Arsenal: 3 internal solutions to three midfield openings

2. Ainsley Maitland-Niles

We’ve been touting Ainsley Maitland-Niles as a potential midfield solution for years, but the problem is that it’s never been realistic. For whatever reason, manager after manager has refused to give Maitland-Niles the chance he feels he deserves in the center of the pitch.

Maybe it’s because he’s just so valuable at rightback, who knows.

But whatever the case, since he got his glimpse against Charlton in the friendly rout, the talk has kicked up again—Maitland-Niles can play the position. Keep in mind that he leads the team in ball-winning plays this year, so if you want to add him to this hypothetical Partey-Xhaka spine, we gain so much mobility.

And not just that, his grounding as a winger and as a wingback (and fullback) add to his attacking threat, which neither Xhaka nor Partey have.

Yet again, we realize that Maitland-Niles probably should have been utilized as a midfield solution all along. But even if it’s finally coming around when it should have long ago, this is a real solution. And it’s better late than never.

Finally, No. 1.