Ethan Nwaneri: Dortmund Germanation

[Geofranco]

Strange that the club sees him as an 8 rather than a creative right winger, ala Bernardo Silva or Güler. The central areas are no joke these days. Almost all of the top-level 10s have had poor moments playing there. It's no longer enough to be technically gifted - you need to handle the physicality. Even KdB spent most of his career out on the right to cross. Ethan still has the mindset of a winger who wants to beat his man through a dribble. He needs to develop the “passer” mindset if he wants to develop into a top 8, which I believe he can be.

I don't see him as an 8. To me he is a 10 who is more interested in scoring goals than creating chances. He can be a great second striker or false 9. He needs to be as close to the goal as possible, he has a high ceiling for end product.

 

[RunTheTrap]

I don't see him as an 8. To me he is a 10 who is more interested in scoring goals than creating chances. He can be a great second striker or false 9. He needs to be as close to the goal as possible, he has a high ceiling for end product.

8 or 10, it doesn't matter. He still needs to work on his passing and ball retention. I agree that he is an SS, but that doesn't excuse poor midfield play. Griezmann and Alvarez don't misplace simple passes because of their role.

 

[ArsenalInMyHeart]

He is always rushed ... he lost many duels yesterday.... it's not good because he can't step up in the period without Ødegaard

 

[Bloodbather]

Strange that the club sees him as an 8 rather than a creative right winger, ala Bernardo Silva or Güler. The central areas are no joke these days. Almost all of the top-level 10s have had poor moments playing there. It's no longer enough to be technically gifted - you need to handle the physicality. Even KdB spent most of his career out on the right to cross. Ethan still has the mindset of a winger who wants to beat his man through a dribble. He needs to develop the “passer” mindset if he wants to develop into a top 8, which I believe he can be.

I get your point but I don’t get your examples here.

Bernardo and Arda have tremendous ball retention and passing ability and they do better when they play centrally. Neither have the physical profile for a winger. Arda is 2nd in La Liga in assists since being moved to a central playmaking role by Alonso. They're advanced playmakers who can do a job on the wing, not the other way around.

Likewise, I'd cite KDB as an example in the opposite direction - it's because he had enough physicality to him that he excelled in his role for so long. And he didn't really play #10 or even a pure playmaker in City's strongest teams, he was a mezzala - someone who drifted to the wing (which you mentioned) and ran around while contributing to progression, scoring and playmaking. He was an elite advanced playmaker as well though, played that role when Gündoğan was his partner instead of David Silva or Bernardo.

Back to Ethan - he is physically robust for his age and can dribble and shoot. I agree that he's not a playmaking type and needs to improve on that end to reach his potential. Right now he's better suited for a SS or RW role, but I do think that his best potential is as a central player, as a mezzala to be specific, not as an advanced playmaker a la Ødegaard. So I get why Arteta gives him his runs at 8.

 

[avenellroad]

My problem with him at times is that he ghosts through games. He needs to get out of that and show a bit of personality otherwise Arteta most likely has his excuse for keeping him on the bench,

 

[bergholt]

Right now he's better suited for a SS or RW role, but I do think that his best potential is as a central player, as a mezzala to be specific, not as an advanced playmaker a la Ødegaard. So I get why Arteta gives him his runs at 8.

How would we fit a support striker or a mezzala into our current system? I can't see how that works.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Can see why he’s not really getting a game. Hes a moments player at the moment.

This is to be expected though, he’s still very young. AM need to realise this when criticising the manager for not playing him.

 

[Bloodbather]

How would we fit a support striker or a mezzala into our current system? I can't see how that works.

We can't, I'm talking strictly about Nwaneri's personal development. His player profile right now is an odd fit.

 

[Rasmi]

Doesn’t have long term future here

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

nothing wrong with him he just need to be more involved during games whenever he got the ball we can create something however if his teammate struggle to find him then he won't influnce the game. the guy is 18 years old take it step by step.

 

[Bogart]

Huge amounts of time on his hands but he is far too selfish. Pass the ball, create, ditch these crappy pot shots and create and finish proper chances. If you score a streaky goal or two it might get you the headlines for a week but you aren’t becoming a proper player like you talent deserves.

 

[Iwobeast]

Follows the usual trajectory of having a huge debut season and then struggling the season after. Not worried, he needs to get used to senior professional football and he's still learning

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

Doesn’t have long term future here

Keep it up every page like @Sapient Hawk used to do in the Race for the Title thread. You'll end up the same way.

 

[bastun]

I don't have the same feeling with him like I have with Myles. Not every young footballer trajectory is the same, but I think Ethan might not live up to the hype around him.
He is still super young, haven't played enough games to judge, still have a lot of time to develop , etc.
But every time I watch him play, he looks a bit lost, a bit uncertain what to do, makes silly mistakes, doesn't look physically ready. At the same time his shooting is pure gold. Especially if you leave him the space outside the box to have a curl shot at the far corner.
Compared to Max as a 15-16 years old , to be able to take on players 1v1 and beat them like they are some cones, you must be special talent as well as physically outgrown your age.

It will be really interesting how Nwaneri develops. At the moment he is an enigma.

 

[viktor]

nothing wrong with him he just need to be more involved during games whenever he got the ball we can create something however if his teammate struggle to find him then he won't influnce the game. the guy is 18 years old take it step by step.

look like lack of minute play made him forget how to play football

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

look like lack of minute play made him forget how to play football

nothing to do with lack of minutes he just need to learn to how make himself available during games he can easily just watch Ødegaard movement and he'll learn.

 

[MutableEarth]

Follows the usual trajectory of having a huge debut season and then struggling the season after. Not worried, he needs to get used to senior professional football and he's still learning

Right. Feel the same about Myles. Still showing talent but isn't as effective. This is just regular teething problems. And it's not even like Ethan's been that bad, pre-Brighton he was doing well with very few minutes so it's really only his last 2 appearances that haven't been great.

 

[Rasmi]

Keep it up every page like @Sapient Hawk used to do in the Race for the Title thread. You'll end up the same way.

I just love how people get offended by this. Like it’s not normal for big clubs to produce a very talented young player and the player eventually move on to get more permanent playing time. A player like him need consistent playing time to develop and he will reach a point where for his own development he will have to move to play more. Happens in every big club

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

I just love how people get offended by this. Like it’s not normal for big clubs to produce a very talented young player and the player eventually move on to get more permanent playing time. A player like him need consistent playing time to develop and he will reach a point where for his own development he will have to move to play more. Happens in every big club

It's not that I'm offended, it's just that you keep spouting the same nonsense over and over again and you never learn.

Nwaneri is 18 years old, he played 1.378 minutes (whether or not despite injuries) when he was 17 and now he's on 9 appearances, 425 minutes and it's only November. He's a young kid at a big club, who's development will not be lineair and he's just signed a 5 year deal. But please keep banging the same crap drum about how he's leaving.

 

[Trilly]

I don't have the same feeling with him like I have with Myles. Not every young footballer trajectory is the same, but I think Ethan might not live up to the hype around him.
He is still super young, haven't played enough games to judge, still have a lot of time to develop , etc.
But every time I watch him play, he looks a bit lost, a bit uncertain what to do, makes silly mistakes, doesn't look physically ready. At the same time his shooting is pure gold. Especially if you leave him the space outside the box to have a curl shot at the far corner.
Compared to Max as a 15-16 years old , to be able to take on players 1v1 and beat them like they are some cones, you must be special talent as well as physically outgrown your age.

It will be really interesting how Nwaneri develops. At the moment he is an enigma.

I watch him and have the same concerns but then I remember that he’s 18 and relax

I agree that Miles and even Dowman look to be a bit more assured on the ball for their age but Ethan has a good 2-3 years to sort things out.

My main concern is mentality. A lot of the silly mistakes you mention are due to him being hesitant and second guessing himself. Once that sets in you’re done at this leve, it’s what ruined Reiss Nelson (that and injuries) imo.