After three incredibly tough away trips for Arsenal of late, Mikel Arteta will now have a different challenge prior to the upcoming international break.
Arsenal now have four fixtures in a row at the Emirates Stadium, starting with a visit from Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Cup on Wednesday evening.
On that occasion, it seems as if Arteta will turn to Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly – two youngsters he’s complimented before they perhaps make their full Arsenal debuts.
Both 17-year-olds should have a big future for England as well as Arsenal, players hoped to be of the Bukayo Saka echelon, two more Hale End Academy success stories.
That being said, it doesn’t quite seem as if Arteta is willing to turn to Nwaneri in the Premier League just yet, who might be Martin Odegaard’s most obvious deputy right now.
Martin Odegaard told he’s irreplaceable at Arsenal right now
Speaking on the ‘Wrighty’s House’ podcast, Arsenal legend Ian Wright has now been speaking about Odegaard’s absence and how the club might cope moving forward.
Thus far, Odegaard’s absence has been masked a little considering the Gunners have mostly been digging in their heels away from home.
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But in upcoming ties when Arsenal are expected to dominate at the Emirates, the Norwegian’s absence may be more obvious
Speaking on the podcast, Wright said: “With those three away games that we had, no Odegaard – remember, that’s our guy, that’s our control.
“We haven’t got him, so what we’re doing at the moment, we’re finding other ways to try to create and do what Odegaard does which I don’t think we, if I’m going to be totally honest right now, in that squad we’ve got anyone else that can come in there and help us without creativity like he does.
“So for me, that game against City, I’m sure Odegaard wouldn’t have been taken off.
“I think if Odegaard is playing, I don’t think we play with just 10 men back like that, we will have some form of creative outlet in respects of that. So Mikel had to do deal with what he had to deal with.”
Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri set to start vs Bolton
With those comments in mind, perhaps Nwaneri will be auditioning for his chance to replace Odegaard against Bolton.
Arteta hinted that Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri would start, two of several changes expected against a side Arsenal used to face in the Premier League.
Perhaps Fabio Vieira would have been another option to replace Odegaard in the coming weeks and possibly even months, had he not departed for a loan at FC Porto.
That being said, Vieira is still yet to play a single minute for Porto on loan – a situation Arsenal will hope will soon improve.
Arteta has options, but in a similar vein to Rodri for Manchester City, some players just can’t be easily replaced.
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