International coach says Arsenal star is ‘desperate to please’ and has amazing football brain

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Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe has been described by Aidy Boothroyd as an “outstanding” player whose heroics are just the start of what he can produce.

The 20-year-old has made a sensational breakthrough this season, becoming the latest Hale End star to become a first-team regular under Mikel Arteta.

He has made 13 Premier League appearances this season, registering four assists, and has scored in the FA Cup and Europa League.

Crucially, Smith Rowe has given Arsenal something that was seriously lacking in the first half of the season – creativity in midfield.

The Hale End graduate’s reward is a spot in the England Under-21s squad for the group stages of the Euro Under-21 championships, alongside Eddie Nketiah.

“He has been outstanding for his club,” Boothroyd is quoted by Goal.com as saying about Smith Rowe. “Honesty is the word that jumps out to me.

“We can talk about all the technical qualities that he’s got, his willingness to work for the team. But he is so honest in what he does.

“He is desperate to please. You can see the little techniques in his game, particularly without the ball, people wouldn’t really associate him without the ball.

“But his willingness to work, to get into position, to check his shoulders, to make sure he is doing what the coach wants him to do.

“I think probably the key thing for him, what I like so much about him, is his football brain.

“He is one of those players who sees things happening before they actually occur. Sees a pass, runs into a space where he thinks the ball is going to be. We are only seeing the start of him.

“If he can stay fit we have got a real player on our hands there.

“When I spoke to Keith Downing about him, who he was with with the U19s and through other teams in the pathway, all that comes out is what a good character he is, and that’s very important for us as a group as well.”

England’s U21s will play three matches in the UEFA Euro Under-21 group stage, facing Switzerland, Portugal and Croatia in Group D, all taking place in Slovenia.

The group stages begin for the Young Lions on Thursday, March 25 against Switzerland.

They will then play Portugal on Sunday, March 28 before wrapping up the international break against Croatia on Wednesday, March 31st.