Naijahood
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided insight into his decision not to field any young talents in the squad during their 1-1 draw against PSV in the Champions League on Tuesday night. Despite having already secured qualification as group leaders with a game to spare, Arteta opted not to give playing time to Ethan Nwaneri, Lino Sousa, and Reuell Walters in Eindhoven. Although they were on the bench after Arteta made eight changes to the starting XI, fans hoping to see the Academy stars in action were left disappointed.
Arteta defended his choice, stating that the circumstances weren’t conducive for introducing the youngsters. With eight changes already made and facing a team unbeaten at home for nearly two years, Arteta felt it wasn’t the right moment to throw them into such a challenging context. He expressed a desire to observe how the game unfolded but acknowledged that it might have been overwhelming for the young players. Additionally, three minor issues necessitated substitutions, leaving no room for bringing in the promising talents, as the team also aimed to feature Emile in the match.
