The sight of Emile Smith Rowe scoring for Fulham in their 3-1 win against Newcastle on Saturday would have delighted some Arsenal supporters. Selfishly-speaking, there may be others at the Emirates questioning why he was allowed to leave this summer.
The 24-year-old joined the Cottagers in a club record £34 million move and has hit the ground running in west London. Smith Rowe has already scored two goals and set up one for Marco Silva’s side as he looks a rebuild his career after frustrating two years hit by injury.
At the same time, Arsenal have been left without their captain Martin Odegaard for what is expected to be up to eight weeks after the playmaker sustained ankle ligament damage while on international duty with Norway.
It is not lost on Arsenal fans that Smith Rowe would be the obvious choice to come into the team for Odegaard if he was still at the club. However, the Gunners have been left short of options ahead of their crunch clash with Manchester City.
Arteta made it clear that he did not want Smith Rowe to leave the club this summer, admitting he felt “really sad” about his exit in August.
“I think he was the player that made our supporters and the team click, in a way. I don’t know how to explain it but that was my feeling. Something changed when he came in the team. He created a different energy straight away.
The player’s desire for first-team football left him at a crossroads in his career, though, and Smith Rowe departed with the well wishes of his boyhood club. He is now thriving at Craven Cottage. But back in North London, his exit has left them with a bitter pill to swallow.
Arteta’s reluctant decision to let him leave means the Spaniard is scrambling to find a replacement alongside Declan Rice and Thomas Partey in the midfield three.
Kai Havertz has operated in midfield before, but the German it is far from the same creative influence that Odegaard often is in the final third. Leandro Trossard could also be deployed as a No. 10, although the Belgian is much more effective from the left flank.
To add to Arteta’s frustration, his summer signing Mikel Marino has been ruled out with a shoulder injury since his £33m move from Real Sociedad.
And while Arsenal made do without Rice in the 1-0 win over Tottenham in the north London derby, facing Pep Guardiola’s champions will prove to be a stiffer task and especially so without Odegaard.
It may have been the right move for all parties concerned for Smith Rowe to leave at the time, but now Arsenal are left counting the cost of their summer transfer business ahead of a crucial game in their season.
