Ainsley Maitland-Niles: Yutility

[The_Playmaker]

His position is central midfield. If he plays rubbish in central midfield and gives goals away like Xhaka or runs about and dwells on the ball lounge Guendouzi then I'll moan at him.

Literally not going to moan at a 21 year old being moved across 4 positions after coming back from a leg break. I'll b judge him when he plays in midfield. He is constantly getting criticised when players like Guendouzi are playing rubbish in their actual position, but they are getting 'overplayed'.

 

[FinnGooner]

His position is central midfield. If he plays rubbish in central midfield and gives goals away like Xhaka or runs about and dwells on the ball lounge Guendouzi then I'll moan at him.

Literally not going to moan at a 21 year old being moved across 4 positions after coming back from a leg break. I'll b judge him when he plays in midfield. He is constantly getting criticised when players like Guendouzi are playing rubbish in their actual position, but they are getting 'overplayed'.

Yeah I'm sure his basic technique suddenly gets tons better when he's moved to an even more demanding position. And as for Guendouzi, he is two years younger and playing his first year in a new country. People are probably going to moan about him as well if we see no significant progress over the next two years.

That said, AMN is not a major issue. If we get the squad balance right and right quality for the key positions, he'll do just fine as a utility squaddie.

 

[dashsnow17]

Not true. He has always been a winger but the fact he has been shifted to so many positions has stunted his development. Poor player management from the club IMO.

It’s not unusual for wingers at youth level to become fullbacks if they’re ultimately not good enough for it. Valencia, Young, Moses etc. AMN is talented but not talented enough to be a winger for a top team, and he simply doesn’t have the skill set of a midfielder.

If he wants to be a winger he’ll eventually have to drop down a level, if he wants to make a career at this level then he should realise now that it’s as a fullback and start working towards that.

 

[dashsnow17]

What do you mean by that, now? I think he has the ability to one day start for us, it just depends if he meets the potential. I want to see him get more chances at CM

Take AMN and Guendouzi, two young players at the start of their careers. It’s natural to hype AMN because he’s an academy product with the face of an angel. But come on, Guendouzi is miles ahead of AMN, he’s in a different league, and he still has much to improve.

Every time an academy product comes through there is the assumption or the hope that they’ll be a starter, but why? That rarely happens. I don’t look at AMN and see a future midfield starter, I just don’t. I think he should focus on learning his trade as a RB and he can provide competition for Bellerin. That’s smart player management, instead of pushing him to be something he’s not good enough for.

 

[Furious]

His position is central midfield. If he plays rubbish in central midfield and gives goals away like Xhaka or runs about and dwells on the ball lounge Guendouzi then I'll moan at him.

Literally not going to moan at a 21 year old being moved across 4 positions after coming back from a leg break. I'll b judge him when he plays in midfield. He is constantly getting criticised when players like Guendouzi are playing rubbish in their actual position, but they are getting 'overplayed'.

He has zero qualities to play in midfield other than a bit of athleticism and yet he's weak AF, so pretty useless to play him there.

 

[MutableEarth]

Take AMN and Guendouzi, two young players at the start of their careers. It’s natural to hype AMN because he’s an academy product with the face of an angel. But come on, Guendouzi is miles ahead of AMN, he’s in a different league, and he still has much to improve.

Every time an academy product comes through there is the assumption or the hope that they’ll be a starter, but why? That rarely happens. I don’t look at AMN and see a future midfield starter, I just don’t. I think he should focus on learning his trade as a RB and he can provide competition for Bellerin. That’s smart player management, instead of pushing him to be something he’s not good enough for.

Disagree. My take: he will never reach his full potential as a full back because he's not a full back.

 

[dashsnow17]

Disagree. My take: he will never reach his full potential as a full back because he's not a full back.

I don’t think fullbacks are born, they are made. Midfielders are born, so are wingers. I don’t think he’ll make it as either, therefore you make him into a fullback. I think it’s doing right by him, by maximising his career, and it’s doing right by us as it fills a gap in the squad that needs filling. It makes perfect sense to me.

 

[MutableEarth]

I don’t think fullbacks are born, they are made. Midfielders are born, so are wingers. I don’t think he’ll make it as either, therefore you make him into a fullback. I think it’s doing right by him, by maximising his career, and it’s doing right by us as it fills a gap in the squad that needs filling. It makes perfect sense to me.

Well have to agree to disagree. Full back will destroy him IMO. All his **** games this season have been at full back.

 

[The_Playmaker]

He has zero qualities to play in midfield other than a bit of athleticism and yet he's weak AF, so pretty useless to play him there.

I disagree. If you are going to say he lacks the qualities to play there based on what he displayed at full back he has done at full back then it's a statement that literally makes no sense.

You just need to use your eyes and be honest about a player. He has played left back and had good performances as well as average ones but his technical quality has never been in question. He make lack positional sense but he isn't a full back.

Arsenal fans with their own eyes have seen him in play in central midfield on 4 occasions for the first team I believe. He has impressed 2 out of those 4 occasions.

He has everything needed to be a central midfielder. If what he has isn't want is needed, then I guess you would rather be happy with slow passers incapable of beating a man and recovering to catch players up defensively.

 

[MutableEarth]

I disagree. If you are going to say he lacks the qualities to play there based on what he displayed at full back he has done at full back then it's a statement that literally makes no sense.

You just need to use your eyes and be honest about a player. He has played left back and had good performances as well as average ones but his technical quality has never been in question. He make lack positional sense but he isn't a full back.

Arsenal fans with their own eyes have seen him in play in central midfield on 4 occasions for the first team I believe. He has impressed 2 out of those 4 occasions.

He has everything needed to be a central midfielder. If what he has isn't want is needed, then I guess you would rather be happy with slow passers incapable of beating a man and recovering to catch players up defensively.

Thing is, I've seen more than enough to agree but some of his plays in these positions - as much as I believe playing him full back doesn't help - he still should be passing better than he currently is. It's not helping him. That said, I do agree.

 

[Beast Incarnate]

I don’t think fullbacks are born, they are made. Midfielders are born, so are wingers. I don’t think he’ll make it as either, therefore you make him into a fullback. I think it’s doing right by him, by maximising his career, and it’s doing right by us as it fills a gap in the squad that needs filling. It makes perfect sense to me.

I somewhat agree with this. A while ago Jamie Carragher said most fullbacks are converted midfielders. You don't grow up wanting to be a fullback like you would other positions.

9 times out of 10, a fullback would have started in other positions. Bellerin was a winger for example.

 

[MutableEarth]

I somewhat agree with this. A while ago Jamie Carragher said most fullbacks are converted midfielders. You don't grow up wanting to be a fullback like you would other positions.

9 times out of 10, a fullback would have started in other positions. Bellerin was a winger for example.

Doesn't mean it will work for all of them. I don't believe it will work for AMN. I've never seen anything to suggest it's the best position for him, and I stick by that.

 

[Beksl]

Doesn't mean it will work for all of them. I don't believe it will work for AMN. I've never seen anything to suggest it's the best position for him, and I stick by that.

If he wants to succeed here he's best chance is at fullback. Apart from maybe physical attributes he's got zero qualities to be a midfielder or a winger.

 

[MutableEarth]

If he wants to succeed here he's best chance is at fullback. Apart from maybe physical attributes he's got zero qualities to be a midfielder or a winger.

Hard disagree.

 

[dashsnow17]

Although this is all assuming the best thing for him is to stay at Arsenal. Is it better for a player to be a utility player or backup RB at a top club or to be a starting midfielder/winger in the championship for example? Which is the better career?

 

[MutableEarth]

Although this is all assuming the best thing for him is to stay at Arsenal. Is it better for a player to be a utility player or backup RB at a top club or to be a starting midfielder/winger in the championship for example? Which is the better career?

This depends on a lot really. This assumes that ones ceiling is the Championship, or that a limited career playing few games is sufficient for a player. Too many variables. Although not directed at AMN, projecting onto him, you have to decide what his ceiling is, where his potential is best decided. Personally, I don't see much potential for AMN as a back-up RB. More than likely, he'll end up being shifted anyway if he stays there. He won't amount to much if he continues to be played there IMO. Whereas, unlike others, I see huge potential in him as a midfielder. He's a much better technician than he has showed when he is focused and fully concentrated, and if he's given the full trust and motivation of the manager, he'd thrive there for Arsenal.

If AMN fails to make it at Arsenal, it won't be because of his ability IMO, and everything to do with a combination of his lax approach in games, and the insistence of managers to play him everywhere except his best position - which is NOT right back, but in midfield. It may be better served for his career to go be a midfielder at another club IMO than be a stunted utility player here.

 

[dashsnow17]

This depends on a lot really. This assumes that ones ceiling is the Championship, or that a limited career playing few games is sufficient for a player. Too many variables. Although not directed at AMN, projecting onto him, you have to decide what his ceiling is, where his potential is best decided. Personally, I don't see much potential for AMN as a back-up RB. More than likely, he'll end up being shifted anyway if he stays there. He won't amount to much if he continues to be played there IMO. Whereas, unlike others, I see huge potential in him as a midfielder. He's a much better technician than he has showed when he is focused and fully concentrated, and if he's given the full trust and motivation of the manager, he'd thrive there for Arsenal.

If AMN fails to make it at Arsenal, it won't be because of his ability IMO, and everything to do with a combination of his lax approach in games, and the insistence of managers to play him everywhere except his best position - which is NOT right back, but in midfield. It may be better served for his career to go be a midfielder at another club IMO than be a stunted utility player here.

If he decides that he really cares about passing the ball and making the best passes possible, then maybe he can make it as a midfielder. Unfortunately that’s not what I’ve seen from him so far.

 

[dashsnow17]

Guendouzi doesn’t get every pass right, and I think he could improve his variation of passes, but you know straight away that making good passes is what matters most to him. That’s what separates him from AMN and makes him a midfielder.

 

[MutableEarth]

If he decides that he really cares about passing the ball and making the best passes possible, then maybe he can make it as a midfielder. Unfortunately that’s not what I’ve seen from him so far.

I've seen it in some games. The Southampton game where he was first played there was a great example. That should have been the blueprint but he got scant few chances there after that. The Man Utd game last season saw him use the ball very well, and there were a few games last season where he played LB and used the ball cleverly and in a forward, progressive manner.

I would like to see more of it, and I don't see it often enough because he just doesn't play with enough intensity and energy for a player of his type. If I had his level of athleticism, I would play with a hell of a lot more intensity - he just takes it a bit too easy for my liking.

 

[Tourbillion]

Why is this guy so ****ing disgracefully lazy with his jogging back?