Arsenal: Ainsley Maitland-Niles needs to choose

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is an incredibly versatile and positionally-flexible footballer. But for the sake of his development and Arsenal career, he needs to choose where he is best-utilised.

Positional versatility is a wonderful trait to have. It is the sign of an intelligent footballer, someone who understands the game enough to adapt their individual actions to the different positions and roles that they are playing, acutely aware of what each role demands of them as a part of the collective system.

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But positional versatility can also be a career-killer. For young players, it can be invaluable in that it earns game time from a young age as they can fill in for several different players when injuries and suspensions hit. But then comes the time to master one part of the game, one particular position, and they just don’t know which one.

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This is Phil Neville speaking in 2003 about his renowned versatility:

"“The thought does enter my mind that if I left United, would I play more games? Would I be as happy? I would probably play more games but I probably would not be as happy <…> I do get switched around a lot and play in a lot of positions. It is something I enjoy but it does work against you.”"

The Manchester United defender was 26 at the time. For the sake of his career and his development, he was too late. But Ainsley Maitland-Niles is just at the start of that journey. The Arsenal starlet turns 21 this summer. He has the world at his feet and his career before him. There is just one problem: What position to play.

Both Maitland-Niles and Arsene Wenger have stated in the past that his best-suited position is in midfield. It is where he has played for the majority of his youth career and is an area of the pitch that allows his well-rounded ability to shine. But opportunities have been hard to come by in the midfield, with Wenger often opting for a left-back or right-back position.

Now, I do not know what position is actually Maitland-Niles’ best. From what I have seen, and that is limited to preseason friendlies and the 24 games that he has played in all competitions this season, I might suggest that right-back is where he will find the most joy. He is an excellent defender in one-on-one situations. He is blisteringly quick. He is comfortable on the ball when getting forward and he is intelligent enough to protect the defence and midfield inside of him.

But I am not arguing that Maitland-Niles needs to play right-back more frequently for the betterment of his career. Rather, I am arguing that he and Wenger need to choose a position that they think is his best. That may be right-back. It may be left-back. It may be centre-forward. But a decision needs to be made so that Maitland-Niles can then work on mastering that position.

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Like Phil Neville, it is easy to fall through the positional cracks in football. Versatility is a wonderful thing, until it kills your career. Maitland-Niles has not reached that point yet, but he will do if he is not careful.