As Arsenal prepare to face Bolton in the Carabao Cup tomorrow night, and with injury issues after Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Man City, the door may well be open for some young players to start.
Traditionally a competition which has helped blood some of the club’s burgeoning talent, Arsenal fans will be hoping to see the likes of Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and others in the starting XI.
At his pre-game press conference, Mikel Arteta was asked about those two in particular, and about whether they were the kind of characters that would knock on his door to ask for advice, or play a more passive role at this point because of their age and inexperience.
“No!”, replied the boss. “Those two are really pushy, really demanding. They want everything. They want to see everything. They want more and more information. They love it. You can tell they are so passionate about it. They see the opportunity, and they want to grab it with both hands.
“They are great to work with.”
Lewis-Skelly was called upon in the dying stages of a very intense game at the Etihad on Sunday, while Nwaneri replaced Bukayo Saka towards the end of the 1-0 North London derby the previous weekend.
Their response to those opportunities, in difficult circumstances, is something Arteta was very pleased with.
“I am very proud of them because they are dealing with a situation probably earlier than expected,” he said. “They have been given the chance to play in two of the most historic and more difficult probably grounds in the Premier League and they both responded really well.
“Their attitude has been superb. It’s not easy when you have to spend five, six weeks with the first team and then you have to start to play at a different level, but this is where they are at the moment and they’re going to have more chances because they have conducted themselves in the right way in that sense as well.”
Let’s hope they get their chance tomorrow, and help us to a win over Bolton and into the next round.
Hope they prove they can play more regularly in the PL to strengthen our depleted, injury hit squad.
Did Arteta seriously describe the toilet bowl and the E115had as “two of the most historic grounds”!?
I think he meant historically they are difficult places to go
Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly should be involved tomorrow.
Oh no. They should start tomorrow!!
Difficult grounds, sure. But far from historic. We know, though, Mikel, what you really think of them, so we forgive you.
could we go with something like
Raya
Timber – Calafiori – Kiwior – Lewis-Skelly
————-Jorginho——-
———Nwaneri—Rice————
Sterling——Jesus——-Martinelli
I like your lineup, except for Timber, he needs a rest – had to come off on Sunday!
So did Calafiori to be fair…
well it could be one of those pre-planned changes no matter what, where White comes on for the second half ( or vice versa)
Ugh. I dont like this lineup very much.
I’d prefer Maldini Cacurri and Ayden Heaven in defence, Salah in midfield. Rice, Timber and Calafiori on the bench…at best!
Why Raya? I would alleviate Timber’s game time as well. He just came back after a very bad injury.
These two are destined to great things. I am very sure.
Read this last week, which made me sad:
“Arsene Wenger’s glowing praise of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas resurfaces after former Arsenal prodigy was arrested in Stansted Airport drug bust”.