Arsenal: If no one else, then there’s Emile Smith Rowe

Arsenal sent 18-year-old Emile Smith Row to Germany for the rest of the year, but he is now rightfully being clung to like the savior he could be.

I just got through talking about Denis Suarez, and how he was brought into be far more than what he’s been for Arsenal. He was supposed to be the influx that didn’t leave us stranded to the whims of the woefully inconsistent trio of Mesut Ozil, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi.

Needless to say, that failed. About a week into the Suarez loan, people were already clamoring for him to be sent back to Barcelona. I gave him more of a chance than that, but with just three Premier League matches left in the season, it’s safe to say that you’d have a much harder time defending his prolonged stay now.

Which still leaves us stranded with the inconsistent trio of Ozil, Mkhitaryan and Iwobi, who showed yet again against Wolverhampton why they’ve been so inconsistent in the first place.

Solutions are needed this summer, but with the need for wingers, fullbacks, midfield and defensive help already at full throttle, it’s problematic that one of the most stacked positions at the club remains so futile.

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Emile Smith Rowe was among that mix too, earlier in the year, before being sent on loan to RB Leipzig over in the Bundesliga.

And now, with him having featured so little due to injury, there are questions being asked about his availability for another loan, or perhaps a purchase, or some combination of the two.

But according to reports, Unai Emery and the club are categorically declining all offers for any sort of move that would see Smith Rowe leave the club under any circumstances. He is going to be with Arsenal, and that means that Emery intends to use him, and it also likely means that he understands the painful situation in his creative midfield and is clinging to all form of solution, even abstract ones.

Frankly, there’s no point in keeping Suarez around when Smith Rowe can provide the same exact services, plus more upside. He can sit there and watch, score some cameo appearances and grow into a bigger role.

Thus, since all else is failing, why not trust Smith Rowe? At least we know the kid has something to play for and he wants to be at the club. If we’re starting with the basics, that’s a good place to begin.