Arsenal Vs Newcastle: Reiss Nelson must use experience

Reiss Nelson suffered a tough time in his first Premier League start last weekend. Against Newcastle, the Arsenal youngster must rely on that experience.

Reiss Nelson had been baying for more game time. Bursting onto the scene in last summer pre-season tour of Australia with a series of lightning performances, the young player’s opportunities had largely been restricted to EFL Cup and lesser Europa League games. While patience is vital, for the Arsenal prospect, he wanted to play.

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And not just play. But play in the games that matter — the Premier League and the late-stage Europa League. Prior to last weekend’s win over Southampton, Nelson had only featured in 18 minutes of league football in one substitute appearance. It was less than he wanted.

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Good thing, then, that he received his first league start for the Gunners in that game, playing just over an hour before he was relieved, smile beaming from ear to ear as he meandered off the Emirates pitch. He was clearly grateful for his opportunity. But it was a missed one. While Nelson was not especially poor, he looked, in both the good and bad way, young.

His play was inconsistent, for instance, one moment receiving the ball under pressure, spinning away from a defender and distributing neatly to a teammate, the next moment misplacing a fairly simple pass. While he was energetic and industrious, clearly eager to prove himself, often his work was misguided, with his attacking position letting him down on a number of occasions.

Nevertheless, this was a learning experience for Nelson. That is the point of playing such raw but plainly gifted players in these type of games — for them to challenge themselves at the highest possible level; for them to make mistakes, learn from them, develop as a player, and return better prepared to succeed.

That returning, for Nelson, may come sooner than first thought. Arsenal, on Sunday afternoon, travel to Newcastle United. Judging by his team selection last weekend, there is plenty of reason to believe that the team could be in for a heavy dose of rotation once more. It’s not ridiculous to think that Nelson could start once again.

If that is the case, then he must use the experience that he undoubtedly gained from playing against Southampton for his good. He must realise that he is no longer the head-and-shoulders most athletic player on the pitch. He must understand that the game is quicker in the legs and the mind. He must recognise the positions that he needs to take up and the runs that he needs to make to better serve his teammates.

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If he can show that he is learning these things, then his career stands in a quite wonderful stead. For Nelson, this is the key. Developing. That comes from learning from your mistakes. On Sunday, he has a chance to prove that he has.