Mikel Arteta has been criticised no matter he’s performed with Ethan Nwaneri. He ought to have let him be a child quite than making him the youngest participant in Premier League historical past and just about ever since that debut over two years in the past he’s been slammed over failing to handle by the If You’re Good Sufficient, You’re Previous Sufficient mantra.
Taking him off at half-time right here was additionally met with predictable outrage from a choose group of Arsenal followers (earlier than Arteta confirmed after the sport that it was right down to damage), after {the teenager} put the Gunners forward along with his second Premier League aim for the membership on simply his second begin, regardless of a efficiency which exemplified why Nwaneri didn’t sub in for Martin Odegaard in the course of the captain’s damage absence and shouldn’t be thought-about the reply to their Bukayo Saka drawback.
The blinkered and fully comprehensible view given he’s One Of Our Personal and a vastly proficient footballer was that Arteta subbed him due to the yellow card Anthony Taylor brandished his approach for dawdling over the supply of a nook, however that may solely have put the seal on the choice to take him off had it not in reality been right down to a muscle drawback anyway.
Nwaneri’s solely accomplished dribble of 5 was his aim, which was additionally his solely contact within the Brighton field, he misplaced possession greater than another Arsenal participant (3), accomplished the fewest passes (12) and – maybe most damning of all with Nicolas Jover little question chuntering in Arteta’s ear on the bench – didn’t get both of his corners proper.
He was much better towards Brentford than he was right here, however even in that recreation there have been some poor choices and occasions when his youthful exuberance boiled over. And that’s effective. It’s greater than effective. It could be extraordinary if that wasn’t the case. He’s 17 and has performed 19 video games of senior soccer.
The second half will add to the clamour for him to start out once more towards Newcastle on Tuesday. Arsenal had been profitable at half-time and ended up drawing, appeared uncomfortable having been in management, had been much less threatening in assault, weaker defensively and Nwaneri’s substitute Gabriel Martinelli did little to stake his declare for that spot, with Arsenal followers needing no invitation to disparage him in favour of of {the teenager}.
However the Nwaneri fanatics are reaching in the event that they imagine him being hooked had something greater than a minor affect on their dip in efficiency. Brighton’s enhance in depth courtesy of their substitutions was the important thing to the turning tide.
Yankuba Minteh and Georginio Rutter additionally got here on at half-time and had been joined within the three behind Joao Pedro by Kaoru Mitoma on the hour mark. They shook an apparently shakable Arsenal defence, with the Gunners midfielders chasing their tails whereas the Arsenal entrance three appeared more and more remoted and ineffective.
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It was such a distinction in efficiency that we puzzled whether or not Kai Havertz was doling out virus-infecting kisses within the dressing room. They appeared drained and as if they weren’t pondering clearly, with no-one as wanting their greatest as Odegaard, who got here off the bench whereas struggling with The Sickness and contributed little or no.
Joao Pedro equalised from the spot having gained the penalty himself because of William Saliba heading him quite than the ball – a call Arteta wasn’t greatest happy with – and Brighton had been then dominant to the purpose the place Arsenal ought to go away the Amex proud of the purpose regardless of the harm it does to their title problem.
It’s not over. Brighton away is a troublesome recreation and when their well being points abate Arsenal have sufficient high quality with out Saka to at the very least cling to Liverpool of their title cost. They had been vastly spectacular towards Brentford and whereas this can be a blip, it’s not more than that.
What it’s positively not is affirmation that Nwaneri is the answer to their drawback. Half-time was the turning level on this recreation, however the teenager coming off was incidental. If something this recreation proved Arteta proper in limiting his recreation time so far.
Being an choice in any respect for Arsenal on the age of 17 exhibits what a expertise he’s, and it’s nigh-on unimaginable for Arsenal followers (and neutrals for that matter) to not get carried away when he performs instead of one other academy graduate who’s grow to be among the best gamers in world soccer and scores a aim Saka can be pleased with.
However he wouldn’t be the primary and gained’t be the final younger participant to fall by the wayside having burst onto the scene. And whereas Arteta will obtain pelters after taking him off having been criticised over his use after which his lack of use of Nwaneri in his quick profession, what we’ve seen of the wonderkid – right here towards Brighton and in different extra spectacular performances – the Arsenal boss is managing him nicely, giving him sufficient minutes to develop, with out exposing him an excessive amount of to hamper his growth.