Ian Wright praised Emile Smith Rowe for scoring on his England debut on Monday and how the Arsenal playmaker ‘hasn’t changed’ since signing a new deal in the summer, as he told ITV Sport.
The Arsenal legend is hopeful that Smith Rowe, along with his other English Arsenal teammates, can make the final cut for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
England have booked their tickets after they thrashed minnows, San Marino, yesterday, with both Bukayo Saka and Smith Rowe getting on the scoresheet.
Added with that, Aaron Ramsdale was also handed a start, and whilst it was against the worst side in the world, a clean sheet, at the end of the day, is a clean sheet for your country.
Nonetheless, when speaking about Smith Rowe’s game, Wright praised how he is now showcasing this great knack of ‘arriving in the box’, as he did yesterday for his goal.
“Hopefully, Smith Rowe, Saka and Ramsdale, they can stay in there all the way,” said Wright. “It’s the dream.
“But what it does show is that for a young player like him. He burst into an Arsenal side that wasn’t doing well, at the time. They needed more creation. He and Saka have literally carried them up on their shoulders.
“His performances, even with a new bumper contract, it hasn’t changed his attitude, drive and determination to do well. And it has got him into the England side. And he deserves it.
“This is what he has added to his game. Arriving in the box. He knows that he has to score more goals. Brilliant ball from Ben Chiwell and brilliant from Tammy (Abraham) to know that he’s coming in.
“But that’s what he is doing a lot more and it’s the quality of what he’s doing. Run into the box, as Roy Keane said earlier, it’s the timing. And a quality finish.”
Smith Rowe will now be hoping to follow in the same footsteps of his fellow Hale-End academy product Saka and become a regular for England.
The ball-carrying expert has enough time from now until next November to push his way ahead of a serious amount of talent in England’s midfield.
At this moment in time, he is on track, but even if he does continue to perform, given the depth in talent, he might find himself missing out.
The likes of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Mason Mount are all ahead of the Arsenal man.
And even if they slip up leading up to Qatar, because they have credit in the bank, they might just still push ahead of Smith Rowe himself.
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