Arsenal: What Newcastle result means to Matteo Guendouzi

Dani Ceballos ran the show for Arsenal against Newcastle, and given the Matteo Guendouzi fallout, what does all of this mean for the young Frenchman?

Arsenal finally saw some attacking intent from the midfield against Newcastle after Mikel Arteta replaced Matteo Guendouzi with Dani Ceballos and the Spaniard didn’t disappoint. The pressure will be on Ceballos to press on from last nights display and also on Matteo Guendouzi to step up after rumours broke today that he was dropped from the squad after a bust up with Mikel Arteta.

Given how prolific Ceballos looked and the off-the-pitch issues now emerging, is there a way back for the young Frenchman?

Matteo Guendouzi has divided opinion over the last 18 months and although he offers glimpses of his quality, he is too inconsistent and can be very frustrating to watch sometimes especially when he slows the attack down.

That said, I certainly hope Mikel Arteta isn’t rash in whatever he decides to do with him, because given time, he will develop into a player with real quality.

However, if rumours are true and there was a bust up between the pair then Guendouzi will likely be sweating on his future especially when you consider that we are expected to see a big summer rebuild at the club with a reported mass exodus on the way and Arteta bringing his own players in.

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The rumours are that Matteo Guendouzi was dropped because of his attitude in training and if that’s the case, it’s very surprising, as despite Guendouzi’s inconsistencies he always looks like he puts the effort in.

As such, I would take any report of a bust up with a pinch of salt. Regardless of this, Guendouzi needed to be taken out of the first team and someone else given a chance in the centre as our attacking play from this position was nonexistent and too defensive-minded.

With players like Ceballos, Joe Willock and Ainsley Maitland-Niles also capable of playing this position in an attacking sense, it was only a matter of time before Mikel Arteta would try something different.

With the end of the season only three months away, Arteta will already have a clear idea who will be here next season and who won’t. In the case of Matteo Guendouzi, there is a question mark as to where he will be.

I don’t think him being shipped out of the club permanently is the best solution but I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea of him going on a season long loan to another top-level club and getting some more physicality to his game.

One thing is sure though. At this current period there are midfielders at the club who do perform in the role better than Matteo Guendouzi. With his attitude in training being called into question, expect more questions to follow.