Arsenal: Details key Unai Emery’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles project

Unai Emery is keen to work with Ainsley Maitland-Niles, according to Ivan Gazidis. The new Arsenal manager’s Maitland-Niles project must focus on the details.

Arsenal are at the beginning of a project. That was clear in Unai Emery’s introductory press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Both he and Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis spoke at length of the process that was before them, a process that would not necessarily yield instant or even quick results, but one that requires patience, commitment, and hard-work.

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At the heart of that project, there is an indication that Emery will improve the talent that is already at the Emirates. The transfer budget will not rival those in Manchester; the Arsenal way is a self-sustainable way, one that focuses on maximising resources and eeking out the best of each and every player. That is Emery’s task in these coming months and years.

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And there is one player who he is particularly excited to work with: a young, burgeoning midfielder by the name of Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Here is Gazidis speaking after the appointment, sharing his and the clubs motivations for hiring Emery. He is using Emery’s research on Maitland-Niles as an example to portray the detail of the former Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla manager’s preparation for the interview. Clearly, however, Emery is eager to work with such a talented and blossoming individual:

"“Unai knows Ainsley. He’s watched him, he’s familiar with his patterns of play, his capabilities, he’s very excited about his potential and was able to talk about how excited he was to work with Ainsley, to develop him as a player. “"

It will be interesting to see what Emery chooses to work on to ‘develop Maitland-Niles as a player’. What position does he see is the versatile youngster’s best? What weaknesses does he need to address? In what kind of role will his attributes be best used? These are the kind of questions that I am sure Emery will be building an answer for in this preseason.

But, for me, the key for Maitland-Niles and his game at this point in time is in the detail. He has all the natural capabilities that you would want in a modern-day player. Exceptionally fast. Great athleticism and stamina. A lovely composure on the ball. A bravery and confidence in possession. Defensive acumen. Offensive drive. A good range of passing. There is little that Maitland-Niles does not have.

He sometimes, however, fails to put all the pieces together. His speed leads to mispositioning himself; his composure slips into complacency; his offensive directness is scuppered by his inconsistent end product. It is in the practice and repetition that Maitland-Niles can begin to file the rough edges of his game.

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It is these details that will see him develop into the top-tier player that many, myself and seemingly Emery included, believe that he can be. He has all the talent in the world. He simply needs to put it together.