For every bit of good, there is to get behind with the current Arsenal management and the decisions that are made, there remain question marks over some of the choices the young Gunners coach decides upon.
Mikel Arteta has received mixed support throughout his tenure at Arsenal and despite his inexperience, he appears to be guiding the Gunners in the right direction as they fight for Champions League qualification.
However, the decision to allow Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to leave this winter without bringing in any reinforcement in regard to a replacement forward has left many wondering where the goals will come from. Made worse after the Gabonese forward scored three for Barcelona in an away win against Valencia this past weekend.
Alexandre Lacazette continues to struggle in front of goal, and failed to score again against Brentford. Eddie Nketiah, like the Frenchman, will leave when his contract expires in the summer. Whilst he remains an Arsenal player though, he has offered little from the bench.
Gabriel Martinelli is being given opportunities in training to operate as a number nine football.london understands, however, Mikel Arteta has now offered another possible option.
Emile Smith Rowe is the current top scorer at the club after he reached double figures for the season with his goal against Brentford.
Asked what his best position is, Arteta surprised many by claiming he could be the one to operate as the central striker for the club.
“I think he can play in four positions,” said Arteta. “He can play as a left-winger, he can play as a left attacking midfielder, right attacking midfielder and he can play as a 9; very, very well I think."
This was a brave claim considering the last time the Spaniard used Smith Rowe in this position, it was a contributing factor to Arsenal’s defeat over two legs by Villarreal in the Europa League 2021 semi-final.
Speaking after the 2-1 first-leg defeat, however, Arteta then clearly did not blame his decision to use Smith Rowe at nine as a reason behind the loss and instead said the early goal for the Spanish side meant the England international was unable to influence the game.
“One of the main reasons [that it didn't work] was that after conceding the goal, we disorganised ourselves. In the high press we were really stretched and we didn't have the right people in the right spaces and then we were open,” explained Arteta.
“We didn't give ourselves the chance even to get set in the final third to do what we wanted to do, because we were imprecise on the ball as well. Overall, it was not the best.
"We started the second half with the same players in a completely different way. We played with three strikers and we didn't score many times in the season, so it's a decision that I made and that's it.”
Should we judge based on one performance? No, we should not, however, it is difficult to get behind the idea of playing someone like Smith Rowe, who has proven to be so good at driving at the opposition from midfield, playing as a number nine.
Fingers crossed the situation does not get to a place where the theory needs to be tested, but fans have a right to feel apprehensive about Mikel Arteta’s possible plan.
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