Arsenal: Reiss Nelson making sure he isn’t forgotten

Upon his return from injury, Reiss Nelson produced a sensational display in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Portsmouth. While many other young talents flourish at the club, the 20-year-old winger is making sure he isn’t forgotten.

It has been quite the year for young players at Arsenal. Just from a quick glance down the squad lists, you can see the number and quality of young talent breaking into the first team and starting XI on a weekly basis.

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Take Monday night’s victory over Portsmouth. The starting XI featured six played under 21. Including goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, they had five academy graduates in the starting XI and introduced a sixth as a substitute. And this is just a short illustration of the impact that young players have had on the Gunners’ season thus far.

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But amidst all of this, Reiss Nelson has been a little left out. While Gabriel Martinelli exploded onto the scene as the club’s second-highest goalscorer, Bukayo Saka leads teenagers in the Premier League for assists, and Matteo Guendouzi and Eddie Nketiah have established themselves as crucial parts of the first-team rotation, winger Nelson has struggled to make the next step on his way to stardom.

There have been brief glimpses, of course, as is inevitable given his astounding natural ability, but the consistent performances have not been there and many of his first-team outings have been underwhelming. Combine this a series of niggling injuries that have repeatedly robbed him of any extended fitness and career momentum and it is easy to see why this has been a frustrating year for the 20-year-old.

But in the Portsmouth victory, of all the young players to take to the pitch, it was Nelson who stood head and shoulders above them all. Playing on the right flank, the Hale End graduate was phenomenal. Sharp in his movement, he raced past Portsmouth defenders time and time again. He burst into space, drove behind the Portsmouth defence, showed lovely skill and close control to weave his way past futile challenges, and provided the two crucial moments of quality for the two goals.

Nelson’s crossing was excellent all night long, including the two deliveries for Sokratis’ and Eddie Nketiah’s goals — he also created a lovely opportunity for Gabriel Martinelli with a searing run and whipped delivery that was diverted over the crossbar by the young Brazilian. In a match in which Mikel Arteta was leaning on his young players to deliver, it was Nelson who stepped up to the plate.

In his interview with BT Sport after the match, Arteta was glowing in his praise of Nelson:

"“Reiss [Nelson] is a special player and can eliminate players one on one. He’s been out for a while but he’s back now and he showed what he’s capable of doing.”"

Given his repeated absences due to injury and the explosive emergence of many other young players in the squad, it would be easy to overlook Nelson’s talent and potential. But if anyone was forgetting just how special he is, Nelson was keen to remind them on Monday night. And he did precisely that.

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