for a long time some fans have been looking at certain parts of his game and assuming you can extrapolate that into a broader CM role, but ignoring all the other parts of his game that contradict that.

Also, people are re-writing history. Correct me if i'm wrong, but he wasn't playing central midfield in the youth teams? He was a winger, right? It's not like he spent his whole life playing central midfield, then got put at RB by evil coaches who couldn't see his potential. He was a wide player, just not good enough to be a winger, but he's a natural fullback.

But yes i understand what you're saying, it's his choice and he's free to make it.
 

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
This is such a bizarre way of looking at things.

Like pointing out a young attorney who graduated based on exams at law school should go back to studies because they lost their first couple of cases, rather than gain experience at a small law firm.

99.9% of you would never take the advice you are giving AMN and suck it up to do what you’re told. AMN feels he’s done playing the defensive utility guy. I respect that.

For some people it’s not about collecting plaudits, it’s about doing what you enjoy. Good luck to him wherever he goes.
Precisely this. AMN playing midfield is best for his career, not RB. Hopefully he leaves so he can finally cook there permanently. It would be disappointing to me to see him come back and resign himself to RB, because he'll have his good games here and there but he'll never be consistent and reach his full potential because he clearly doesn't like it - we are much better off signing an actual RB who wants to play there. We screwed up with AMN, so it's best we let him go.
 

Rasmi

Negative Nancy

Country: England
If I was him I would go to a championship team and just play midfield there. I don’t want to see him play for Arsenal at any capacity
 

Football Manager

Copy & Paste Merchant
If I was him I would go to a championship team and just play midfield there. I don’t want to see him play for Arsenal at any capacity
If he focus on defending, protecting the defence, and happy to be a Flamini/coquelin type of player. Then Championship team (or even lower PL teams) will suits him.

If he wants to be other type of midfielders...his technique/passing/on the ball ability....are league two level.
 

Iceman10

Established Member
Precisely this. AMN playing midfield is best for his career, not RB. Hopefully he leaves so he can finally cook there permanently. It would be disappointing to me to see him come back and resign himself to RB, because he'll have his good games here and there but he'll never be consistent and reach his full potential because he clearly doesn't like it - we are much better off signing an actual RB who wants to play there. We screwed up with AMN, so it's best we let him go.
He's done a lot for Arsenal as I see it, in going with the utility man role for so long. Just saying that because even though he is an under contract player I have no problems with him.pursuing his dream at CM, regardless of what level he ends up succeeding with that. At minimum he is PL level, the only question is for which tier of teams in the PL.
 
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