Talk of the return of Aaron Ramsey is extremely premature, mainly because his age doesn’t fit the Arteta/Edu blueprint but there’s another reason why Arsenal should be reluctant to woo an old flame, Emile Smith Rowe.
The two players are quite different but they share a positive mindset, which is geared to attack. Yet, it’s become clear in recent games that ESR enjoys the late arrival in the box as much as Arsenal’s much-loved Welshman.
Smith Rowe loves to run at defences with the ball on the toe of his boot, jinking left and right before making a key pass or unleashing a shot, but he also hovers in attack when not in possession, making a ‘Ramseyesque’ late run which is proving to be a potent weapon for club and country.
If he can work on this element and perfect it further, he could easily contribute 15 goals per season and at least the same in assists. ESR is a throwback player in the style of Trevor Brooking, the West Ham legend who had the ball firmly grafted to his boots and even though he lacked blistering pace, he had a devastating cutting edge going forward.
The youngster’s success when on the run seems to be from the fear it induces in the opposition’s half. The clever and instantly recognisable half turn that breaks into an ambitious sprint. The goal against Villa, although fortuitous, was from the panic in the backline which inflicted ‘brick foot’ on Tyrone Mings, but I dare say the fans and Smith Rowe weren’t bothered by Lady luck’s decision in front of goal.
He’ll get many goals that way, they won’t all be Goal of the Month, but at the moment, Arsenal are looking for goals from other positions with a defective and inconsistent attack. The club’s new number 10 may well be the answer to the obvious problem.
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Of course, Arsenal need to add to their armoury in either January or the summer in both the midfield and up the top because it’s clear they aren’t capable of scoring the number of goals needed to challenge the top three clubs in the division.
As for the 21-year-old attacking midfielder, he is a genuine threat to the opposition, but if teams are smart, they may be able to work out a way of limiting his opportunities. Having said that how does a team legislate for the unmarked late arrival of Smith Rowe in the box, they never could with Aaron Ramsey.
