Arsenal: Mohamed Elneny will need to work harder to fit in under Unai Emery

Arsenal, for once, have quite the compact midfield with options flying around everywhere. But where does Mohamed Elneny fit in?

Mohamed Elneny is usually a reliable option to have from the bench, but he is yet to make an appearance this season. Following from a disappointing World Cup campaign with Egypt, the midfielder would have hoped for better with Arsenal.

However, he needs to get used to playing under a new manager in Unai Emery. The Spanish coach will have made his plans clear for Elneny, which could explain why he remains with the club. As far as the Premier League’s concerned, I can’t see him getting much action.

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There is too much balance in midfield, and it’s a midfield which Elneny unfortunately can’t compete with. What he offers is the ability to control the back-line, while playing short passes to dictate midfield play. Unfortunately for him, Arsenal have this in abundance with Lucas Torreira and the versatile Matteo Guendouzi.

The Europa League is a competition which the Gunners can see more of their Egyptian midfielder. He made a large number of appearances in the competition last season, and one would expect him to be a star yet again this season. But even there, he will face competition.

Emile Smith Rowe and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are two young prodigies who impressed during pre-season. Their only hope to impress Emery further is in the Europa League and the early stages of English domestic cups. They will certainly put in a good performance in training to win over their boss.

Maitland-Niles is currently injured, due to a knock he picked up against Manchester City. While he has the ability to play at full back, his best position is in the middle of the park. Who knows, the three of them could deploy a midfield three – a common trait which Emery has adopted so far this season.

Elneny doesn’t seem like the type to complain over game time. In fact, he’s one of the most positive characters in the Arsenal dressing room. He will make the most of his game-time for sure, but he’s not the type to hold grudges against those above him in the pecking order.

This is important for Emery, as he looks to decide upon his best setup. If Elneny can keep his head down and focused on his development, then there’s no reason why he can’t pick up more Premier League appearances later on in the season.

How much of an impact do you think Mohamed Elneny will have with Arsenal this season?