A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as Emile Smith Rowe explains the ‘demands’ of training under Mikel Arteta and the Gunners develop hopes over Gabriel Jesus’ injury.
Emile Smith Rowe explains why he ‘loves’ training under Mikel Arteta
Hale End hero Smith Rowe admits he ‘loves’ training under Arteta as the Arsenal boss always demands the maximum. The 23-year-old has struggled to find a way into the Spaniard’s side so far this season. But he respects that every player must earn their place at London Colney.
Arteta has only fielded Smith Rowe for 245 minutes over 12 appearances in all competitions this term. He further only started the midfielder in two games before losing Smith Rowe to a knee injury. The maestro had to miss nine games with the issue in November and December.
Arsenal are now training in Dubai after jetting to the UAE for a one-week mini-camp in their winter break. The Gunners will return to north London on Tuesday. But while trying to show Arteta his potential is ‘intense’, Smith Rowe relishes every moment of training with Arsenal.
“Training is really intense,” Smith Rowe told the official Arsenal website. “I think it’s got to be like that to keep pushing every day and to keep improving, and the manager demands that.
“It’s nice to be high up in the league but in training, you are not thinking about that. You just want to get better every day and keep improving.
“I love that side of it. Everybody has to prove that they can play here. So, it means every session you have to be at your best. It’s a great environment to be in.”
Read more about what Smith Rowe has had to say about training under Arteta, here.
Arsenal hope to have Gabriel Jesus back from his injury vs Crystal Palace
Arsenal hope to have Jesus back from injury when they host Crystal Palace after their winter break. That is according to the Mirror, which reports that the Gunners believe the striker has only a minor knee injury. So, he could return to feature at home to the Eagles on January 20.
Arteta was without the Brazilian as Arsenal lost to Liverpool in the FA Cup last weekend after Jesus reported discomfort in his knee. It is also the same knee that he first injured in Qatar at the 2022 World Cup. The striker also sat out games in August after feeling some discomfort.
Jesus underwent surgery last December for the medial collateral ligament injury he suffered at the World Cup. Arsenal also sent him for a minor operation for the discomfort he felt back in the summer. But his current injury is not concerning the Gunners and he may return soon.
Read more about the latest on Arsenal striker Jesus’ current knee injury, here.
Danny Mills slams Mikel Arteta for overlooking Arsenal ace Reiss Nelson
Danny Mills has slammed Arteta for overlooking Reiss Nelson for most of Arsenal’s games so far this season. The 24-year-old impressed the ex-Fulham midfielder with his work in the FA Cup against Liverpool. Yet it was only Nelson’s fourth start from 17 appearances this season.
Nelson has also made each of his starts outside of Premier League fixtures with two Carabao Cup games and one Champions League fixture. The winger started Arsenal’s dead rubber 1-1 draw away to PSV Eindhoven in December, having already secured the top spot in Group B.
The Champions League tie also yielded one of Nelson’s two assists this season, having also created a goal against PSV in September. But he has so far only scored against Brentford for a 1-0 win in the EFL Cup. Nonetheless, Mills feels Arteta should be using Nelson more often.
“Reiss Nelson’s a good player,” Mills declared on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel. “He’s got something about him. Why doesn’t he [Arteta] ever give him a game in games where he can [make a case for himself]?
“Yeah, [Arteta will] play him away in Europe away at PSV, who haven’t been beaten at home in god knows how long. [It was a] hard game to come into when you haven’t played many.
“Give him a chance in some games. [Leandro] Trossard gets goals. Maybe, 20 [minutes] or half an hour before the game ends and you’re 0-0 or 1-0 down, maybe go [Gabriel] Jesus and [Eddie] Nketiah up front and stick two wide men on… It’s become a bit predictable.”
Read more about what Mills has had to say about Arteta and Nelson at Arsenal, here.
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