Max Dowman: Mad Max

[#254]

It really is crazy that we are in the business end of the season, and after today's performance, I think the new expectation is for Max to be decisive in our quest to win four trophies.

If there are 20 minutes left in a match and we need a goal, Dowman is probably one of the first players off the bench. If we need a goal against Leverkusen on Tuesday, we're gonna want Arteta to bring on Dowman. If we need a goal against City in the League Cup final, we're gonna want Dowman to come on.

It is wild that a 16yo could be this good.

I don't want to get ahead of myself, but if he continues to perform like this, he might even be pushing to be a surprise inclusion in the England WC squad since they can now bring 25 players.

FIFA needs to add an extra slot open for under 18 super talents.

 

[MartiSaka]

That’s Mexico, this is England. Different kettle of fish pressure and expectations wise.

We don’t want Dowman going to the World Cup he should be focused on breaking into the club team first.

If he does play for England in the World cup, the least they should do is make him take a penalty in the final shootout. Its part of English football culture and tradition, the youngest and most inexperienced player always gets to take a penalty in the tournament final.

 

[Sulosky]

If he does play for England in the World cup, the least they should do is make him take a penalty in the final shootout. Its part of English football culture and tradition, the youngest and most inexperienced player always gets to take a penalty in the tournament final.

Then we can all, including the press, properly start attacking the youngest player if he happens to fail.

 

[Aubamabludclat94]

**** the pass. **** the dribble. **** the agility. **** the braces. Rewatch that match and look at how often his teammates look for him. That tells you all you need to know. They WANT him to be the guy. They know he's got the skills. They can't wait to give him the keys to the team.

 

[#254]

Dowman’s goal is up there with the goated Emirates moments, Arshavin vs Barca.. Henry comeback goal vs Leeds, Reiss Nelson vs Bournemouth… I’ve been lucky enough to see all of these live. Kind of goals you never forget.

Özil vs Ludogorets and Bergkamp vs Chelsea I think, are the best ever Arsenal goals I've ever witnessed. Absolutely goat level stuff. Dowman's wasn't a bad goal but I think the age thing sort of carries people away. I'd say it's just a relatively good goal.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

@Blood on the Tracks is the ultimate milquetoast “utter woke nonsense” brexit-type opinions poster. The type who actually wishlists Anthony Gordon.

Not surprised to see him have that opinion. Anyway we sometimes see managers bring a wildcard player to the WC/Euros especially if they have a stand out attribute and is someone they can see being a squad member for the foreseeable future. I don’t expect Max to make it but it wouldn’t be that surprising if he did. Walcott had the same thing.

How am I being Brexit / anti Woke on this matter? My main point of concern is Max the boy, who recently turned 16.

Reality is Max had never started a PL game, has made a handful of appearances for us in more minor matches. He's not one of the top 5-6 English wingers at this point.

What would best aid Max is giving him a summer out of the spotlight to grow physically, technically and mentally. Having the worst of the English media harassing a boy sat on the bench for a month long WC is not good.

Yes Sven took Theo to the WC as a kid and it was universally considered an awful decision, Theo wasn't ready and I believe even he said it hindered his long term development.

A few of you guys just want to see Max at 16 in the English side because it would be 'cool' and set social media ablaze or get him higher ratings on the next FC game or whatever.

I'm more concerned about making sure this guy has a sensible pathway into the England squad over the next 12-18 months, and one that prioritizes his personal development.

 

[Tourbillion]

Dowman’s goal is up there with the goated Emirates moments, Arshavin vs Barca.. Henry comeback goal vs Leeds, Reiss Nelson vs Bournemouth… I’ve been lucky enough to see all of these live. Kind of goals you never forget.

Henry's last minute header against ManUre in the first Emirates season.

 

[Tourbillion]

Özil vs Ludogorets and Bergkamp vs Chelsea I think, are the best ever Arsenal goals I've ever witnessed. Absolutely goat level stuff. Dowman's wasn't a bad goal but I think the age thing sort of carries people away. I'd say it's just a relatively good goal.

Bergkamp against Chelsea?

 

[GoonerJay24]

Özil vs Ludogorets and Bergkamp vs Chelsea I think, are the best ever Arsenal goals I've ever witnessed. Absolutely goat level stuff. Dowman's wasn't a bad goal but I think the age thing sort of carries people away. I'd say it's just a relatively good goal.

Bergkamp Vs Chelsea?

 

[Geofranco]

Also I feel defence players often get forgotten on the best player conversations. Imo our best player is Big Gabi

Him and Saka have been the best players the last 5 seasons. Declan Rice gets overrated, Saliba, Raya and Timber have also been very good.

 

[#254]

Bergkamp against Chelsea?

My bad. You do remember the super goal though. Don't yah

 

[Wozman85]

This kid changed the game for us. To be there Saturday evening, with my boy, and witness history, is right up there for me. The atmosphere when the goals went in was incredible and that coupled with coaching my boys team yesterday has left my voice in bits .
That felt like a massive, massive 3 points. It felt like MORE than 3 points if i'm honest. I'm hoping that was the catalyst to get the job done.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Love how he never thought of passing it to Nelli, shows he's got the mentality to go right to the very top.

At that age the easy option is just to pass it to the senior player. He decided it was his moment

 

[Red London]

Of course we don't want it to happen, but if he starts more games towards the end of the season and Tuchel calls him up it's understandable too.

Btw, playing for Mexico in front of their home crowd in the world cup is huge pressure

I don’t think he does it unless Dowman has a crazy impact between now and the end of the season.

 

[Tourbillion]

My bad. You do remember the super goal though. Don't yah

Against Newcastle yeah? Easily one of the GOATs.

 

[Trilly]

A few of you guys just want to see Max at 16 in the English side because it would be 'cool' and set social media ablaze or get him higher ratings on the next FC game or whatever.

Tell me more oh great mind reader.

My post was mostly a joke, being anti-woke is your whole thing on here. But jokes aside you have no idea what my thoughts are on him going to the world cup, and the assumption you've made here is so simple (instead of just asking) that they're borderline offensive.

I feel like you shut things down that sound outlandish without actually considering them and anybody who goes against your conservative view points gets painted as having childish or shallow motivations. Yamal was younger than Dowman when he made his Spain debut and was one of the best players in Euro 24 as a 16 year old.

If you were in charge you'd have left him at home right?

 

[2Smokeyy]

Speaking in his press conference, Arteta revealed: “I had a gut feeling. Yesterday he was training, and in the last few days, I had a gut feeling that it was a moment for him (Dowman). Probably, it’s because he doesn’t seem to be fazed by the occasion, or the moment, or the context of the opponent. He just plays so naturally.

“He makes decisions to make things happen, and what he delivered was incredible.”

Top players have been swallowed up by pressure in the business end and Dowman just strolled on and won us the game with two moments of just being proactive and not being fazed by the opposition

I remember Fabregas’ breakout season at the club and that’s definitely the blueprint we should be using here. In terms of giving him the confidence, opportunity + the protection by surrounding him with experience pushing further worked pretty well. It was all building up to Cesc snatching Vieira’s chain when we faced Juve in the CL.

 

[Trilly]

Top players have been swallowed up by pressure in the business end and Dowman just strolled on and won us the game with two moments of just being proactive and not being fazed by the opposition

I remember Fabregas’ breakout season at the club and that’s definitely the blueprint we should be using here. In terms of giving him the confidence, opportunity + the protection by surrounding him with experience pushing further worked pretty well. It was all building up to Cesc snatching Vieira’s chain when we faced Juve in the CL.

Calma you’ll get accused of wanting him to play so he can appear in the next EA FC SBC or whatever the hell they call it these days.

 

[2Smokeyy]

Calma you’ll get accused of wanting him to play so he can appear in the next EA FC SBC or whatever the hell they call it these days.

reminds me a bit of those Saliba days when we had to watch Kolasinac at CB, Mustafi and Holding then being gaslit as to how he isn’t ready yet.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

Tell me more oh great mind reader.

My post was mostly a joke, being anti-woke is your whole thing on here. But jokes aside you have no idea what my thoughts are on him going to the world cup, and the assumption you've made here is so simple (instead of just asking) that they're borderline offensive.

I feel like you shut things down that sound outlandish without actually considering them and anybody who goes against your conservative view points gets painted as having childish or shallow motivations. Yamal was younger than Dowman when he made his Spain debut and was one of the best players in Euro 24 as a 16 year old.

If you were in charge you'd have left him at home right?

My views are pretty simple. I prioritise Max Dowman the boy who hasn't even taken his GCSE's yet over Max Dowman the footballer.

Things are already going a bit crazy and the club and by extension us as fans should be protecting him as best we can.

I couldn't give a toss about Yamal debuting for Spain at 16. That's a one in a billion event.
It isn't some competition to me that Max has to match Yamal's career trajectory at such a ludicrously early stage. What the club, the fans and England should do is do what's best for Max's long term development.

Let the kid have one last summer where he can be something vaguely approaching a normal kid before he's forced to live a man's career and with all the crazy spotlight his talent will garner. He'll still be 16 when next season starts.

When it comes to such young boys football should be looked at a lot more holistically in my opinion.

There will be a new England phase after the WC, give Max a debut appearance against Andorra or whoever we play in the Euro qualifying.

If you take Max to rhe WC, the media will get crazily hyped, and when he doesn't get minutes it'll be framed as a poor decision to take him and him not being up to standard, as happened to Theo.