November 26th 2024.
Last weekend, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri scored his first Premier League goal, marking a significant achievement for the young player. However, Arsenal's Theo Walcott believes that manager Mikel Arteta has been too cautious in utilizing Nwaneri's talents. Despite the excitement and buzz surrounding the Hale End Academy graduate, Arteta is adamant on taking a patient and gradual approach to his development.
After Saturday's game, Arteta commended Nwaneri's performance, saying, "What I like is that he comes in, takes a touch, runs forward, and beats two players before narrowly missing the post." He recognizes his responsibility in nurturing the young player's potential and stresses the importance of taking things one step at a time. "We have to lay the foundations brick by brick. Today, he has put in another brick, and now we must add the cement to ensure it sets properly before he can add another and another. Our goal is to have five solid bricks in a row, and for that, we must manage his expectations and workload."
Although Arteta is tempted to give Nwaneri more playing time, he is aware of the pressure that comes with being a young, talented player. "He is the second-youngest player in the club's history to score in the Premier League, and that gives us every reason to play him. But we must be careful and take things step-by-step," he says.
Arteta also acknowledges that he cannot manage expectations alone and emphasizes the importance of Nwaneri's family, agent, and friends in supporting him. He advises the young player to focus on his love for the game and not get caught up in the hype and noise surrounding him.
Despite Arteta's sensible approach, there is still a strong desire for Nwaneri to feature more regularly in the team. Walcott, who has experienced the pressures of being a hyped young player himself, believes that Nwaneri should have been given more responsibility during Martin Odegaard's injury absence. The club captain, who has recently recovered from an ankle injury, feels that Nwaneri's experience at the highest level and consistent exposure to top players make him a valuable asset to the team.
Walcott expresses his admiration for Nwaneri, saying, "He has more experience at this level than I did at his age, and he has been training with these players consistently. That's why I felt he should have been given more opportunities when Odegaard was out. He brings a different dynamic to the team, and Arsenal needed that during Odegaard's absence." Walcott even goes as far as comparing Nwaneri to a "magician," highlighting the young player's immense potential.
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