‘Bravo’: Arsenal coaches are seriously impressed with 22-year-old Arsenal player’s passing in training

By Ben Evans

Arsenal’s first team returned to the training ground yesterday as they prepare for Premier League football to return.

The World Cup still has another three weeks to run, but Mikel Arteta is already getting his remaining squad ready.

Arsenal’s official website released a video of the remaining members of the squad arriving at London Colney.

It was certainly a smaller group than usual, and in the clips shown Arteta had chosen not to call up too many academy players.

One youngster among the squad was teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly, who was working among Arsenal’s senior team.

Marquinhos was also spotted among the group having been a regular member of Arteta’s Europa League squad.

Arsenal fans would be glad to see Oleksandr Zinchenko in full swing too after missing a number of games before the World Cup.

However, it was the passing of young midfielder Matt Smith that impressed Arsenal’s coaches in training.

The Arsenal under-21 captain has been close to a first-team debut for some time now.

He’s been seen training with Arteta’s squad for most of the season.

He’s already been named on the bench on 13 occasions, but has never been given the nod to come on.

Smith impresses with his passing in Arsenal training

In the video shared by Arsenal, the squad can be seen doing a passing drill in a tight area.

On a number of occasions, Smith can be seen receiving the ball under pressure and moving it quickly to his teammates.

Smith then takes a touch out of his feet and splits the entire group by playing a ball across the square.

One of Smith’s coaches was clearly impressed, shouting, ‘Bravo!’ as the ball found its intended target.

Arsenal go on a training camp to Dubai at the start of December, where they’ll play Lyon and AC Milan.

Smith could be given an opportunity in these games if Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka are still in Qatar.

He’ll be hoping to prove to Arteta that he’s ready to step up and make his debut soon.

With Arsenal still competing on three fronts, a debut in January’s FA Cup third round isn’t out of the question.

Until then, Smith will have to keep impressing Arsenal’s coaching staff in training, or possibly even request a loan move.