ESR enjoyed an impressive scoring campaign in 2021/22. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
3. A goal threat
While Smith Rowe’s raw creative numbers may leave something to be desired, his goalscoring output certainly does not.
During the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, his most impressive individual season to date, he scored an impressive ten goals in the league, as per Sofascore. Since then, injuries have prevented the 23-year-old from repeating the feat, but it does demonstrate that he can regularly score goals in an Arteta side.
Havertz has so far failed to fill the void left by the departing Granit Xhaka, who surprisingly became a threat in the opposition’s box last season, and a player who can arrive late into the box and put the ball in the back of the net, as the Swiss international became known for last campaign, could be what the team needs.
As of right now, Fabio Vieira is deservingly ahead of Smith Rowe in the pecking order based on current form. However, I do believe that in the long term, the latter will prove himself to be the best option for this role at the club.
Sofascore, but, I do believe he has the ability to improve this area of his game, especially if he were to be used in a more central position to what he has been previously.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/13/3-reasons-why-emile-smith-rowe-could-be-the-answer-at-arsenal/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reason #2: Ball carrying ability </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_136355" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-136355" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/13/3-reasons-why-emile-smith-rowe-could-be-the-answer-at-arsenal/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1722,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1471270453-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1722" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1471270453-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1471270453-768x516.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1471270453-1536x1033.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1471270453-2048x1377.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Smith Rowe is a dynamic ball carrier. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<h2>2. Ball carrying ability</h2>
<p>Partially linked to the first reason, Smith Rowe’s ability to skip past players with the ball at his feet and drive the team into the opposition’s defensive third would be a huge asset to the side.</p>
<p>In a central position, not only would that allow him to take the ball into dangerous areas from which he can create opportunities for teammates, but also create spaces for other players to exploit – which may increase the overall creativity and goalscoring output of the team as a whole.</p>
<p><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/13/3-reasons-why-emile-smith-rowe-could-be-the-answer-at-arsenal/3/"https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-news-smith-rowe-carragher-25281992">Speaking previously on his admiration of Smith Rowe, Sky Sports Pundit Jamie Carragher said:</p>
<blockquote><p>“I love this lad, I always want him to do well. And to watch him with full flow with the ball at his feet. He’s the best player in the Premier League running with the ball.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Against a team deploying a low block, his ability to drive with the ball, drag players out of position and create confusion in central areas could be exactly what our attackers need for them to find the same goalscoring form they displayed last term.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/13/3-reasons-why-emile-smith-rowe-could-be-the-answer-at-arsenal/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reason #3: Goalscoring ability </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_133775" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-133775" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/13/3-reasons-why-emile-smith-rowe-could-be-the-answer-at-arsenal/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2061,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1470608027.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2061" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1470608027.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1470608027-768x495.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">ESR enjoyed an impressive scoring campaign in 2021/22. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<h2>3. A goal threat</h2>
<p>While Smith Rowe’s raw creative numbers may leave something to be desired, his goalscoring output certainly does not.</p>
<p>During the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, his most impressive individual season to date, he scored an impressive ten goals in the league, as per <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/13/3-reasons-why-emile-smith-rowe-could-be-the-answer-at-arsenal/3/"https://www.sofascore.com/player/emile-smith-rowe/867445">Sofascore. Since then, injuries have prevented the 23-year-old from repeating the feat, but it does demonstrate that he can regularly score goals in an Arteta side.</p>
<p>Havertz has so far failed to fill the void left by the departing Granit Xhaka, who surprisingly became a threat in the opposition’s box last season, and a player who can arrive late into the box and put the ball in the back of the net, as the Swiss international became known for last campaign, could be what the team needs.</p>
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<p>As of right now, <a title="Is it time for Fabio Vieira to make Arsenal’s starting XI?" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/13/3-reasons-why-emile-smith-rowe-could-be-the-answer-at-arsenal/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/29/time-fabio-vieira-make-arsenal-starting-xi/" rel="">Fabio Vieira is deservingly ahead of Smith Rowe</a> in the pecking order based on current form. However, I do believe that in the long term, the latter will prove himself to be the best option for this role at the club.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
