Arsenal: How competition is key for Emile Smith Rowe

In an interview with Football.London, Emile Smith Rowe discussed the growing competition with Arsenal’s young players. This competition is crucial for his — and everyone else’s — development.

This time last year, Emile Smith Rowe was toiling away at RB Leipzig. He had just moved to a new country, was learning a new language, and attempting to settle into a new team and league. And he was only 18 years of age.

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The six-month loan spell did not work out. Smith Rowe suffered several injuries, most notably a groin problem, and was left in the hands of the physios, not the coaches as he hoped to be. He played only 28 minutes.

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This time around, the young midfielder is thriving in his second loan spell. Sent to Huddersfield Town, Smith Rowe has established himself as the starting central attacking midfielder in Dan Cowley’s side. He has already played more than 600 minutes, despite only signing in January, and has one goal and three assists to his name.

The loan is intended to provide Smith Rowe with some much-needed game time. He has not played regular first-team football in his career to date, and now at 19, he needs to be given the opportunity to play consistently. But as Smith Rowe stated in an excellent interview with James Benge of Football.London this week, he also intends to return to north London to fight for his place:

"“I’ll go back to Arsenal in pre-season and show the manager that I’m capable of getting into the team. At the end of the day the dream is to play for Arsenal. That’s what I’ll be working towards. Am I ready for the Premier League? I hope I am. After this loan hopefully I will be much more confident going back to Arsenal. I’d like to say I can go back and prove to everyone what I can do.”"

For Smith Rowe — and all of the young prospects that are currently breaking into the senior squad — the dream is to be an Arsenal regular. But for that, he will have to beat out some serious competition, and not just the senior players that are already in place at the club.

In the same interview, Smith Rowe explained how he and the other young emerging stars are happy for one another when they each succeed:

"“We’ve all grown up together, we’ve all trained together so much since we were younger. To see each other do well is great for us and the club. When one person does well we’re all so happy. Obviously at the same time everyone wants it to be themselves as well but we’re never competitive like that.”"

It is easy to forget that these players are friends, not just teammates. But as the months and years go by, they will be forced to compete for their place in the team. Only one of Joe Willock and Smith Rowe can start as the number 10, for instance. And that same competitive spirit extends into other areas of the squad and team.

But while bemoaning the competitiveness of the squad is perhaps somewhat natural for Smith Rowe, instead, he should see it as a challenge, a tool for motivation, a reason to work hard. Iron sharpens iron, after all, and competing with your teammates to earn your place in the team will only improve you as a player.

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What the future holds for Smith Rowe — and the other Arsenal youngsters — remains to be seen. There is still plenty up in the air at this early stage. But one thing is for certain: he has a long fight ahead of him, and it might just make him the best version that he can possibly be.

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