Arsenal have a ‘terrific’ player who truly knows what it means to play for the Gunners – TBR View

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Arsenal academy graduate Emile Smith Rowe has not only cemented a place in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI, but this week he has made himself even more of a fan favourite.

The 20-year-old is one of the best players to graduate from the Hale End setup in recent years, alongside Bukayo Saka.

While Saka made his breakthrough last season, Smith Rowe had to bide his time, but when given the opportunity on Boxing Day, he took it with great aplomb.

Arsenal were in the doldrums when they faced Chelsea at the Emirates, but Smith Rowe’s full Premier League debut saw the Gunners run out 3-1 winners.

To date, the playmaker has made 30 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal this season – senior and age level – winning plenty of plaudits along the way.

“That young man is so good, he has got great awareness… he is Paul Scholes in the making,” Andy Townsend told Optus Sport in February.

Meanwhile, Nigel Winterburn told the Arsenal media team, as quoted by Optus Sport: “The boy’s got real quality, an absolutely terrific player.”

Obviously on-the-pitch action has taken a backseat over the past few days in wake of the European Super League situation, with Arsenal one of the 12 clubs who initially signed up.

The Gunners, along with five other Premier League sides and six of Italy and Spain’s biggest clubs, were heavily criticised for their actions by many fans, officials and even players and coaches.

By Tuesday night, all six English sides had withdrawn from the prospective competition, but for many Arsenal fans, this wasn’t the end of the matter.

Meanwhile, it’s been business as usual – or at least as close to it as possible – for Arsenal’s playing and coaching staff, who trained on Thursday ahead of Friday’s league meeting with Everton.

The Gunners uploaded a video of the session on YouTube and, at around the 2 minute 15 second mark, Smith Rowe looks at the camera and pats the Arsenal crest on his training top.

Arsenal fans can be proud of Smith Rowe, a superb player who has shown he’s the perfect fit for the Gunners, on and off the pitch, and knows what it means to play for the club.