Arsenal loan star slammed by media after ‘disastrous’ display with team-mates ‘bewildered’ | OneFootball

Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri has been slammed by the French media after a ‘disastrous’ performance as Marseille lost 5-0 to Paris Saint-Germain.

The Gunners allowed Nwaneri to join the French club midway through the January transfer window with the 18-year-old already playing four times for Marseille.

Journalist Charles Watts, who has been covering Arsenal for years, was frustrated to see Nwaneri leave Arsenal after Mikel Merino picked up a foot injury and will be out ‘for an extended period’.

Watts wrote on X: ‘There’s a good young midfield player at Marseille apparently.

‘Something like this was always my fear about letting Nwaneri leave. Undoubtedly good for his development, but given what’s at stake this season, my purely selfish preference was to keep the squad as strong as possible until the summer.

‘I know Nwaneri and Merino aren’t comparable in terms of profile, but Havertz is back now, who can do a lot of the Merino role if needed, and Nwaneri would provided another very valuable rotation option.

‘But what’s done is done – and playing week in, week out is clearly better for Nwaneri. No doubt about that. MLS as a midfield option could be useful now at times if needed.’

Nwaneri has had a mixed start at Marseille, scoring on his debut against Lens, before having a couple of underwhelming displays against Paris FC and Rennes.

Rennes manager Habib Beye revealed that the referee admitted he should have sent Nwaneri off in their French Cup match against Marseille after the Arsenal youngster’s tackle on Glen Kamara.

On the decision to not send off Nwaneri, Beye said: “Invisible, lacking direction, and constantly forced to drop back to defend and help his bewildered teammates, the attacking midfielder endured a difficult first half. He appeared too shaky and, above all, didn’t have the opportunity to showcase his ball control.”

And now the French media have ripped into Nwaneri for his latest performance on loan at Marseille with Les Olympiens losing 5-0 to PSG on Sunday.

The Arsenal starlet was hauled off at half-time as he struggled to make an impact on the match and the French media did not hold back in their assessment of the teenager’s performance.

Foot Mercato rated Nwaneri a 3/10 and said: ‘Invisible, lacking direction, and constantly forced to drop back to defend and help his bewildered teammates, the attacking midfielder endured a difficult first half. He appeared too shaky and, above all, didn’t have the opportunity to showcase his ball control.’

Another French publication Le Phoceen rated him even lower at 1/10 and wrote: ‘Ethan Nwaneri had a disastrous match. Invisible, rarely involved, and unable to create any openings, he never had any impact on the game. His ball control was timid, his decision-making uninspired, and his attacking contribution nonexistent.’

While 90Min scored him 3/10, the website added: ‘Ethan Nwaneri offered nothing in the first half before being substituted. The English forward constantly drifted back onto his left foot to find solutions in the heart of midfield. It wasn’t enough, as he gave the ball away too often.’

Commenting on Nwaneri’s latest display, Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi said: “As for Nwaneri, he wasn’t having a great night; he wasn’t getting much support from his teammates. He needed to be protected, like all young players.”