Wenger masterminds European exit : Smith Rowe hopes

Morning all.

For all the complaints about how Mikel Arteta didn’t use some young players in our final group game in the Champions League, let’s not lose sight of the fact that this was only an issue because we had already won our group. People’s mileage will vary on what he did or didn’t do with some of his subs against PSV, but the important part in all this is the fact we are in the draw for the knock-out stages which takes place on Monday lunchtime.

Unlike Manchester United, as we already know, and also unlike Newcastle United who went out last night after losing 2-1 to AC Milan. The winning goal in that game was scored by Samuel Chukwueze, who was set to join Arsenal in 2016 after impressing for Nigeria in the U17 World Cup. That deal didn’t go through because of some complications at the final stages, he was in London and about to sign a deal, but Arsenal couldn’t find agreement with his Academy side (which sounds a bit like some agents asked for more right at the death and were told where to go).

He then went to Spain to play for Villarreal, and featured in both semi-finals of the Europa League in 2021 when we lost out to Unai Emery’s side. Last summer he joined Milan, and last night he popped up in the 84th minute to score the goal that condemned Newcastle United to the bottom of their Champions League group.

Arsene Wenger has done it again.

To be honest, it’s a bit of a shame they don’t have to continue in the Europa League, their squad stretched by the Thursday/Sunday routine even after they do some shenanigans in the January market when they take some players from Saudi Arabian clubs, but without the inevitability of Sevilla in that competition this season, a good old exit is pretty funny. You’d hate to see them go on and win the the Europa League, or have fun in any way, shape, or form.

I was watching Match of the Day last weekend, and the West Ham fans were signing ‘Champions of Europe, we know what we are’ after winning the Conference League. The last thing any football fan needs is to hear Newcastle fans, with their tops off and their pendulous hairy moobs swaying from side to side to like half-dead jellyfish in a Tesco bag, singing something similar – even if it is nonsense. West Ham are no more champions of Europe than I am, and while I’m all for artistic licence, this is too much.

I suppose though we should spare a thought for Bruno Guimaraes who must now contend with having fewer matches in which to commit violent assaults on opponents. Nevertheless, the Premier League have been very accommodating, demonstrating on more than one occasion that whacking someone in the head is not a red card, and with a game against Chelsea on the horizon, perhaps he could take out some of his frustration there.

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With January on the horizon, and it’s not too far away now, we can expect a lot of chatter around Arsenal and squad strengthening. There’s been a lot of talk about bringing in a striker, but when I look at the squad, I think our needs are more pressing further back. I wouldn’t be against adding a forward, but I worry a lot about midfield depth due to the lack of availability around Thomas Partey, and at the back where injuries to Takehiro Tomiyasu and the continued absence of Jurrien Timber leave us light.

It’s why I think the return of Emile Smith Rowe is potentially very important for us. I realise that after almost a season and a half where injuries have impacted him, it’s possibly naive to think he could be a key figure, but when you look at the profiles of player we have, he just has something a bit different about him. He reminds me a little of Tomas Rosicky, in part because of the ‘if only’ around him and his fitness, but also his ability to find space between the lines in the opposition half. His sharpness of movement could help us against teams who sit deep, and when we analysed the Villa game and spoke about beating their offside trap, he could have been very useful there too.

It’s all about the fitness though, so keep everything crossed he can get back to his real level – one which saw the club hand him the number 10 shirt. Just a number, of course, but at most clubs it signifies something else, and that’s very true at Arsenal.

In terms of rumours, those of you who fancy a bit of Victor Osimhen in North London, look away now: