Ex-Arsenal defender outlines the issues Emile Smith Rowe & Bukayo Saka have
A former Arsenal defender has outlined the issue facing both Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka.
Smith Rowe & Saka dominate Tottenham
Sunday’s North London Derby would see Arsenal completely dominate Tottenham.
The Gunners had a 3-0 lead at half-time, with Heung-min Son’s late striker little more than a consolation goal.
At the heart of Arsenal’s success against Spurs were academy duo, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka.
Smith Rowe would score the opener on Sunday after being set up by Saka, before then turning provider to assist Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Arsenal’s second of the day.
This made ESR the youngster player ever to score and assist in a NLD:
🤩 Emile Smith Rowe is the youngest Arsenal player to score and assist in a North London derby in the Premier League since Cesc Fàbregas in 2007.
✅ Emile Smith Rowe was 55/1 to score first and assist against Spurs today #ARSTOT pic.twitter.com/6dA7vAS3aH
— Betfair (@Betfair) September 26, 2021
However, after scoring Arsenal’s 3rd of the day, Saka then took that record from Smith Rowe less than 10 minutes later:
20 – Aged 20 years and 21 days, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka is the youngest player in Premier League history to score and assist in a North London derby (previously Cesc Fàbregas in September 2007). Catalyst. pic.twitter.com/ttaC1obMiX
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 26, 2021
Arsenal duo’s ‘issue’
Vs Tottenham, and over the last year, both Smith Rowe and Saka have been Arsenal’s key men.
Despite this, as mentioned above, former Arsenal defender Tony Adams has moved to explain the issue the pair have.
And, in Adams’ opinion, the pair’s issue is of a physical nature:
“Him [Smith Rowe] and Saka, for me think the issues are physically to be honest.
“Saka had a great Euros, these kids in effect carried the club and I just think they might run out of steam and going down the road, you can’t depend on two 19 and a 20-year-old to get you out of trouble every week.
“You’re going to come up against better teams than Tottenham Hotspur, they were terrible first half, absolutely terrible.”
Quotes via football.london.
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