Arsenal’s attacking options are scary for any team in the Premier League, as Mikel Arteta has been granted quality in depth over the summer transfer window.
So far this summer, Arsenal have made several signings that have caught the eye, including three new forwards with Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke joining the club.
The Gunners are able to mix and match them with the quality they already have, making them a threat to any team.
Despite those new additions, Theo Walcott has named a Hale End academy star as the Arsenal player who will terrify opposition defenders.
Theo Walcott claims Arsenal ace Max Dowman will “terrify” opposition defenders
The Arsenal academy continues to produce standout stars, which will help the side in many different ways.
One is through registration rules, as having players trained at the club will meet the requirements needed from the Premier League.
Another is that it can save plenty of money elsewhere in the squad from transfer fees, as stars such as Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have proven.
The next player looking to join those ranks is Max Dowman, the 15-year-old attacking midfielder who has been tipped for big things.
Dowman made his debut for Arsenal against Leeds, coming off the bench for a cameo in front of the Emirates Stadium crowd.
There is plenty of development needed if the Gunners are to get the youngster to the levels required, but he has certainly shown some bright sparks.
Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott explained why he is such a tricky customer to deal with, as he said on The Overlap US channel: “Inverted wingers who can go on both sides now, who are that elegant with the stop start, and when you have the stop start and you delay the movement, it’s hard to read as a defender, honestly.
“And he will terrify everyone he plays against every time he has that ball because he’s positive, and that’s what it’s about, football should be positive.”
That positivity is what Arsenal fans spotted straight away from Dowman, as he looked to get on the ball at every opportunity on his debut, going on to win a penalty late in the game.
Whether his position will be as an inverted winger is unclear, though, as he could end up playing a whole host of positions.
Where could Max Dowman’s position be at Arsenal?
At just 15, there are plenty of years ahead for Dowman to make his way into the senior side, so there is no rush to put him in one single position.
During his debut and much of his early minutes in pre-season, Mikel Arteta has used him on the right wing.
Despite that, Simon Jordan argued that Dowman is a number ten, which has been his position by trade through the youth ranks.
At this stage, it seems to be a case of getting him the minutes where possible, and putting him on the flanks as he grows into senior football seems a wise decision early on.
However, when it comes to those positions, it’s very much a case of the youngster needing to be good enough to force his way into the team, wherever that may be.
It’s something that has been present with Ethan Nwaneri, who hasn’t always played his best position, but he has been reliable enough to fill in where needed, furthering his own growth.
It may be more of the same with Dowman, who faces a challenge to break into the team, but there is no one fixed position he will be guaranteed to fit into.
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