It looked a few years ago as though Chuba Akpom would be the next player from the Arsenal academy to break through into regular first team contention. A very impressive season with the reserves saw him go on the pre-season tour and score a few goals before making his first team debut the following season, but it has not quite worked out as well as we all hoped, so far at least.
The talented and pacy striker is 21-years old now and approaching 22 but he still has just four Premier League appearances to his name and has been out on loan in each of the last four years, so you would think that the clock is ticking on his hopes of making it with the Gunners.
I think he has what it takes, though, and perhaps he could use this Emirates Cup to stake a claim once again, especially after he was the star of the show for a much changed Arsenal side that won comfortably against Boreham Wood this week.
We know that forwards thrive on confidence so I am sure that Arsene Wenger will give Akpom some game time this weekend. Can he take that chance and prove to the boss and us fans that he has what it takes to be an Arsenal first team player, or at least a good option to have on the bench?
Bob.
He’s not even in the squad list
That’s exactly what I was going to say, it might be a little difficult for him to do that if he’s not even in the squad…
I cant really see him actually playing with giroud ozil, lazarette and Welbeck ahead of him, if he perform well it will put in the shop window and surely some team will sign him up
Like Sanogo and Afobe, Akpom has to move to another club to get his first team chances. Arsenal is currently full of attackers and I don’t think Akpom can win the internal competition.
He might be talented, but he has to prove himself in smaller club. Otherwise he could end up like Sanogo, Wellington Silva, Joel Campbell, etc.
Akpom is a very good youngster Bob but I’m from Borehamwood, my Dad still lives there and their team, Boreham Wood are in the National League which is 5 tiers down from the Prem League, hardly a team to test you. As Napersie said above, he is not even in the squad for this weekends games so come on, keep up!
I think its going to be very difficult for chuba akpom to make the upgrade to the first team. He needs to perform well and get ratings of 8 out of ten this weekend in order to have any chance. Giroud needs to leave also in order to get an opportunity. Time is running out for chuba so he is on the shop window this weekend . I hope he grasps the opportunity as strikers rarely make it from the arsenal academy or do they Sean
I like him, he works hard on and off the ball but he is a goal poacher so his playing style is very limited.
I don’t think he’s worth keeping. I would install a buy back option though because after he goes it could end up being the making of him. Too much money in the game for allot of young players, some of them are earning 20 to 40 grand a week before they leave the under 21s. It’s only the really special players that don’t get side tracked by having everything they want at such a young age. You need allot of focus, but they have millions in the bank or will do soon enough, they have fast cars, beautiful woman, and many fans filling their egos with bs. It’s not any old youngster who can get the right attitude and focus. I don’t think Akpom is that youngster. Henry had it, Vieira in spades, but today it’s a bit rarer to find them when young. I think that’s why Mbappe is so expensive. He has that steely focus/desire and talent to go with it. Akpom will never have it if you ask me, not unless he takes a blow by being sold and wants to prove something more than anything else. Akpom to me never looks like he’s trying to prove anything, and lets face it he has allot to prove. I never see him looking determined, almost mad/angry because he wants it so badly. Then we might have something to work with, but he seems to be rolling with the punches. I like the look a Mavididi better, and are more hopeful with Nketiah and Malen, but we’ll see, like I said there is allot for them to get their head around.
Akpom this Akpom that and Emirates cup, Akpom is not listed and even if I ‘ve not seen the hunger and bite in him to break through tp the first team, the manager lacks the driving force to ginger his players to come up with the best. What is still holding Wenger from pulling through with the third signing Lemar, Maharez, Sier or Carvalho? He is waiting after Emirates cup, two days to EPL kick off he will go and bring another Perez. Wenger is not ready the new season. Leave this Akpom & co talks and Wenger positively be serious like Conte, Pep and Pochettino. This coming season is not the one he will be sitting down confused not knowing what to do when his players lazying about on the pitch uncordinating waiting for his urgent input that can turn things arround he will rather chose to be quarreling with officials, his jacket, pitch or bottle water. This season should not be another one when the referee blows his whistle for match to start Arsenal players reverts to training session not knowing its a competitive match to be won just passing the ball around in their half until their opponent starts pounding them then they will be reacting, Wenger should not wait until it is 75 minutes before he will start thinking of making changes to equalise etc. We are just managing his imposition on us.
Haha Akpom
Omg he should be sold long long time ago!