Arsenal's Mikel Arteta has likened 15-year-old forward Max Dowman to young Lionel Messi after the teenager committed his future to the club. While Dowman is still a young player, Arteta believes he possesses qualities similar to those of the iconic Argentine footballer. Dowman, who became the youngest player to play in the Champions League at 15 years and 308 days, has signed a pre-agreement for his first professional contract when he turns 17.
Arteta's comparison between Dowman and Messi highlights the teenager's exceptional talent, charisma, and mental toughness. The Arsenal manager praised Dowman's ability to perform under pressure, saying it is a quality rare in young players. According to Arteta, only those who have been through some of the toughest competitions will possess this level of composure.
While Arteta is optimistic about Dowman's future at Arsenal, the team faces an uncertain weekend against Leeds United with Dowman still recovering from an ankle injury sustained earlier this month. The manager, however, expressed his concerns over the impact of squad size on players' mental health, arguing that larger squads would allow him to maintain a more balanced and healthy environment.
Arteta is not alone in advocating for squad size increases. Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot, former colleagues at Manchester City, have also called for Premier League teams to adopt this change next season. Arteta sees the potential benefits of extended squads, but he does not believe it would undermine his relationships with opposing coaches like Guardiola.
The Arsenal manager believes that having a close relationship with respected opponents is essential in building strong partnerships and fostering healthy competition. He draws inspiration from sports legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who are known for their exceptional rivalry both on and off the court.
As Dowman's future at Arsenal becomes more settled, Arteta will look to build an extraordinary career with his young forward. With the support of the coaching staff and a potentially expanded squad, Dowman may be poised to follow in Messi's footsteps as one of the greatest players in Premier League history.
Arteta's comparison between Dowman and Messi highlights the teenager's exceptional talent, charisma, and mental toughness. The Arsenal manager praised Dowman's ability to perform under pressure, saying it is a quality rare in young players. According to Arteta, only those who have been through some of the toughest competitions will possess this level of composure.
While Arteta is optimistic about Dowman's future at Arsenal, the team faces an uncertain weekend against Leeds United with Dowman still recovering from an ankle injury sustained earlier this month. The manager, however, expressed his concerns over the impact of squad size on players' mental health, arguing that larger squads would allow him to maintain a more balanced and healthy environment.
Arteta is not alone in advocating for squad size increases. Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot, former colleagues at Manchester City, have also called for Premier League teams to adopt this change next season. Arteta sees the potential benefits of extended squads, but he does not believe it would undermine his relationships with opposing coaches like Guardiola.
The Arsenal manager believes that having a close relationship with respected opponents is essential in building strong partnerships and fostering healthy competition. He draws inspiration from sports legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who are known for their exceptional rivalry both on and off the court.
As Dowman's future at Arsenal becomes more settled, Arteta will look to build an extraordinary career with his young forward. With the support of the coaching staff and a potentially expanded squad, Dowman may be poised to follow in Messi's footsteps as one of the greatest players in Premier League history.
. Arteta's comparisons to Messi are apt, given Dowman's precocious talent and mental toughness 
. However, I think it's also crucial to consider the psychological implications of managing a larger squad size on team dynamics and player well-being 
. As teams become increasingly homogenous in terms of style and strategy, having more players to rotate through can actually lead to a sense of complacency and decreased motivation 
.
. The key is finding the right balance between squad size and team cohesion 
. As Arteta so astutely observes, building strong partnerships with opposing coaches can be just as important as developing homegrown stars 
So like I was thinking about this Mikel Arteta thing and he's saying Max Dowman is like young Messi? 
That's pretty cool I guess. I mean, it's not every day you see someone get compared to one of the all-time greats at such a young age. But let me tell you, it makes sense why Arteta would say that - the kid has already shown some serious talent on the pitch, especially considering he was playing in the Champions League at 15! 
That's crazy.
. Arteta's concerns about it being good for players' mental health are valid, but at the same time, it could be beneficial for teams like Arsenal to have a bigger squad. Maybe they just need to figure out how to balance it all out without sacrificing their individual relationships with opposing coaches.
. With Arteta's guidance and support, this kid could definitely go on to do some amazing things on the pitch. And who knows? Maybe he'll even follow in Messi's footsteps as one of the greatest players in Premier League history 
.
i'm def keeping an eye on this kid tho because if he can keep up the pace... who knows maybe one day we'll see him take down leo in a premier league match 
And I'm with Arteta on this squad size thing, it's gotta be tough for players to deal with all these new faces and expectations. Maybe having more bodies in the squad can help reduce stress and injuries? 
He's gonna get burned out from all that pressure before he even turns pro. And Arteta thinks Messi is the benchmark for young talent now? Give me a break, it's just a bunch of hype 
. Plus, have you seen the state of the Premier League lately? Injury-ridden teams, tiny squads... it's like they're gonna collapse under their own weight 
. Dowman's got a lot to live up to and I'm not optimistic about his future at all 
It's all about winning at all costs. I don't think having more squad members is gonna fix that.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal might be awesome on the court, but this is football, bro! Can't we just stick to the beautiful game? 
Dowman might be talented, but how's he going to handle the pressure and stress of being a pro athlete? We need to make sure kids are developing their skills in a healthy environment, not just because they're 'ready' for the big leagues. And what about all these coaches saying squad size increases are a good thing? 
but at the same time its kinda weird how he compares him straight to messi 
maybe dworman has some similar qualities but you cant just put a price tag on talent 
Dowman's ankle injury is a major bummer for his debut in the Champions League. I hope he makes a speedy recovery! 
but I get where Arteta's coming from. more players = less pressure on each other 
. Arteta's optimism is cute, but let's not forget that Dowman's still a teenager and needs to develop his game without getting hurt 
. And while I love Messi, comparing some random kid to him at 15 is a bit of a stretch 
️.
and i love how arteta's all about squad size 4 mental health, that's so important 
let's hope dowman recovers soon & gets back out there! 
! I mean, I get it, Dowman's got skills and all but Messi's on a whole other level 
. Pep and Arne are right too btw 
. It's interesting to see how these big managers think about this stuff. Can't wait to see what Dowman does next though 
️
anyway, Dowman is gonna be HUGE 
! Arteta's right, those mental toughness and charisma qualities are hard to find in young players, reminds me of Messi's rise to fame 
.
