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Ian Wright says Arsenal are really missing one player they let go in the summer
Arsenal are struggling for form right now in the Premier League.
The Gunners have won just three of their last eight league games, and their title hopes seem to be slipping away week by week.
It’s not hard to diagnose what’s wrong with this Arsenal team right now. Martin Odegaard’s absence is really affecting the side.
Arsenal have been really struggling since Odegaard went down with an ankle injury on international duty in December.
Luckily, Odegaard is due to return soon, but injuries can often re-occur, and Arsenal’s depth in this area isn’t very strong.
Speaking on the Wrighty’s House Podcast, Ian Wright has been discussing this particular issue, and he’s noted that the Gunners appear to be missing Emile Smith Rowe.
Arsenal are missing Emile Smith Rowe
Wright spoke about how Arsenal are missing Smith Rowe, claming that there’s a real void left behindboy Odegaard that Smith Rowe could’ve filled.
“Obviously, we’ve got no answer to Odegaard not being there at the minute. You look at. I’m pleased to see Emile Smith Rowe kind of doing well as well as that number 10, but they had to make a decision,” Wright said.
“Same with Fabio Vieira. I don’t think it really worked out for him for some reason. When you look at Odegaard and the void that’s left, I’m not saying I’d keep Emile Smith Rowe, because I don’t think he’s the same kind of player, but he plays in an area of the field where he gets on the ball, he creates, he tries to go forward, he does.
“And I think that we missed that the other day. We was playing this like horseshoe football. We didn’t feel penetrative or dangerous at all.”
How is Emile Smith Rowe doing at Fulham?
Wright says that Arsenal are missing Smith Rowe, and his stats for Fulham so far this season suggest that he could’ve been an asset to Arsenal this term
| Emile Smith Rowe for Fulham this season | |
| Games | 10 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 2 |
Paul Merson has also tipped Smith Rowe for an England recall recently, and while that may seem unlikely, it’s a testament to how well he has played at times for Fulham this season.
Smith Rowe says that leaving Arsenal was a very difficult decision, and, right now, it’s looking like the Gunners made a bit of a mistake in letting the midfielder leave as they’re now seriously lacking depth in that attacking midfield role.
Fingers crossed Odegaard can stay fully fit until the end of the season, because this period has been a real struggle for Arsenal without their captain.