After Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Aston Villa last month, in which Emile Smith Rowe scored the Gunners’ third goal, Mike Arteta was full of praise for the 20 year old’s performance, and also referenced some changes he had made to his lifestyle.
“He’s changed the way he’s living a little bit as well, and some habits that he had,” said the Arsenal boss. “He’s been superb.”
It wasn’t immediately clear what he was referring to, but we now have some insight after Smith Rowe’s first call up to the senior England squad. He was put straight on media duties (new face = positive stories, we guess), and spoke about how he’s changed his ways in terms of his diet, in terms of what he eats and drinks.
“What he was talking about was my diet,” said Smith Rowe (£).
“I didn’t used to eat that well. I used to get cramp after 60 minutes. Before games I wasn’t really that hydrated.”
That step-up to the senior side has required him to forego some of his favourites, like chicken and chocolate.
“I like Nando’s a lot,” he continued. “They [Arsenal] are strict but I didn’t really listen.
“That’s where I went wrong. But now I’m listening, all the time. I’ve tried to cut out chocolate and takeaways. The club have sorted me out a chef called Chris and he comes to my house.
“He’s got a couple of pasta dishes and that’s good. I didn’t used to like fish but now I’m into it. Salmon and stuff.”
Focus on that side of his career is obviously beneficial, but he also spoke about the influence Arteta has had to what he does on the pitch.
“He says, ‘Get on the ball, enjoy yourself and be confident,” he said. “‘Don’t put too much pressure on yourself because the squad is quite young.’
“Tactically, there’s always a lot of information and it’s hard to take in at times, so you have to focus.”
Smith Rowe has also been taken by the latest Arsenal terrace anthem, extolling the virtues of him and Bukayo Saka to a Status Quo classic.
“Growing up, coming through the academy, it makes it extra special that they’ve got a song about us and it’s funny sometimes when we hear it on the pitch,” he said.
“It’s crazy. Me and Bukayo are always laughing about it and sometimes it gets played in the changing room, some of the lads are making a joke about it.
“It’s funny. I didn’t think the fans would’ve made a song about us!”
“I didn’t think the fans would’ve made a song about us”
Imagine being this good, coming from the academy, inheriting the number 10 and 7 shirts and not thinking the fans won’t make a song for you. So humble and down to earth. Love him
I think he meant in a way like, “I can’t believe it!”. Is still surreal to them and I get that. Was smiling sheepishly throughout the article. Wholesome content.
No. He meant it the way joseph explained
fair play to him..who doesn’t like a Nandos.
One of the things I love about him is that it seems like he is just a completely normal bloke whose situation really hasn’t even started to sink in yet. Seems so grounded and self-aware
Hope we are singing that song for many years to come, would love to have them both at the club throughout their careers. They are young and can get better still!
Can someone Help with The entire interview ? Have tried to sign up, but Cannot make it Work from Denmark.
you can read it for free on the guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/09/emile-smith-rowe-arsenal-england-call-up-interview
🎶 I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it,
I li-li-like it,
Hale End’s on a roooooOOOLL,
Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe! 🎶
Nandos and chocolate…….. nom nom nom 🙂
Chocolate coated Nandos
Arteta probably deserves more credit for the way ESR and Saka are coming along. He has been criticized for the way he’s handled other young players in the past, primarily Saliba and to a lesser extent Martinelli. But maybe we’re finally seeing the coach that was so influential for Sterling and Sane at Man City.
Think less seeing the coach and more the results of his coaching which takes time.
As long as they have a solid defensive platform behind them, him and Saka will continue to perform and improve. Next we need a striker who can be a focal point and a finisher.
This summer we spent £150m across 6 players. Next summer I wouldn’t mind if we spent the same amount on 2 players in the World Class bracket (CF, CM).
Agree that’s the direction we need to be heading but not sure that’s all we need. We need a tip top striker next summer for sure, someone at the top of their game that is a physical player like Laca that would require CB’s to double team but is also more mobile. We could use another MF player to replace Elneny. I would keep the other 3 MF, including AMN. We need a another RB and Cedric needs to move on. Pepe still a question mark for me. Unless he can slot into the system better, I don’t see how… Read more »
Definitely. A bit of external European – ideally CL – experience through these players would be good, as most of our remaining experienced players should depart next summer, bar Partey and Auba.
For all of us overseas and can’t make out the song, can someone share the lyrics
not related but.. In the town where I was born Lived a man who sailed to sea And he told us of his life In the land of submarines So we sailed on to the sun ‘Til we found a sea of green And we lived beneath the waves In our yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine We all live in a yellow submarine Yellow submarine, yellow submarine And our friends are all aboard Many more of them live next door And the band begins to play We all live in a yellow… Read more »
I’m confused by this post AND by the very negative response it has got. What’s going on?
Someone likes the Beatles song “Yellow Submarine”?
See AJH’s post above, That’s the one
That moment when we had a free kick near the corner flag and Saka and ESR were standing over it was so heart warming.
Great job by Arteta with ESR, if he wants to work with a small squad, I understand that. But we need a robust loan system to promote youth, if we can’t give out debuts to the next stars.
Very enjoyable our academy lads are getting recognised on international stage, never gonna knock Xhaka as he is a 1st starter but AMN has the chance & potential to secure his place, Eddy as well if we can keep him, we have a lot of serious games coming up it will show how far we have become, yes we are going to lose games that is an inevitability but if we give ourselves a fighting chance I will be happy with that..
Thank God the lad is listening,
If chicken is a bad diet we are all fucked
what’s wrong with eating nandos chicken? that’s healthy lean protein.
I don’t personally eat it but see adverts of it, isn’t it cooked in (/soaked in) oil and comes with fried potatoes? Probably too many saturated and trans fats for a professional football player. Maybe passable as a ‘sometimes’ food and not a regular food.
ESR and Saka are both so wholesome, it’s very heartwarming!