Mikel Arteta names five things Max Dowman still has to improve at Arsenal
Max Dowman was the star of the show as Arsenal beat Ipswich Town.
The Gunners were always the favourites to go through to the next round of the Carabao Cup, and they did it fairly comfortably at Portman Road.
Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino scored a goal each, but our Man of the Match, Dowman, scored a phenomenal brace to help Arsenal win the game.
The hype around the teenager is sky high now, but Mikel Arteta feels there is still a long way to go for the youngster.
Mikel Arteta reveals where Max Dowman still needs to improve at Arsenal
Max Dowman is one of the best young players in the world.
The teenager has been a household name since he was 13 at the Arsenal academy, and everyone knew it was only a matter of time before he got into the first team.
Dowman impressed last campaign, had a great pre-season over the summer, and on Tuesday night, he ran the show against Ipswich Town.
The 16-year-old scored a stunning solo goal to give Arsenal the lead in the first half. Then, after the break, he found the net again, this time with a classy finish.
Arsenal fans are beyond impressed by Dowman, but Arteta has listed five areas where he still needs to improve:
- Defending
- Set-pieces
- Leadership
- Voice in the dressing room
- Role within the team
Arteta said, as per Arsenal.com: “You need to be at this level, the best in every phase. We know what he can do when he’s in and around the ball, especially the way he’s got a bit of space around him.
“Defensively, on set pieces, it’s not only that, his leadership has to increase, his voice has to increase, his role has to increase within the team, in the dressing room.
“There are a lot of things that you need to grow, but at 16, to already do what he does, it’s just incredible.”
Max Dowman may have to wait to get his next chance at Arsenal
When a player scores a stunning brace, he is usually one of the first names on the score sheet in the very next game.
However, in Dowman’s case, he may have to wait for a while.
The teenager has struggled to find a place on the Arsenal bench in the Premier League because of matchday squad size limitations, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon.
So, the other obvious options for the youngster come in the Champions League or the Carabao Cup.
Arsenal don’t play in either competition until October, so it could easily be multiple weeks before we see Dowman back in action for the senior side.