Arsenal whizkid Ethan Nwaneri admits he was happy being part of the senior squad's Dubai camp this past week.
Writing for Arsenal's match programme, Nwaneri stated: "I was given the chance to join the first-team out in Dubai for their training camp last week and that was a great experience for me.
"There's so much for me to learn every single day just by being in that environment and when I compare under-23s football to the first team, the one thing that stands out above everything else is the intensity and speed of everything. You need to move quicker, make decisions quicker, pass quicker and give the manager what he's demanding from you. It's a different pressure when you come into the first team, so you have to get up to speed quickly or you won't last.
"I love the challenge of being in an environment like that. I love being tested and I enjoy the fact that everything doesn't work all the time. I have to solve problems by myself, in my mind and with my feet, and that's something I really enjoy about football at the highest level.
"When you step into the first-team as a youngster, it's really important to find a balance between working hard to show what you can do, but also trusting your ability and playing your natural game. I'm just trying to play how I usually play and be myself, but I also need to find solutions when things aren't working because not everything is going to work. I'm still really young and I have a lot to improve on, so it's all about dealing with those problems and finding an answer.
"When I think about playing my best football, I would say I'm usually playing as one of the two pocket players, either as the 8 or 10. They're my best positions and it's where I feel most comfortable and confident because I'm on the ball and I have the chance to progress and drive play forward."
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