Finally, we are seeing Emile Smith-Rowe given the opportunity his tremendous and unique abilities demanded, and he, his club and manager are duly reaping the rewards.
Mikel Arteta has got be given credit for providing him the platform, moulding and fine-tuning the youngster’s game, allowing him the freedom and room to express himself.
Smith-Rowe’s game over during the calendar year has massively improved, not only in his goal output – which we’ll come too soon – but his intelligence and understanding of where to be, where to operate effectively within the final third as Arsenal’s main source of creativity has come on leaps and bounds.
ESR is now almost the complete attacking midfield package, with more maturing and refining to come which in actual fact is quite frightening.
If you can remember during last summer when many were calling for Mikel Arteta to recruit an elite-level number-10, one who can provide Arsenal with the invention and imagination in the final third.
They went on and bought Martin Ødegaard permanently after his successful loan spell at the Emirates last season, with Emile Smith-Rowe was attracting much interest elsewhere as Aston Villa placed a £25million pound bid for his services.
You’ve got to wonder what might have been had Arsenal decided to sell the youngster, but they dared not to, and Smith-Rowe is showing the Arsenal fanbase that he is indeed the man to drive Arteta’s ever-improving squad to the next level. The 21-year-old has been so good that Ødegaard can barely get an opportunity in the Arsenal XI.
10 games unbeaten in all competitions now for Arsenal after their recent Premier League win over Watford before the November international break, and it was ESR’s moment of brilliance – albeit controversially – that broke the deadlock and rewarded them their third win a row, and third win in their last 5 games in the top-flight.
This sumptuous and uniquely gifted performer has arguably been the mastermind behind Arsenal’s recent renaissance. With his sweeping finish against Watford at the Emirates Stadium, ESR bagged his fifth goal in eight appearances, matching and beating his total for the whole of last season, just only couple months into the current campaign.
It was only right Gareth Southgate called him up to the England squad as a result, despite only getting in because of injuries to Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and James Ward-Prowse. However, Smith-Rowe’s form has been damn-near impossible to ignore. This is a player on top of his game and his goal contributions so far this campaign only tell half the story.
The academy graduate was challenged to contribute more goals by Mikel Arteta during his breakthrough campaign, a season where he hardly got a look in because of Martin Ødegaard’s increasing influence in Arsenal’s attack. But now, a few months on and Arsenal are a much better unit, a more free-flowing and exciting attacking side with Smith-Rowe at the heart of it, and that is a testament to the 21 year-old’s stunning development in such a short space of time.
Four goals and two assists in the Premier League so far, giving him the highest combined G+A total amongst the Arsenal camp so far this season, a tremendous stat for him to chew on. Smith-Rowe has been instrumental, embracing the responsibility of taking on the coveted no.10 shirt after signing a new contract in July.
Together with Bukayo Saka, Kieran Tierney, new impressive recruits Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale, he has come to symbolize and represent this exciting and progressive chapter that Mikel Arteta is overseeing at the Emirates.
Smith-Rowe’s development which has accelerated this term is a result of all his hard work, application, maturity and meticulous attention to detail when working on his own game behind the scenes.
The regularly acclaimed “Croydon De Bruyne” has superbly grown into one of the most accomplished attacking midfielders in the Premier League.
Against Watford, the 21-year-old recorded 43 touches, finished with a pass success rate of 96%, delivered six crosses, made three ball recoveries, and registered two shots. His goal also meant that he is now one of four Arsenal players to have scored in three straight PL games before their 22nd birthday, after former players Nicolas Anelka, Jose Antonio Reyes and Cesc Fabregas – not a bad list to be amongst.
Towards the end of last season, Emile Smith-Rowe sat down with management and the people close to him to see how he can further enhance his game in the final third. It was highlighted that others in his position, such as Jack Grealish, Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes, typically average between two to three shots per 90 minutes.
Smith-Rowe, by contrast, was only recording 0.8 shots per 90. However, there has been an intentional and concerted effort to change those numbers. He has heavily focused on his ability to get into the opposition box more, attempting to develop a better understanding of when to shoot rather than pass, and that was highlighted in his goal against Watford.
His improvement in those areas has been nothing short excellent. In 11 appearances so far in the Premier League, ESR has already taken more shots than he did in 20 outings last season. Crucially, they have come from much better positions, giving a greater chance of finding the back of the net. That is not down to luck, its down to Smith-Rowe’s willingness to learn, to improve and his determination to execute his attempts.
With the help of Arteta and his staff, Smith-Rowe has improved the timing of his runs and developed a knack of ghosting into the opposition box untracked by defenders.
Those unique qualities are highlighted in his recent goals against Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur and AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup, all of which were dispatched fist time from the centre of the 18-yard-box as seen in the image above. Much of this, is a result of the increasing freedom and room to express himself that has been handed to Smith-Rowe, and he is repaying that faith with fantastic aplomb.
Last season, he averaged 0.12 goals, 0.81 shots, 0.37 shots on target, 2.86 touches in the opposition box and 0.62 dribbles per 90 minutes.
This season those numbers have dramatically increased, he’s averaging 0.33 goals, 1.5 shots, 1.0 shots on target, 3.13 touches in the opposition box and 1.8 dribbles per 90 minutes. ESR is more well-rounded in his approach, much more meticulous and composed as well as becoming so devastatingly effective, seasoned creators like Bruno Fernandes and Kevin De Bruyne would be mightily impressed.
Also, his influence around the final third is shining through also, and hopefully providing he stays fit and healthy for much of this campaign, these numbers will only increase even further. Per 90 minutes, he is averaging 1.41 key passes, 1.92 final third passes and 1.41 passes into the opposition box. To cap it off, Smith-Rowe averages 2.73 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, already an improvement of his 2.69 average for the whole of last campaign.
If that doesn’t highlight his improvement in the final third, then what will?
The youngster may be seeing less of the ball this season, his touches per 90 dropping from 57.9 last season to 49.2 in the new campaign, but he is certainly doing more with it. There is an increased emphasis on his effectiveness on games. Where once he was more inclined to simply pass the ball to a teammate, now he’s more brave and courageous in carrying the ball forward and driving his team up the pitch.
Seriously, it is a phenomenal sight to behold.
Smith-Rowe’s dribbling numbers have rapidly increased even more than his shots on goal. He is averaging 2.1 successful take-ons per90 minutes which is nearly four times higher than it was last season and puts him at a similar level to dribble-kings Grealish, Mohamed Salah and Raheem Sterling. He records the 7th best progressive carries per 90 (7.27) and is also improving on his carries into the final third with an average of 3.33 compared to 1.81 last season.
It’s these sort of numbers that show Emile Smith-Rowe is getting better as a footballer and performer. Every time he gets the ball in those dangerous areas, Arsenal fans immediately rise up to their feet. The Emirates’ new number 10 is a showstopper, arguably the main event of an impressively growing unit under Arteta.
What’s scary is, ESR can only get better which means Arsenal will only get better and that spells good news for the Gunners faithful despite their struggles in the first few weeks of the season. The 21-year-old is influential in every phase of his game, even in his defending. He averages 3.84 successful pressures per90, meaning he is contributing to Arsenal’s pressing game with such efficient and effective energy. He doesn’t shy away from the doing the dirty work from the front, 1.62 tackles + interceptions to show for his efforts.
Smith-Rowe’s recent progress is down to a number of factors but he has certainly benefitted from an uninterrupted pre-season – a luxury he did not have in preparation for the previous two campaigns. He’s always been dedicated in terms of his approach and application but in recent months he has reaped the rewards of paying closer attention to his nutrition in order to become the complete athlete.
You can see that in his performances on the pitch, his concentration, his energy, game-intelligence and influence when Arsenal need him most. It’s no wonder why he’s received such stark praise from his manager and pundits alike. Smith-Rowe is certainly amongst the most promising young performers in the country and these past few months have proved just that.
He is indeed the come-of-age young baller with the Midas touch.
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