Nwanners!: Page 26 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Nwanners!

Qwiss

Claudius they need to rotate when Saka is back. Saka will need to be eased in and Ethan will need some rest.

Claudius

Qwiss I pity the defender who faces Nwaneri for 70 minutes, and celebrates his departure. Only to squint towards the bench and see Saka coming on to finish him off

RocktheCasbah

Qwiss longer term, I really do wonder whether Saka's future lies in the interior spaces. We've been crying out for someone with his skills in the centre forever. Perhaps Nwaneri can facilitate this.

samthegooner

RocktheCasbah I think the real question is who would be better in the interior spaces - Nwaneri or Saka? I'm very conflicted. Would likely depend on Nwaneri's physical development over the next year or two and if he gains any pace at all. Both of them lack the top end pace that would make them untouchable on the wing IMO, although they get around it with their strength and ability on the ball. I also love how both are so two-footed. Wish we had more of that in the team right now and it's why I love Semenyo and Nico Williams. When Saka returns, I would love to see Nwaneri at false 9 or LW rotating with Martinelli if possible - not sure if it would work but would love to see it.

Qwiss

RocktheCasbah I don't think so. Nwaneri is the one for the middle for me. A true number 10 with major goal threat and creativity. I think he'll be well clear of Foden and Palmer for that spot in the next year or two. Leave Saka where he is, where he's proven. Let Ethan play in his best position.

QuincyAbeyie

Claudius Nwaneri will move for now, but I don't think you should look at it as disrespect to Saka. It's entirely possible that the XI overall can improve by moving Saka to the left if it turns out he's very capable there as well while Nwaneri isn't. That doesn't mean anyone thinks Nwaneri is a better RW than Saka.

Claudius

QuincyAbeyie i could see that happening over time. but for now, we have so many strong relationships that have been built around Saka. and he has been a consistent scorer / creative from the left. this guy was running away with the assist title before his injury.

Qwiss

samthegooner When Saka returns, I would love to see Nwaneri at false 9 or LW rotating with Martinelli if possible - not sure if it would work but would love to see it.

I was thinking about this earlier and wonder if we could have a bit of an asymetrical front 3 with Saka doing his usual thing, Nwaneri as a false 9 and Martinelli on the left but pushed furthest forward of the 3. TBF we have played like that before but I'm thinking about pushing it to another extreme. I think having a player like Nwaneri in there would give defences serious worries and in a different way to Havertz. Might make more space for Martinelli to get in behind because if you drop off Nwaneri is going to pop off a shot. Plus it makes it harder to double up on Saka. Then you have Rice breaking the lines with runs from deep and Ode pulling the strings.

Tactics

This is very similar to the situation Madrid faced with Vinicius and Rodrygo, 2 supremely talented individuals who look best in the same position (left wing). Vinicius was the more established one, so they stuck with hm on the left and moved Rodrygo to the opposite wing. However Rodrygo is hardly ever on the right wing because Madrid use an overlapping right back. This makes it possible for him to roam to the centre or even left wing at times.

I watched Rayo v Barca last night, and Barca had a similar set up. Raphina was mostly playing through the centre because Balde was always so high up the pitch. We could do something similar. Instead of having our LB invert and have Nwaneri keeping the width, we could have Nwaneri invert and have our LB providing the width. It still gives us 4 players in midfield.

daredevil

Tactics

Problem is MLS looks to have taken the LB position and he inverts.

samthegooner

daredevil I hope we see a good amount of Calafiori at LB next year (or later this season) with MLS playing in the midfield. I think it would be such a dynamic lineup and would also allow the LW to play more centrally whether that be Martinelli or someone like Nwaneri.

Tactics

daredevil Do you think Mikel sees him as a LB long-term? Thought he's only playing there due to injuries and the quality we have in midfield at the moment. Theo Hernandez could be available on the cheap this summer (contract runs out in 2026), Arteta may be be tempted since he loves buying LBs and he could transform our left hand side with his pace, dribbling and delivery.

Anyway, this is a non-issue. I remember there were a lot of question marks about Rooney and Tevez fitting into the same team since they both liked occupying the same space. Worked out well in the end. Same with Vinicius and Mbappe.

lorddulaarsenal

Qwiss exactly this. Nwaneri is better playing centrally. He is better going both ways than Saka, although that’s no slight on Saka.

Ethan is also very adept at dropping deep, collecting the ball and pulling strings with his range of passing or alternatively he can get the team going by making powerful defence bursting runs.

I’d play Nwaneri and Odegaard ahead of Rice.

samthegooner

Qwiss Would work even better if we could get a fullback overlapping- whether that be Calafiori on the left or White on the right... Not saying that MLS and Timber couldn't do it as well.

Doc

Think that's probably the best option we have until the end of the season.. wouldn't put it past him to be equally as impressive on the left but that doesn't solve the CF issue. If he keeps progressing at this rate, he will be almost too good to not play centrally.

My main concern is how is he going to react when he inevitably gets the shit kicked out of him in the coming weeks.

JazzG

Crazy talent, going right to the top this boy. Important for the other potential stars in Hale End, watching Saka, Nwaneri & MLS shows if you are good enough there is a pathway into the first team.

Qwiss

lorddulaarsenal In 2 years time I expect this with Dowman as the sub and rotation option for the same role.

Claudius

Yup. That’s been my thinking as well. Nwaneri central. You want a guy in the centre who will go at players, and is comfortable making space for himself for the shot on both his left and right. The fact that in a couple months of playing, he’s already learned to go right, is fantastic. Lost young players don’t develop that ambidexterity so quickly.

There are models for how he could play that have been here - Sanchez, Gnabry, Jesus, etc., but with even more skill on the ball.

daredevil

Tactics

Maybe he didn't initially, but it looks like being one of those situations where MLS has more than made the position his own, and it makes little sense to have him compete for a midfield spot when we have guys like Rice and Partey/potentially Zubimendi who will start which would place him on the bench. Playing LB is a way of getting him on the pitch. Calafiori looks better going forward than MLS, but the latter's recovery speed and defensive awareness gives him the edge.

Claudius

Tactics he’s played like Rice basically at junior level. Tons of running power through the middle, excellent ball control.
Made sense to start him on the edge because it’s less complex than being a DM. But we are still able to get him in central spaces as he inverts.

I do wonder though if we can use him as a LW. The one thing you see about our kids when you watch them is that they can all create their own shots, they’re willing to shoot from distance, and very capable on the ball. And we saw the confidence with which he took his goal versus City. I would love him at LW until Martinelli returns. He and Cala would be a rampaging handful

Claudius

Qwiss per has saved us as much as £100m. It’s so hard to find players like Nwaneri and MLS, especially attackers.

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