My take on Smith Rowe is that he’s still a crucial part of the team. As fans, we sometimes overreact when we don’t see a player getting minutes, but there’s often more going on behind the scenes.

Smith Rowe underwent surgery to address recurring injuries. His return to the squad needs to be carefully managed, just as we saw with Martinelli when he faced similar challenges. Martinelli was gradually reintroduced to the team while being molded for the role he would eventually play.

There was no need to rush Smith Rowe back last season. He missed a significant portion of the campaign, and the team was performing well without him. The uncertainty about where he would fit in the lineup might have been another reason for the cautious approach. Instead of rushing him, the focus was likely on allowing him to fully recover while preparing him for a new role in the upcoming season.

Let’s hope he stays fit and impresses in pre-season to challenge for a place in the first team next season. As a versatile player, he can compete with Martinelli and Trossard for the left wing or with Odegaard and Vieira for a number 8/10 role in midfield.