Arsenal’s right hand side is an interesting place this season. Willian’s free transfer arrival from Chelsea got off to a good start last weekend with an excellent performance against Fulham, while also keeping record signing Nicolas Pepe out of the starting line-up.
Competition for places is good, but for Reiss Nelson there must be questions about how much involvement he’ll see if he’s got those two ahead of him in the pecking order.
It does feel as if he’s a player who could go out on loan, with Mikel Arteta questioned about the 20 year in that context earlier today.
“I think they all realise the competition we have in forward positions,” he said.
“I’ve already spoken with Reiss about it and I really like the way he’s training. I think we both agree about how much he’s improved in the last few months and he’s going to carry on pushing himself and the rest of the team.
“He needs to be ready because in football, unfortunately, or fortunately, things don’t take three months to change, it can take three minutes and you have to be ready when that opportunity comes.”
Opportunities should come in cup competitions – with the third round Carabao Cup tie against Leicester taking place next Wednesday – and also the Europa League group stages, but in the Premier League the return to the three subs from seven system means some players are going to be disappointed at a lack of involvement.
“I think if you ask any of those 27 players if they need to play, they will all say ‘Yes, of course, I need to play regularly and I need minutes’,” said Arteta.
“But at the moment it’s just not possible playing one game a week and with this rule of just being able to have 18 players, it’s very difficult to give everyone the same minutes.”
Plenty off football between now and January, think it I would be beneficial for Nelson to be around the squad until then, maybe reassess and find a loan in the new year.
I agree that training with MA could be more beneficial than a loan somewhere else.
Plus both him and Nketiah despite the justified hype didnt produce when used.
Of course we need to be patient with all of them but when they are given minutes they should run their shoes off.
However I think sticking around could help MA motivate them and develop them further.
I disagree about him and Eddie not producing or working hard. They have both done well in their game time and look to be progressing well.
It isn’t easy to see talented young players from our youth team get sidelined, but that is the reality if we really want to get back to competing for the title as soon as possible. I just hope we don’t sell Reiss because there is potentially a special player there.
Watched him a lot play for Hoffenheim and though his talent and potential can’t be doubted, he looked like he needed another full season on loan and hopefully hold down a regular spot in a team before returning.
Unfortunately for him being a squad player at his young age with two senior pros in Willian and Pepe ahead of him could damage his progress.
I really like Nelson, he just needs more confidence and better decision making. There’s a good chance that he and Willock will fall sliiiightly below the required standard BUT if they are going to make it, it has to be in a competitive squad like the one were building.
I hope Nelson gets a shot at least till January particularly with preliminary games in cup competition and europa. With Willian added (As predicted to add insurance to the erratic Pepe), Reiss’s chances are more limited. Pepe will also need playing time. One area unexplored is whether Willian might play tucked in as an alternate RCM to Ceballos. This of course if : 1) Pepe starts to convince better (Or Nelson takes his chances) 2) We don’t add someone to deputise either at the back for Xhaka leaving Elneny as an alternate further up or if Guendouzi does not return… Read more »
I’d look to keep him until the January window anyway, there are games every 3 days coming up. He should start the Carabao Cup game next week anyway. Didn’t see it mentioned on here but if we beat Leicester, we will face Liverpool or Lincoln away in the 4th round in the week starting 28th September. That should be a cracking tie; we haven’t played Lincoln away since 6th March 1915.
Nelson’d come good. Patience is a virtue.
I really think the PL missed a trick not maintaining the 5 subs from 10 rule. It was such a useful rule change for allowing younger players to gain match day experience and more chances on the pitch. Someone like Reiss, with his talent, deserves to at least make the bench, but Arteta’s hands are tied.
Hopefully we can we give players like him and Saka and others starts in the cups and make progress so they continue to get regular games. If we go out to Leicester a loan move probably would be the best for him
Beneficial for us, and other big teams. But unfortunately a tad unfair for really lean, small teams like Sheffield, Wolves – who voted against.
They decided that this rule unfairly gave an advantage to the “big” teams with the big squads.
If aouar joins then I can see us playing 4231 in cup competitions.
Especially with holding or chambers goes out on loan
I like Reiss and I think he’s improving a lot. He seems more confident and his excellent pressing forced errors that led to goals. I hope he stays and gets some game time, he’s a very talented young player. Mikel demands high standards and these young guns know that the door is open for them, but they also know that it demands hard work and patience. Reiss seems to have bought in to that.