Arsenal and Joe Willock: The professional decision

Joe Willock has started both of Arsenal’s matches this season. However, when it comes to Saturday’s trip to Anfield, it might be time for Unai Emery to rotate.

It has been a tremendous start to the season for central midfielder Joe Willock. Before his 20th birthday, he started both games of the year, the first as a surging option from deep away at Newcastle, the second a deeper, more box-to-box role at home against Burnley. In both cases, the Arsenal academy graduate acquitted himself excellently.

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Without being spectacular in either match, Willock displayed his improving positional awareness, skill on the ball, excellent athleticism to burst up and down the pitch, and terrific composure on the ball to deal with opponents’ high pressing strategies.

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It is difficult for a manager to drop a player who is playing well, just as Willock is, no matter their youth and inexperience. This is, after all, often how young players break into the first team, handed a few starts in succession due to the injury to a starter, impressing greatly in those starts and never giving the position back. However, sometimes, a professional team selection must be made.

On Saturday, Arsenal travel to Anfield to face an excellent Liverpool side who, like the Gunners, have won both of their matches so far this season. Other than facing Manchester City, this is the most difficult match of the season, as recent results prove — Emery’s side lost 5-1 at Anfield last December, despite taking the lead through Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Sending a 20-year-old who has started just four Premier League matches in his career into the lions’ den might not be wise.

Would it be harsh to drop Willock after his performances in the two opening matches of the season? Probably. He has done little wrong thus far. But surely head coach Unai Emery must be self-aware enough to understand that a more professional decision needs to be made. And Willock, too, should understand that this is senior football and he cannot expect to start every game.

Given the challenges that pose this Arsenal team when they face Liverpool, starting the more experienced Granit Xhaka to anchor the midfield or the greater mobility of Lucas Torreira, who can scrap and scrape against the prolific front three of Liverpool is surely the right move.

Willock is a tremendously gifted player. He has earned a role in the midfield rotation throughout the season. But that does not mean he should be starting every single match, especially those as demanding as trips to Anfield.

It is a harsh decision, perhaps, but it is also the professional. It is also the one that Emery should make this weekend.