Ray Parlour praised Reiss Nelson’s display after Arsenal beat Portsmouth 2-0.
Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour praised Reiss Nelson after his role in the 2-0 victory over Portsmouth in the FA Cup fifth round last night.
On TalkSport, Parlour pointed out what he wants to see more of from the promising winger, who was brought into the side for the trip to the south coast.
He said: “Two assists again, his record’s been excellent. He’s been involved in quite a lot of assists. He’s been injured but you can see his pace, especially on the second goal. He was gone, you can’t catch someone like that.
“He’s certainly the future for Arsenal on that side. If I’ve got one criticism, he’s got to believe in himself a bit more, he’s got to demand the ball more. He’s got all the tricks, he can go past players. Sometimes you’ve got players, the game can go by them. That’s what he’s got to learn.”
Nelson has made just 17 appearances for Arsenal in a season where it has been hard for him as he has had three managers and injury problems to boot.
He might have expected to stamp his authority on this campaign slightly more but Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, who can both play wide like Nelson, have caught the eye more.
But last night he offered a reminder of his talent and he can be a really potent threat for Arsenal out wide – especially with Saka temporarily stationed at left back – between now and the end of the season.
In Arteta, Nelson has a manager who wants to make Arsenal a meritocracy and will pick young players if they’re the ones offering the most. It’s up to him to consistently take that chance.
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