Reiss Nelson: Mutable's Son

Sigh

 

Ok, I kind of see it now. That second half performance. Can see the talent. Really needs to build his confidence

 

A lot of people have misconceptions about Nelson. If you expect him to take on his fullback consistently and fire off multiple shots per game, you're only going to disappoint yourself. They think he's a 1v1 speed demon like Gnabry but in reality Nelson is more of a Wenger type winger, basically a Nasri or Iwobi. Nelson is much more about keeping possession and combination play. He linked up well with Saka especially. A team that dominates possession will suit Nelson more, a team that plays on the counter more will suit wide towards more.

Nelson will come good with a run of games. He's certainly one of our best options on the LW after Auba and Martinelli imo.

 

The talent is there. It's obvious for everyone to see. I felt like he missed opportunities to pass the ball to Saka when he made good runs and went with the safe option of passing someone in behind. His work rate is quite good as well. He is very very close to being ready for the first team.

 

When Nelson was in the youth teams he had the ability to add verve to every attack. Kinda like what Rosicky used to do when in form and healthy. Nelson is the perfect attacking player for Arsenal at his best. He has the first touch, close control dribbling, ability to maneuver out of tight areas, can link up well with quick and intricate passes etc Apart from hold up play and maybe heading ability, he has the talent to be really good in all those areas listed.

 

He did alright considering he played with two midfielders who couldn't make a forward pass.

 

Still think he should go on loan. Anywhere that he'll play regularly, doesn't have to be a PL team. A season of regular football will do him a world of good.

 

Thought he had a good game. Always looked a threat and was unlucky not to score. I reckon Uncle Mikel can work wonders with him. He’s like our project Sterling.

Most pleasing thing for me is it looks like he has that devastating pace now. The work he’s been putting in on speed/endurance looks to have paid off.

 

Looked really sharp, did a fantastic link-up job. Exciting player.

 

Absolutely spot on. We have the same hope and realistic expectations when it comes to Nelson. He has immense talent and could be a star player for us, but a lack of confidence is holding him back.

Arteta has been saying how fantastic he's been in practice, so he clearly thinks he will make it here. But like you said, opportunities to impress are not consistently available for him, so a loan with a guarantee of playing time at a team playing similar football could really help him get his groove back. You could sense last night that he's starting to get there, he just needs to keep pushing himself.

 

It was really hard to make comparisons to other players at that time, such was how unique his threat looked during his development. He had an element of excitement and imagination that complemented his technical ability and acceleration very well. Just feel he's lost that bit of imagination and needs to get it back. He used to try all sorts of outrageous things and pull them off, now he's tentative about playing slide rule passes he used to play easily. Even his 1v1s are getting back to where they were but he's still deferring every now and then. It feels like he's playing in a way that causes him not to **** up. Yesterday was an improvement, but his next challenge has to be sustaining his impact over a whole game.

One thing that made me happy was seeing him shoot often again. Even if he missed the good chance and ballooned his last shot over the bar, that he was aggressive enough to be a bit selfish and force the issue was encouraging to me, that shows he's getting some confidence back.

Arteta definitely likes him but while there are more confident and assured options available, he can't guarantee him minutes. If I was in Arteta's position, I'd probably have to make the same decisions aswell. As a fan, I can afford to be biased towards players I like . He absolutely needs to take a few more risks. He has the ability and once they start coming off a few times, the floodgates will open easily for him.

I hope he gets a good loan, even Fulham would be a good loan for me. He'd be a starter in their team and that's mostly what he needs. The trust in him will breed more confidence, and the more minutes he plays the better he will get. Nelson needs consistent football. He didn't hit heights straight away for the U23 team, it took him a few games but when he was starting every game for them, he got better and better as there were more consistent minutes. I feel the same about Willock also. Both guys in need of consistent starts and trust from a manager as starters.

 

I like Nelson almost as much as MutableEarth and GeoFranco but to play devil's advocate a bit, I do wonder at a certain point if he just doesn't have the personality.

Your posts had me thinking back a bit to Nelson's academy days, and I remembered particularly the UEFA Youth league game against Anderlecht which was streamed live, which was the first time I thought to myself there was a possibility Nelson might not make it. He played rather like we've seen him for the first team in that game, very much inside himself...I came away thinking it was probably just because he was on the right and is better on the left to allow his technique and quality to express itself a bit more, but after seeing now a few years of first team performances like that I worry.

I think one of the things that's hardest to judge at youth level and which you don't really see until first team level is personality, and it's also one of the most decisive factors in if a player makes it. It can be the difference between what Nelson is now and what Sancho is. It's one of the reasons I was also 100% certain Gnabry would make it, and why I'm certain Guendouzi will make it wherever he ends up, they've shown from their first minute in an Arsenal shirt both that they have the personality to be a top player in their position. (Gnabry is the complete package in terms of talent so that obviously helps, whereas whether Guendouzi turns out to be a good player like say a Dani Parejo or Winks or a top player will depend on whether he can defend) Gnabry we'll remember came on for a cameo against Schalke in Champions League and if I recall correctly his first or one of his first touches was a little elastico to beat a man. It's a little thing but you could tell he translated the exact personality he showed with the youths to the first team. He then made important contributions in our title challenge (goal against Swansea, forced penalty at Palace) or in a NLD, never shirking responsibility.

Whenever I see Saka and Nelson on the pitch at the same time I really worry for Nelson. There you see that contrast in personality really laid bare. Nelson is probably all in all the slightly more talented technically of the two (they're both extremely so), but you watch Saka and he's using his technique, quickness, and close control to advance the ball in tight spaces into more dangerous ones, he's moving into channels and asking for the ball...whereas Nelson is using his usually to turn back, to keep the ball and keep it simple, and is rarely taking up the kind of interesting positions Saka is where he can be dangerous and where he can do something special. (tbf, I did like that Nelson came and received a few times in the 10 space yesterday, something I hadn't seen him do much under Arteta yet)

I'm being patient with Nelson because we all know what's there but I am officially worried that he just doesn't have the (on the field) personality of a top player.

 

This is going to be a big season for Nelson. Whether he goes on loan or stays here.

He really needs to prove that he has what it takes to make it here with some good performances.

I have faith in him, but like you said, you just never know if the player has the personality to make it at the top through watching youth football.

Although I did think that Nelson would have been one of the prospects to adapt quickly.

Cause he had a certain bravado and swagger about him once he settled into every level of youth football. I think the success of Sancho and even Saka have put him under more pressure.

 

Think I finally saw against Leicester what he's about and who he could be. He's only 20 and just because he isn't Saka doesn't mean he can't have a high ceiling. Seems all mental with him.

His potential ability behind striker and drifting wide is exciting

 

Talented player, but I'm not sure he has the personality to be a top player. Martinelli/Saka and even Guendouzi came straight into the team and asserted their style of play straight away, Nelson raley does this imo.

For his own sake, he definitely needs a loan to PL team where he plays week in week out. Hopefully someone like Fulham/Brighton take him.

 

Many coaches and people here find nelson technically gifted. However, he has not show it in the competitive games. Maybe it’s time for him to watch videos of Ronaldinho/omari hutchinson in slow motion to learn some of their moves.

 

FFS he does not need to watch videos of Omari Hutchinson What is wrong with you?

If anything, Reiss needs to go watch videos of himself 4-5 years ago to remind him who he is and what he is capable of doing.

 

Those oldest videos of Nelson demonstrate more technique and flair than anything anybody has seen of Omari not that I want to attack Omari or anything, huge believer in his talent.

 

Speaking of Omari, he got another assist today for the U18s. Building his stock nicely so far.

 

Because Omari Hutchinson has shown he is technically gifted in competitive games?

Do you realize how faulty your logic is there even in this simple example?

Nelson had a good game against Leicester, liked what I saw. Not nearly perfect but very good.