Our view: Arteta has a ‘top player’ he’s never used, surely he must start on Thursday

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With Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta crying out for creative options at the Emirates Stadium, it is baffling why he hasn’t tested out Emile Smith-Rowe at all yet.

Smith-Rowe was kept at Arsenal this summer with Arteta saying that he was ‘excited’ to work with the playmaker.

However, the attacking midfielder has been consistently overlooked so far – and has not received any game time.

Smith-Rowe looks to have all the attributes that Arsenal have been missing. He is a skilful operator, can receive the ball on the half-turn and, crucially, possesses a really dangerous passing range.

With Arsenal now having a game against Dundalk on Thursday in the Europa League, Smith-Rowe surely must come into contention.

Arsenal will be the heavy favourites against their Irish opponents and should have plenty of possession.

If Arteta wanted to see whether Smith-Rowe, who was described as a ‘top player’ by Danny Cowley (Examiner), has what it takes to perform in Arsenal’s first-team then this looks like the perfect game to do so.

The England youth international was one of the stand out players at Huddersfield Town last term, after he went on loan there in January, which proves that he is capable of playing senior football.

And if Arteta omits him again tomorrow, then the logic of keeping him around at Arsenal, rather than sending out on loan to play regularly, will surely need to be called into question.