Fans have a special affection for Emile Smith Rowe

EVERY Arsenal player in the first team squad has played their part in the club’s success this season and supporters find it hard deciding which name to put on the back of their replica shirt.

There is no doubt, however, that there is a special bond between the Emirates faithful and young talent Emile Smith Rowe – a song ‘he’s one of our own’ could be have been penned for. Worried fans have confessed that his injury-plagued season bears resemblance to way Jack Wilshere – another product of the youth system who the support fell head over heels for – was unable to fulfil his full potential in a career which could have offered so much more.

So, perhaps there may have been concern when Smith Rowe was introduced from the bench yesterday (Saturday) against AFC Bournemouth, only to find himself in the dreaded position of being a subbed sub. He was withdrawn for the eventual match winner Reiss Nelson, whose thunderbolt in the final seconds capped an emotional comeback for title chasers.

Smith Rowe had been tailed as a possible transfer coup for Aston Villa in past summers but wanted to stay at Arsenal and get back into the England set-up here. Turkish club Galatasaray have also been linked with a loan move for the attacking midfielder after the transfer deadline was extended due to the earthquake tragedy on the border with Syria.

Inevitably though, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta was asked about how he felt Smith Rowe – in between questions about Nelson’s injury time dramatics – and it was a positive assessment.

“We didn’t plan to throw him in so early in the game. We knew it was difficult for him to last for 70 minutes on the field after missing almost five months of football,” the manager said, having selected him to come off the bench after Leandro Trossard was injured early on.

“I think he had a good impact in the game and at the end I felt we needed something else, especially on the left because we were lacking a threat and attracting more players to that side. That’s why we made the decision to bring Reiss on.”

There could also be more game time ahead, as Arteta sweats on medical news on how badly hurt Trossard was.

“It is a worry. He came to me straight away and told me he could not continue because he’d felt something when he was tracking back after the corner. We have to assess him and see how he is,” said Arteta.

Smith Rowe did chalk up an important assist while he was on the pitch, as his header laid on Thomas Partey for the first come back goal. He also played in an under-21s match last week and pleased Arteta with his performance.