Arsenal may regret parting ways with their £34 million talent, who has now risen to prominence and is being compared to standout players like Cole Palmer and Mohamed Salah. His performances have solidified his reputation as a top-tier footballer, highlighting Arsenal’s potential oversight in letting him go.
Arsenal’s recent performances have been far from promising, and there is no avoiding the harsh truth: the past month has been nothing short of a catastrophe for the North London club.
Under Mikel Arteta’s leadership, Arsenal initially handled their challenging early-season fixtures reasonably well. The team secured notable victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa on the road and managed a respectable draw away at Manchester City. These results hinted at a team capable of competing at the highest level this season.
However, the tide has turned dramatically in recent weeks. Arsenal suffered defeats to Bournemouth and Newcastle United, alongside disappointing draws against Liverpool and Chelsea. This series of underwhelming results has left them in fourth place in the Premier League standings, trailing leaders Liverpool by a significant nine points. While the defense has struggled to maintain its composure, the attacking department has been an even greater concern. Adding salt to the wound, a player Arteta chose to part ways with during the summer has been displaying creative brilliance comparable to the likes of Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer.
Arsenal’s Creative Crisis
Before delving into the former player in question, it’s crucial to analyze Arsenal’s creative struggles this season. One shining light amidst the gloom has been Bukayo Saka, whose performances stand as a testament to his importance in lifting the team through its current slump. According to FBref, the talented winger leads the Premier League in goal-creating actions with 12, translating to an impressive rate of 1.32 per 90 minutes.
Unfortunately, Saka has been a lone beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak creative landscape for Arsenal. The next closest contributors are Thomas Partey, with just five goal-creating actions (0.46 per 90), and Gabriel Martinelli, who has managed only two (0.26 per 90). This stark disparity underscores the depth of Arsenal’s creativity problem, especially for a team with title aspirations.
To be fair, there are mitigating factors behind these numbers. Arsenal has repeatedly found themselves reduced to 10 men this season due to a mix of questionable decisions and ill-discipline, which naturally hampers their ability to create quality chances. Moreover, the absence of Martin Ødegaard, the team’s captain and creative linchpin, for much of the campaign due to injury has had a noticeable impact. His return could provide a much-needed boost in generating opportunities, both in open play and from set pieces.
That said, the overarching reality is undeniable: Arsenal’s attacking output this season has not been up to par. What stings even more is the outstanding form of one of their former players, who might have been able to address these creative deficiencies had he remained at the club.
The Ex-Gunner Making Waves in the Premier League
The player in question is none other than Emile Smith Rowe, a product of Arsenal’s Hale End academy, who has been in stellar form since joining Fulham this summer. After falling out of favor at Arsenal in recent years, Smith Rowe made the move to Craven Cottage in a deal that could eventually earn the Gunners approximately £34 million.
On the surface, receiving such a sum for an academy graduate appears to be sound business. However, Smith Rowe’s performances this season suggest that Arsenal may have let go of a player who could have alleviated their current creative woes. In just 11 Premier League appearances for Fulham, the dynamic playmaker has scored three goals and provided two assists, averaging a goal involvement every 2.2 games.
More impressively, Smith Rowe has recorded seven goal-creating actions, placing him joint-third in the league alongside established stars like Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer. When accounting for playing time, Smith Rowe stands out even further, boasting a league-best 0.79 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes—surpassing Palmer (0.66) and Salah (0.65).
While the decision to sell Smith Rowe appears to have been in the best interest of his career development, it is hard not to question whether Arteta would have been so eager to part ways with the Croydon-born talent if he had foreseen Arsenal’s current struggles in attack. Smith Rowe’s form has undoubtedly strengthened Fulham’s offensive capabilities, and his absence has left a void in Arsenal’s creative setup.
Ultimately, hindsight is a luxury that football managers rarely have. While Smith Rowe’s departure may have been justified from a business and developmental perspective, the irony of his flourishing at Fulham while Arsenal languishes in mediocrity is difficult to ignore.
