Player:Martinelli
I like how we have a lot of options in each position. Our youngsters have really grown and are starting to be ready for regular PL minutes. I don't know much about other PL clubs' youngsters, but I feel with the current crop knocking on the door we have a very bright future ahead of us.
Eddie Nketiah
Eddie is very fast, strong in protecting the ball, makes amazing runs and will be deadly in scoring position. Never seems to make a wasteful touch. We need to secure this guy for the future. He'll make it anywhere.
Reiss Nelson
Nelson starting to become more adventurous with his movement while maintaining a defensive mindset. Wengers choice to grow him from RWB seems to have been good for his development. He's now learning from some of the best everyday and it seems to do him a world of good.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
AMN was ready from day 1. This guy is truly part of the first team and is multifunctional. Feel like he can play almost any position and does so without complaints and still bossing his opponent on speed, workrate and confidence. Never worried when he receives the ball under pressure.
Joe Willock
Willock I feel is technically ready but is missing something. From the looks of it it's physicality, but that's attainable. Don't see a place for him in the first team this season.
Emile Smith Rowe
Impressive. Comparisons with some big names are easily made, but I'll just focus on what he's shown himself. Technically very very good. Close ball control, speed while running with the ball and a great strike. His passing is crisp, the one thing that's needs some developing which is absolute normal at this age is decision making. It's the one thing that will turn him into a top quality player.
Konstantinos Mavropanos
Big presence, strong, good passer and dynamic movement. Just seems solid everytime he features (unfazed at his debut at old trafford). Is still young so cannot be expected to feature regularly, but I feel he isn't easily impressed by pressure. If we can grow him the next few years we will be sorted at CB. Out of all our CB's I feel he has the most potential. Would keep him in our squad this season over some of our other CB's.
Matteo Guendouzi
Amazing find. He fits right in and makes players around him seem like they are just learning the trade. Because of his appearance opponents think they can easily disposses him with pressing, but they learn fast enough to keep some distance. Even then the guy is dangerous with penetrative passing from literally any position under any amount of press. Never picks the easy pass (often skips on or two stations), but almost always picks the pass that makes sense and allows us to start or continue our forward avancement. He mixes that up with elastic movement where he just charmes his opponents into turning the wrong way, dancing his way through interceptions. This is also his weakness as 20% of time he dances his way into trouble and we get dispossessed in dangerous areas. We haven't been punished yet, but in PL we will definitely be.
A little older but still our future:
Rob Holding
Holding could maybe do with a loan imo. Hasn't impressed me during his cameo's. Feel it might be a confidence thing. Also making 90 minutes I feel is important for a young CB. Getting in there, making mistakes and learning from them.
Calum Chambers
Chambers looking solid at CB. This is really his position. Feel like we can partner him with any of our CB's. Still think it's a confidence thing with him. Never been a fan, especially when used as RB (which is definitely not his game), but he grew on me. We are finally playing people in their right positions and it allows for fairer judgement.
Hector Bellerin
Bellerin I still count as a youngster. Same age as Chambers and Holding though you'd forget because he's been running this RB position on his own for years without a break (Neglected position by Wenger imo). Think he still has major potential. Yes he has been poor recently and his off the pitch lifestyle (which is his own right and shouldn't be an issue) is being used as a stick to beat him which I don't feel is fair. He's not out late smoking, drinking, chasing women. Is not turning up late for training or slacking. On the pitch he gives his all, but he's still learning and makes mistakes. He does need to work on elements of his game and probably should make a choice whether to invest in becoming move defensively sound or become that attacking threat that keeps bombing the flanks. Hopefully Emery and Lichtsteiner can help him in this department. Make or break season though. Some progress had to be made.
Alex Iwobi
Him and Hector have experienced similar seasons at Arsenal. Burst onto the scene. Hyped up by fans and featuring regularly while being under a lot of pressure. When the chips went down he experienced hostility from our fanbase. Hopefully he grew from that and I think he's going to benefit a lot with the positive vibe that's going through our club. Aubameyang's positive vibe turned our dressing room and training pitch into the place you want to be a part of. Has to work on end product and decision making. Be it key passes/assists more than goals. Imo this can be resolved with confidence.
Eddie Nketiah
Eddie is very fast, strong in protecting the ball, makes amazing runs and will be deadly in scoring position. Never seems to make a wasteful touch. We need to secure this guy for the future. He'll make it anywhere.
Reiss Nelson
Nelson starting to become more adventurous with his movement while maintaining a defensive mindset. Wengers choice to grow him from RWB seems to have been good for his development. He's now learning from some of the best everyday and it seems to do him a world of good.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
AMN was ready from day 1. This guy is truly part of the first team and is multifunctional. Feel like he can play almost any position and does so without complaints and still bossing his opponent on speed, workrate and confidence. Never worried when he receives the ball under pressure.
Joe Willock
Willock I feel is technically ready but is missing something. From the looks of it it's physicality, but that's attainable. Don't see a place for him in the first team this season.
Emile Smith Rowe
Impressive. Comparisons with some big names are easily made, but I'll just focus on what he's shown himself. Technically very very good. Close ball control, speed while running with the ball and a great strike. His passing is crisp, the one thing that's needs some developing which is absolute normal at this age is decision making. It's the one thing that will turn him into a top quality player.
Konstantinos Mavropanos
Big presence, strong, good passer and dynamic movement. Just seems solid everytime he features (unfazed at his debut at old trafford). Is still young so cannot be expected to feature regularly, but I feel he isn't easily impressed by pressure. If we can grow him the next few years we will be sorted at CB. Out of all our CB's I feel he has the most potential. Would keep him in our squad this season over some of our other CB's.
Matteo Guendouzi
Amazing find. He fits right in and makes players around him seem like they are just learning the trade. Because of his appearance opponents think they can easily disposses him with pressing, but they learn fast enough to keep some distance. Even then the guy is dangerous with penetrative passing from literally any position under any amount of press. Never picks the easy pass (often skips on or two stations), but almost always picks the pass that makes sense and allows us to start or continue our forward avancement. He mixes that up with elastic movement where he just charmes his opponents into turning the wrong way, dancing his way through interceptions. This is also his weakness as 20% of time he dances his way into trouble and we get dispossessed in dangerous areas. We haven't been punished yet, but in PL we will definitely be.
A little older but still our future:
Rob Holding
Holding could maybe do with a loan imo. Hasn't impressed me during his cameo's. Feel it might be a confidence thing. Also making 90 minutes I feel is important for a young CB. Getting in there, making mistakes and learning from them.
Calum Chambers
Chambers looking solid at CB. This is really his position. Feel like we can partner him with any of our CB's. Still think it's a confidence thing with him. Never been a fan, especially when used as RB (which is definitely not his game), but he grew on me. We are finally playing people in their right positions and it allows for fairer judgement.
Hector Bellerin
Bellerin I still count as a youngster. Same age as Chambers and Holding though you'd forget because he's been running this RB position on his own for years without a break (Neglected position by Wenger imo). Think he still has major potential. Yes he has been poor recently and his off the pitch lifestyle (which is his own right and shouldn't be an issue) is being used as a stick to beat him which I don't feel is fair. He's not out late smoking, drinking, chasing women. Is not turning up late for training or slacking. On the pitch he gives his all, but he's still learning and makes mistakes. He does need to work on elements of his game and probably should make a choice whether to invest in becoming move defensively sound or become that attacking threat that keeps bombing the flanks. Hopefully Emery and Lichtsteiner can help him in this department. Make or break season though. Some progress had to be made.
Alex Iwobi
Him and Hector have experienced similar seasons at Arsenal. Burst onto the scene. Hyped up by fans and featuring regularly while being under a lot of pressure. When the chips went down he experienced hostility from our fanbase. Hopefully he grew from that and I think he's going to benefit a lot with the positive vibe that's going through our club. Aubameyang's positive vibe turned our dressing room and training pitch into the place you want to be a part of. Has to work on end product and decision making. Be it key passes/assists more than goals. Imo this can be resolved with confidence.
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