Keep a close eye on Arsenal youngster Reiss Nelson the talented midfielder has all the attributes to make it at the very top
THE League Cup has always offered clubs the chance to throw some youngsters into the fray and this week was no different, especially with Chelsea and Arsenal.
Chelsea played Charly Musonda and brought on Ethan Ampadu and Jake Clarke-Salter while the Gunners gave Reiss Nelson his first start and brought Josh Dasilva off the bench.
I worked with Reiss when I was at the Arsenal Academy and I was so impressed with him. He has all the attributes to make it.
At the Academy, he was training and playing with the Under-18s — and he was only 16. But he was so good that, after two or three months, we felt he was wasting his time.
He was not learning anything because he was too good for that standard.
So he was moved up to the Under-23s so he could work with stronger and bigger guys.
This kid has all the talent to be knocking on the door of the first team.
After two substitute appearances — in the Community Shield and Europa League — he made his first start in the Carabao Cup.
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It was a shame not to see him start in his best position. He is a No 10 or a winger and he played as a wing-back. But as a kid, at a club like Arsenal, you take every chance you get.
Now, having all the attributes to make it and actually making it is a massive gap.
It’s like the distance from the Earth to the Moon.
He is about to the enter the real world, the pro world. Can he handle it?
Well, he has desire, confidence and a great attitude.
He will run at you and be brave on the ball.
People talk about being brave in football like going in for a 50-50 tackle but bravery can also be about decision-making when in possession. Reiss is brave because he takes risks, he takes on the opposition.
I watched his games in the Emirates Cup in pre-season and he came on against Cologne in the Europa League. And there were flashes from him that he is comfortable around the first team.
He is quick — and not just across the ground. He is quick in the mind, he understands the game.
But he is also quick with the ball and has fast feet. He is direct, there is no inefficiency, no messing around for the sake of it.
It is great that he is coming through the Arsenal system and getting near to the first team.
There were others on the bench in the Carabao Cup game on Wednesday: Dasilva, Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah. It is nice to see. It is a reward for all the hard work done by the players and Steve Gatting and Carl Laraman with the Under-23s.
It’s great when a player comes through the system and makes the first team. I remember when I scored my first goal for Monaco, I ran over to where the youth team guys were sitting to celebrate with them. The goal was ours really because it came from all our hard work together.
Reiss has his head screwed on, he is a polite kid from a good background. Gatting and Laraman will keep his feet on the ground anyway.
But you know when you a see a player and you just want him to get the ball? He is that player. He has that ‘thing’. The rest is up to him.
