Arsenal: 4 glaring mistakes Mikel Arteta made vs Everton

3. Sambi Lokonga Shunned From the Team

Sambi had a tough second half against Liverpool. Even that is relatively unfair to say, since it was only eight minutes after the break by which time he’d made way.

The response after that was some clever management from Arteta. Sambi and Nuno were immediately handed their chance to respond against Newcastle with the boss stating that he wants to reward the bravery to play this way, and the result was the pair being the best players on the pitch. Sambi in particular was excellent.

Skip forward to Old Trafford and Nuno is rewarded again, while Sambi isn’t. In example #[insert elaborate figure] of Arteta making the simple game complicated, he fielded Mohamed Elneny instead. The Belgian didn’t even make it off the bench.

Maybe it was because he was given a rest and being saved for Everton? It would appear not. Instead, Xhaka at 60% fitness played the entire 98 minutes while Partey was allowed to drop another appalling showing in midfield. That area of the pitch had no invention, bravery or eye for progression, with a young midfielder left to sit on the bench and scratch his head when all those traits have been on show in the performances he’s produced in red and white.

From being rewarded for showing willingness, and ultimately quality, the 21-year-old has watched two 29-year-old’s – one who is out of contract and one who was barely fit – play ahead of him consecutively, while another senior midfielder has been the worst Arsenal player on the pitch two games running and kept his place.

Sambi is still young and managing his development is important, but it has to be disheartening to think that you can’t even get ten minutes when the two central midfielders on the pitch are barely capable of tracking back with their legs wilting beneath them.

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