How Emile Smith Rowe became Arsenal’s No. 10

Emile Smith Rowe, 21, playing for Arsenal against Millwall 

How Emile Smith Rowe became Arsenal’s No. 10

Very few people expected Emile Smith Rowe to become such an integral part of Mikel Arteta’s plans so quickly when he first broke into Arsena’s first team. 

Smith Rowe has, at points, had to play second fiddle to Bukayo Saka. Saka burst on the scene and immediately became one of, if not the, star players for Arsenal, while Smith Rowe took more time to adapt to the physicality of the Premier League. 

Many had forgotten about the young academy graduate, assuming Arsenal couldn’t be so lucky as to find two gems in their academy within a couple of years. 

However, last season Smith Rowe proved that he has the quality needed to play for Arsenal, and then this summer he proved he has the temperament as well when he turned down a move to Aston Villa in exchange for a new Gunners contract. 

That contract came hand in hand with the heralded No.10 jersey, previously worn by club legends such as Paul Merson, Dennis Bergkamp and Mesut Ozil. 

If Smith Rowe were to have half the career of any of those players, then his time with the club would surely be considered a success. 

How did he reach such lofty heights so quickly? 

Especially considering he’d only made two appearances for Arsenal in the Premier League prior to last season.

First Team Debut 

The 21-year-old attacking midfielder from Croydon made his debut for Arsenal in September 2018 against Vorskla Poltava in the UEFA Europa League, coming on as a second-half substitute for Alex Iwobi. 

He was the first person born in the 2000s to make an appearance for Arsenal and he proved his future was bright in the following Europa League game when he scored against Qarabag in a 3-0 win. 

He was to be sent out on loan, but he’d made a very good first impression at The Emirates. 

Mixed loan moves

Traditionally, successful loan moves are a good indicator that a player is good enough to compete for a place in the squad. 

Ashley Cole, for example, went on loan to Crystal Palace in 2000 and proved that he was more than capable of competing in Arsenal’s first team. 

Unfortunately, Smith Rowe didn’t have such a positive experience on loan at German side RB Leipzig as he struggled to recover from a groin injury. 

He made just three substitute appearances, a total of 28 minutes worth of playing time, prior to his second loan spell at Championship side Huddersfield Town. 

He had better luck in Huddersfield, where he scored his first goal in a 3-2 defeat to Fulham and made several heads turn with his performances. 

Return to Arsenal and breaking into the first team

Arsenal had an appalling start to the 2020/21 Premier League season. 

Smith Rowe didn’t start any of Arsenal’s games in October or November as the club picked up just seven points across the two months. 

A turning point was the Boxing Day clash against London rivals Chelsea, where Smith Rowe was played in the number ten role. 

He took to it like a duck to water, registering an assist in an impressive individual and team performance. 

In his next five games, Smith Rowe recorded three assists and scored a goal in a 2-0 FA Cup win against Newcastle United before finishing second in Arsenal’s Player of the Month vote for January. 

His biggest achievement was yet to come though, as he was clearly Man of the Match in a 2-1 win over Spurs in March. 

He made 20 appearances in total last season, scoring two goals. 

His good performances caught the attention of Aston Villa this summer, but the midfielder ended months of speculation by signing a long-term deal with the club, reported to be a five-year contract.

He’ll now head into the coming season as one of Arsenal’s most highly rated players. 

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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