Arsenal: Reiss Nelson must take inspiration

While many of the Arsenal youngsters are beginning to flourish, Reiss Nelson is on the sidelines. The youngster must take inspiration from what he sees, not grow downhearted at his time slipping away.

Much has been made of the burgeoning group of youngsters breaking into the Arsenal first team. And rightly so. There is some terrific talent at the club, and they are beginning to make waves at the senior level. They deserve to be celebrated.

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Bukayo Saka is shining at left-back, Gabriel Martinelli looks like a future superstar, while Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah and others are beginning to forge a role for themselves in the squad. And all this is to forget that Matteo Guendouzi is still only 20 and Emile Smith Rowe is shining on loan at Huddersfield Town. But while plenty of the young talent at the club shows how brilliant it might one day be, there is one player who is again being a little left behind.

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Reiss Nelson is currently rehabbing from a hamstring issue that he suffered in mid-January. The 20-year-old started both of Mikel Arteta’s first games in charge and seemed to be set for a run of games in the starting XI under the Spaniard, who is a noted fan. The injury came at just the wrong time.

Nelson arrived in Dubai early ahead of Arsenal’s mid-winter-break training session there. He has been to the gym under the guidance of the club’s fitness team and is working towards a return to the squad following the break, with eyes on making the matchday squad against Newcastle United next weekend.

After seeing his young teammates begin to forge roles for themselves, — and to see that Arteta is more than willing to start them should their performances deserve it — Nelson will be keen to make an impact.

But it has been tough sledging for a winger who has struggled to kick on from his remarkable preseason tour of Australia in 2017. Ever since he burst onto the scene with a series of blistering performances on the right-wing, it was hoped that he would emulate his great friend Jadon Sancho and establish himself as a bonafide star at the senior level. The talent is still there, but the production has not followed.

It would be easy for Nelson to get down about the stalling of his career. Where his friends are blossoming into genuine starters, his Arsenal prospects are fading away, only dimming with the emergence of Martinelli and Saka, who are now surely ahead in the pecking order despite being two years junior.

But instead of faltering and floundering, Nelson should find inspiration in the growth of his teammates. Arteta has played a part in their development, and he has shown a willingness and desire to do the same with Nelson. For the young Englishman, his trajectory is still an upwards one, even if he has slipped into the shadows somewhat.

Nelson, then, will be happy to get back to the pitch. He needs to be playing and to impress. His career is at a crucial junction, and without careful action and execution, it could turn the wrong way.