Arsenal: Emile Smith Rowe dig hits at crucial issue

Arsenal fans have been demanding that RB Leipzig play Emile Smith Rowe. RB Leipzig have hit back on social media. The rift, though, does hit a crucial issue: playing time for young players and picking good loan destinations.

Twitter feuds are rarely constructive but almost ways funny. Pulling up a chair and scrolling through the increasingly angered replies is rarely an unenjoyable experience. And this week, the Arsenal fan base has been involved in their own, collective Twitter spat.

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Emile Smith Rowe was loaned to RB Leipzig in the January transfer window. The teenager was told that he would struggle for first-team minutes at the Emirates and he and the club subsequently made the joint decision that a loan move to Germany would be the best course of action for his development.

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Ever since that time, swathes of Arsenal fans have been replying to all of the official RB Leipzig tweets demanding that they start the talented attacking midfielder. On Tuesday, the German club had their response.

This is a meaningless Twitter argument, just a bit of fun between fans and club. It may seem as though it has no real connection to or impact on real-life football. But, while that is true, it does highlight a key problem regarding the growth and coaching of young players: the need for playing time and the sometimes mismanaged use of loans to secure that playing time.

The most precious commodity for any young talent is opportunity. They need to be playing in the first team with semi-regularity if they have any chance or forging a career for themselves.

Sometimes, however, that is not possible. This is where the loan system comes in, a process that Chelsea have been abusing in recent seasons. Arsenal have never mastered the loan system, often sending players to clubs where they don’t actually play, simply sitting on the bench and playing in the reserves. If they are going to do that on loan, then they may as well do it at their parent club where they can be taught the culture and tactics of the first team.

Reiss Nelson, for instance, a player of comparable talent to Smith Rowe, has been on loan with Hoffenheim this season. He has made 14 Bundesliga appearances so far this season but nine have come as a substitute. He has only played in 519 league minutes this year.

Admittedly, that is substantially more than he would receive had he stayed in north London and it is still helpful to his development. But it illustrates the deeper concern that is forcing many Arsenal fans to reply on Twitter demanding that Leipzig start Smith Rowe. Playing time is difficult to get. Just because Smith Rowe is a new signing does not mean that he will be handed a first-team place.

The crucial issue for Smith Rowe and other young players is playing time. Only 11 players can start a match and managers are under more pressure than ever to get instant results. That pushes young players down the pecking order. Hopefully, Smith Rowe will not find that to be the case over the coming months. In the meantime, where’s my popcorn?