Arsenal has a number of loanees spending this season away from the club and at least two of them are making them proud.
Mikel Arteta’s team is now in top shape and that means it is hard for some players to break into the starting XI.
To ensure they keep developing, the club agreed to send them out on loan from the Emirates.
Two of them are Nuno Tavares and Folarin Balogun who have joined Olympique Marseille and Reims, respectively.
They are now lighting up Ligue 1 and have earned praise for their performance in the French top flight.
Ouest France named both in their list of 5 revelations of the season so far.
On Balogun, they write: “In Reims, the summer hit has a strong English accent. On loan from Arsenal (without an option to buy), Folarin Balogun has already established himself as a centrepiece of Oscar Garcia’s eleven. If the start of the season for the Rémois is not flamboyant (14th , one victory, three draws, two defeats), Balogun is walking on water.”
On Tavares, they added: “Six matches, five wins, three goals, the debut of the left piston is ideal . A fast, provocative player who isn’t afraid to shoot on goal, Tavares brings a lot to the offensive animation of the Marseillais.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
The form of Tavares and Balogun proves it was the right decision to allow them to leave the club on loan.
We expect them to keep performing well and that means when they return, they could be in shape to stake a first-team place at the Emirates.
Tavares is now playing in his favorite and most favorable position: wing back.
Arteta’s preferred formation has four at the back and not three. Unless Arsenal formation is changed Tavares cant play in that position. Therefore, he is being trained in a position that he will never have available at home.
I would imagine He will be sold next year ,so the more he plays in his best position and the better he performs means we should be able to recoup what we bought him for .
Or Arteta can use Tavares as an attacking left sided midfielder or a left sided attacker.
Let him maintain his momentum coz what he achieves from his loan will esterblish him in arsenal team….
Arteta should develop a way of playing nketia and Gabriel Jesus in the same team when the going get tough. No defense can survive them for 20-30 min
Currently, the easiest (and only) way to have both Jesus and Eddie in the game at the same time is of course to play with 12 men!!!!
lol
Lol! But they did play together in the preseason. Either of Saka or Ødegard has to be sacrificed.