Emile Smith Rowe might have received the man of the match award following Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Luton Town last night, but the fans’ favorite admitted he still felt a sense of ‘disappointment’.
It has been another challenging season for the Hale End Academy graduate, as he has been waiting for opportunities to break into a side that is once again competing for the Premier League. Given Arsenal’s demanding schedule, Mikel Arteta chose to rotate his team for last night’s game against the relegation-threatened Hatters title.
and made five changes to the lineup that achieved a respectable draw against Manchester City at the Etihad last weekend. Smith Rowe greatly benefited from that decision, and the England international impressed
during his first start since a 2-1 victory against Nottingham Forest back in January. The 23-year-old demonstrated his manager’s trust by delivering a solid performance and contributing to both first-half goals
which helped Arsenal reclaim the top spot on the table , even though they have played one more game than Liverpool.Despite his extremely encouraging performance that served as a timely reminder of his ability, Smith Rowe was frustrated about missing the chance to end a prolonged goal drought that is approaching an unwelcome two-year anniversary.
‘I'm a little disappointed I couldn’t score tonight because it’s been so long, but I’m really happy to have contributed to two goals,’ he said. ‘I think achieving a clean sheet was really crucial for us. We’re thrilled.
Emile Smith Rowe contributed to both of Arsenal’s goals against Luton Town (Picture: Getty)
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He continued: ‘It’s been a really tough season for me, and some of the other players haven’t played as much as we’d have liked to.
‘It’s important that we came in tonight and delivered a great performance to show the manager that we can be a part of this team.
‘He (Arteta) informed us [they were starting] this morning, but I think it just shows the team's mindset. Throughout the season, the boys are prepared to step in and deliver a performance, which reflects how united we are as a team – it's like a family.
‘We’re really pleased that players can come in and still perform. That’s what it’s about, the strength in depth is really good.’
‘I'm a little disappointed!’
