Arsenal: Young Gunners face sporting test in Europa League

Arsenal young gunners Emile Smith-Rowe and Matteo Guendouzi appear set to get the start against Sporting CP in next Thursday’s Europa League clash between group leaders in Lisbon.

Young Gunners under the lights in Europe? First team members will have the whole weekend to help recover from the international break, so we can assume manager Unai Emery will start his strongest squad when Arsenal face Leicester City in the Premier League next Monday. That’ll give fans just what we crave: A chance to assess the future, today.

We have so little film on Emile Smith Rowe. The overall lack of hype surrounding him, and his development happening behind closed doors, indicates he is still a “prospect.” This has at least allowed us to be realistic: he is not going to play in the Premier League.

Cup ties are going to be the only way we see him this year. Emery would actually “prefer to not speak about him” in relation to the league. He wants a commitment to remaining “humble” and focusing on his training. The player himself confirmed this:

"“I haven’t properly seen the [first-team] changing room,” he said… “I change separately, find out [I’m training with the first team], run over and train.”“At the moment, I am just try to make me way with games in the cups. (sic)”"

Translated: “the Europa League match against Sporting is circled on my calendar.” Don’t forget to record it. Even if he only gets a 30 minute run out, Arsenal, Emery and the fans need to see Emile Smith Rowe challenged.

Do we have enough film on Matteo Guendouzi to form an opinion yet? We must be getting close. We see some youthful habits that get exploited at the senior level. We also see that “something” shared by all great players.

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The one knock on Guendouzi earlier in the season was his positional awareness. To put it mildly, he has a pension for drifting forward. He eventually becomes so out of position that the team loses shape. The replay of Vorskla’s second goal shows a wonderful coaching opportunity: not only was he too far forward, he did not sprint back. He looked over his right shoulder twice to check on Monreal, but never looked over his left to see the eventual goal scorer trailing the play.

Against Qarabag, Guendouzi moved up to the holding role. He still roamed too far forward, with Elneny isolated at times, but it was his best performance on the ball. The lasting impression for me was Guendouzi standing in the center circle, spraying balls wide to Iwobi and Smith-Rowe at every opportunity. He looked like a veteran field general; Arsenal looked good value for their goals. I want to see more of this against Sporting.

Sporting are strong, proud, joint-top of the group and at home. They have to fancy their chances here. The Arsenal they know does not travel well. It will be the interplay of Guendouzi and Smith Rowe linking up with Welbeck that determines our result.

If Sporting block the supply routes it could be a frustrating – but no less instructive – night. But if our Young Gunners in midfield can run Sporting ragged? It will be a night to remember. COYG!