Charlie Patino In The FA Cup: A Start Worth Forgetting
A problem and a solution
It started as an incredible opportunity for Charlie Patino to make his dream first start. With Granit Xhaka down with Covid, Emile Smith-Rowe not fully fit, and Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny and Nicolas Pepe in another continent on international duty, Arsenal suddenly found itself short of viable options in midfield. Additionally, Ainsley Maitland-Niles completed a loan move to Roma the day before Arsenal’s 3rd Round FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forrest.
Enter Patino. The 18-year old has grabbed eyeballs for a string of solid performances for the U23 squad. He has featured in every game Arsenal U23 has played this season, and started most of them. Patino even picked up a goal and an assist along the way. He was given 11 minutes against Sunderland in the EFL Cup – an opportunity he grabbed with both hands. A dream debut, he scored his first goal for the senior team.
But the start did not go as planned
As a result, he was offered a starting spot on Sunday’s FA Cup line-up. This, unfortunately, was a dream he would love to wake up from. Though we have rated him as one of the winners this week, this speaks more about the rest of the team. Paired alongside the inexperienced, but promising Lokonga, Patino often resembled a headless chicken. He was unable to control the midfield and dictate play, and required instructions to repeatedly be shouted at him.
On several occasions, the camera picked up Patino being admonished by Odegaard on the field. Most noticeably around the 13-minute mark. Here, Patino had failed to switch the man he was marking, while defending a throw-in in the defensive third. Odegaard can be seen gesturing animatedly at Patino.
Patino had to be subbed off
Patino’s numbers were dismal – 2 tackles won, 1 interception, 1 cross, 1 shot, 0 shots on target. It wasn’t the dream first start that Patino would have wanted. He was subbed off in the 68th to bring on Lacazette who is not a traditional CM. Although Lacazette brought some experience and stability to the midfield, it was too late by then. You get the feeling that this change would have been better off at half-time. But then, hindsight has always been 20-20.
At least Charlie Patino was not subbed off in the first half – a real possibility, as Nuno Tavares unceremoniously discovered. Arteta’s increasing desperation was visible as he brought on Kolasinac with a minute to go. An obvious attempt to throw everything at the wall to what sticks. And what were his options really? The bench consisted of defenders, Chambers and Mari, and other youngsters, Biereth, Hutchinson and Salah-Eddine.
What’s next for Arsenal and Charlie Patino?
Arsenal have an upcoming string of difficult fixtures, a two-leg EFL cup semi-final against Liverpool, and the North London Derby away. After a humiliating early exit in the FA Cup, the EFL Cup semi-final has assumed increased significance. And the NLD has never been a pressure-free fixture anyway, much less this weekend at White Hart Lane.
Arsenal still have the same problems in midfield as they did at the start of this week. And Arteta has made no secret of his need to strengthen. Amy Lawrence at Athletic asked why Jack Wilshere cannot be gambled on. The article is behind a paywall, but the summary is this – Why can Jack Wilshere not be gambled on?
It’s still a safer bet than starting Patino against Liverpool (A), Tottenham (A) and Liverpool (H).
