Arsenal: 5 key players in FA Cup matchup vs Portsmouth

4. Ainsley Maitland-Niles

The ultimate story of a man in exile, Ainsley Maitland-Niles has to see himself back into the starting XI for the FA Cup. While I have him starting at rightback, I would love to see him given a nod in the midfield. Though I do wonder if Arteta is even open to doing that, what with Guendouzi and Torreira already pining for more time as well.

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Maitland-Niles is supremely talented, but he’s fallen off the track lately. Some say it’s because he doesn’t want to play rightback anymore, which is a major red flag if so. He had spoken numerous times about how he preferred midfield but would play where the team needed him. That being the case, it could be signifying a pending exit.

But as long as he’s here, he will be counted on to do a job, and that job will likely see him face off against Portsmouth.

I don’t want to sound pessimistic, but Maitland-Niles does have the propensity to make potentially drastic mistakes, and I wonder if being so disengaged from the club’s current status (assuming he is working towards an exit) would detract from his performance.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. On to No. 3.