Arsenal: Daniel Crowley Running Out Of Bridges To Burn

DENDERLEEUW, BELGIUM - OCTOBER 21: Daniel Crowley scores Arsenal's 3rd goal from the penalty spot during the match between RSC Anderlecht and Arsenal in the UEFA Youth League at Van Roy Stadium on October 21, 2014 in Denderleeuw, Belgium. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
DENDERLEEUW, BELGIUM - OCTOBER 21: Daniel Crowley scores Arsenal's 3rd goal from the penalty spot during the match between RSC Anderlecht and Arsenal in the UEFA Youth League at Van Roy Stadium on October 21, 2014 in Denderleeuw, Belgium. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal seems to have a recurring problem with Daniel Crowley’s attitude and it is leading to a potential dead end for the Englishman.

19 years old and rumored to have ‘ the world at his feet,’ Daniel Crowley was the biggest name in the Arsenal system for awhile. He was the next Jack Wilshere (just healthier). He had everything you could want in a creative midfielder and he had the confidence to boot.

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But it’s looking more like Crowley will be the next Jack Jebb, not Jack Wilshere.

Crowley has, yet again, been sent home from a loan early. The Englishman made 11 appearances for Oxford United and was showing tremendous ability, scoring three times, but coach Michael Appleton had had enough.

“I’m certainly not going to lose sleep if Arsenal have got an issue with Oxford United going forward,’ Appleton said, as quoted by the Metro. “The one thing we are, and will always be, is very professional. Nothing and nobody will ever get in the way of what we’re trying to do from a team culture and ethos point of view.”

We don’t know what Crowley did, but for a manager to say something like this and essentially write it off without any regard, is shocking. It’s hard to have any sympathy for Crowley because he has shown these attitude problems before and this time, it has ruined a situation that was truly beneficial to him.

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Early in November, Crowley made mention that this Oxford loan was the first time he had ever had to fight to get in a team. For a 19 year old, that is just as shocking as what Appleton has said. Was Crowley pampered in the Gunner’s system? Did the hype go to his head? It seems a bit odd that a Wenger-made man can be so disconnected with what matters most.

Jack Wilshere is the only Gunner’s player I can think of that had attitude problems, but he left it off the pitch and always got along with his team mates. So whatever is going on in Crowley’s head has to stop or his future will be cut short by his own devices.

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On the bright side, the lad has talent. And that talent is getting more and more prominent. Hopefully he can find then mental fortitude to go along with it or we may be forever playing a game of ‘what if’ with young Daniel Crowley.