Arsenal: 3 players for whom Charlton friendly was ray of hope

2. Ainsley Maitland-Niles

How many positions can Ainsley Maitland-Niles play? It may seem like a joke, but his versatility is nothing to be trifled with. He started out as a right midfielder, slowly worked his way back to right-back after filling in as an emergency left-back, and yet has always seen himself as a central midfielder.

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Once Hector Bellerin returned to fitness, however, Maitland-Niles seemingly vanished from the team. He did not want to play right-back and there was no place for him in midfield. That left a distasteful question: Where does the young Englishman slot into the team?

It cannot be on the wing as the third option and it seemingly cannot be at right-back given that Maitland-Niles, despite his strong performances, dropped behind Sokratis and Cedric Soares in the pecking order, though that is perhaps due to his own unwillingness to play in the position. This leaves the one position Maitland-Niles actually wanted to play, central midfield.

And that’s exactly where he started on Saturday. He controlled play and was clinical in the extreme. Frankly put, he looked good. He’s a natural athlete, possesses decent pace, and is defensively solid. His composure was as supreme as ever and he teed up Alexandre Lacazette with a lovely cushioned header for the opening goal. Perhaps, then, Maitland-Niles has a future in north London after all.