Away from the usual talking points – are we actually good, are we doomed, and why, oh why, the injuries – there’s been a low-level hum around Ethan Nwaneri’s place in the squad and a perceived lack of game time.
The club’s youngest-ever debutant enjoyed a strong spell last season, cementing his first-team credentials alongside fellow Hale End graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly. However, he drifted out of the picture during the business end of the campaign, despite attacking options being stretched thin by injury.
Over the summer, Nwaneri was rewarded with a new long-term deal, one he was clearly keen to sign. But the time taken to explore his options nudged Mikel Arteta into sounding out alternatives in attacking midfield, including Crystal Palace’s FA Cup hero Eberechi Eze. That interest cooled once Nwaneri committed his future to Arsenal – a development few lost sleep over – until Sp\*rs appeared ready to pounce. Cue a late move to hijack the deal and, suddenly, Nwaneri found himself another rung down the pecking order, his role as Martin Odegaard’s understudy less clearly defined.
It’s not as if he’s been frozen out. Nwaneri has made 11 appearances this season, scoring in the League Cup, but of his 446 minutes, just 165 have come in the Premier League. Having looked technically comfortable at the top level last year, there’s a sense that momentum risks stalling.
A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that Nwaneri asked to be involved in a behind-closed-doors friendly to stay sharp; a small but telling indicator of his mindset.
“Ethan’s attitude on that is exceptional,” [noted Arteta on Friday](https://www.arsenal.com/news/every-word-mikel-artetas-pre-wolves-presser-3). “He wants to train and he wants to be outside and he wants to be in touch with that ball. In that sense, he’s top.”
And on how he’s handling limited minutes, he added: “In the same manner that other players have to cope with this kind of situation, preparing in the best possible way, I think he’s doing it.
“His attitude has been excellent and when he’s got the chance to play, prove that I’m wrong, that he needs to play more minutes and help the team as much as possible.”
Unsurprisingly, there have been suggestions that several clubs would be keen to take Nwaneri on loan in the second half of the season, potentially giving the England Under-21 international a platform to push his case for next summer’s World Cup. But given Arsenal’s injury record – particularly in his position, with Odegaard already sidelined for weeks this season – it’s hard to see Arteta sanctioning such a move.
And if Nwaneri stays, the manager is clear that long-term international ambition won’t shape his thinking.
“That’s a really bad approach, in my opinion,” Arteta said of players focusing on the World Cup.
“The approach has to be what do we have to be to be in the team as much as possible, and the rest will be a consequence. If somebody is going to prioritise something for the World Cup, I think we have a big problem.”
While it may not look that way right now, there’s a strong sense Arteta has a plan. He had to sit across from Nwaneri during last summer’s contract talks and sell him a vision; one the teenager clearly bought into.
Perspective, as ever, is key. Asked how he explains the situation to Ethan, Arteta said: “Probably, by looking at where he is. He’s 18 years old \[and has\] 50 appearances for the club. I want to see how many examples there are in English football with that number at that age.
“That’s a reality, that’s not if, if, if, that’s a reality. So if somebody were to tell him, any of us, two years ago, that number with the squad that we have, probably we would go, it doesn’t sound very realistic.”
Others have found themselves in similar positions this season – Ben White being a notable example – and circumstances can change quickly when games pile up. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Ethan Nwaneri still has a significant role to play before this campaign is done.