Arsenal: Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ chance has arrived

Arsenal will play 12 games in 38 days. Unai Emery has already stated that he will rotate during this period. Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ chance has arrived.

There was plenty of hope for Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the summer. He ended the previous year excellently, impressing in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United, was singled-out by Ivan Gazidis and Unai Emery as a player they had high hopes for, and was set to be handed more playing opportunities.

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Then he broke his leg 35 minutes into the new campaign. He has played just 76 minutes since then, a start against Blackpool in the EFL Cup and a 16-minute cameo in the Europa League. It has not gone to plan for the talented 21-year-old.

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Nevertheless, the Arsenal prospect has now returned to full training, is presumably available for selection once more, and could be in line for more playing time as the schedule begins to heat up. Emery, when asked about the possibility of rotation in the coming weeks and months in Friday’s press conference prior to the trip to the south coast to face Bournemouth, said:

"“Maybe, maybe we are going to do changes to give a lot of players the possibility to help us. But thinking that we can be a big performance with them, but at the moment, the young players like Nketiah, like Willock, like Emile and also Ainsley, they are working well and I think they need to be the focus in big moments for when they are in the pitch, to help us with their performance.”"

Maitland-Niles, it seems, is about to be handed his opportunity.

In what position Emery envisages using the vastly versatile depth player, I do not know. He started the season at left-back, is roundly considered a central midfielder, but featured on the right-wing against Blackpool and in a handful of under-23 matches. Emery rates him, no doubt, But where he rates him is a mystery at this point.

Nevertheless, Maitland-Niles’ versatility does mean that he could be handed chances that other players would never be considered for. With Nacho Monreal set for a few more weeks on the sidelines, he can play at left-back. He could replace Hector Bellerin at right-back or take Mohamed Elneny’s place in the midfield alongside Matteo Guendouzi.

This plethora of options allows Emery to hand Maitland-Niles a multitude of starts and provide him with the best possible opportunity to force his way into the usual starting XI. It is clear that he still has some way to go to challenge for a starting position when everyone is fit and available. But he will have the chance to make up some ground over the coming weeks.

It has been a long time coming. Delayed by a broken leg, Maitland-Niles chance has finally arrived. Let’s hope that he can take it.