Arsenal: Mikel Arteta delivers update on Ethan Nwaneri plan and defends midfield performance | OneFootball

Declan Rice, Mikel Merino and Thomas Partey did not impress in defeat to Bournemouth

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal must continue to carefully blood Ethan Nwaneri into the first team.

Nwaneri has impressed this season in his cameos for Arsenal, while he marked his full debut against Bolton in the Carabao Cup last month with a brace.

Nwaneri has been suggested as a possible solution to fill the creative void left by Odegaard, but Arteta has called for caution.

Ethan Nwaneri

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

“I think it is identifying moments, understanding where he is, where the team is and what is the optimal moment to throw a player in that context,” he said.

“He has already done a lot in a very short period of time, so let’s take it step by step and make sure those steps are consistent, and can allow him to grow in the manner and form that we want him in the team.”

Arsenal went with a midfield three of Declan Rice, Mikel Merino and Thomas Partey for Saturday’s defeat to Bournemouth - which was their first loss of the season.

We had to let the brownies settle a little bit to see a little bit more things

Mikel Arteta

“It’s very difficult to have a proper assessment because I expected the first 15-20 minutes of Bournemouth away to be in a certain way, that I planned to and we had to let the brownies settle a little bit to see a little bit more things,” said Arteta.

“But yeah, there are different and new connections that obviously with injuries we have to try. It’s like the first time we played Leo [Trossard] and Kai [Havertz].