When Mikel Arteta and Edu bought a raft of promising youngsters the summer before last, it was a little bit hopeful that every single on of them would settle quickly and be able to handle the intensity of the Premier League. There were two players that started promisingly but then seemed to go off the boil and were unhappy at not being first-choice and playing every week.
The first one was the left-back Nuno Tavares, who was so unhappy he was sent out on loan this seson to Marseille, and he was unhappy that Arsenal refused to include an option to buy in the deal.
Now it appears that Albert Sambi Lokonga, who made a total of 12 starts last season, was in exactly the same situation as Tavares, and he has now admitted he was seriously considering asking to be allowed to leave. He said in the Standard: ‘Honestly, it’s difficult. I’m at one of the best clubs in England. I could have played somewhere else every weekend, but that wouldn’t have been the right solution for me.
‘It’s a personal decision [to stay at Arsenal]. I wanted to give myself another year to stay at Arsenal and then see what happens,’
‘At the end of last season, I almost snapped,’ he added. ‘I called my agent to ask him if staying at Arsenal was a good idea. He comforted me in my choice, even though I know I need to start more often to develop.’
Personally I think that Lokonga would have been allowed to go on loan if we already had extra midfielders in the squad, but without any new arrivals in his position, it was imperative he stayed. He is only young and should accept that he still has a lot of learn, and controlling your emotions is one of those lessons.
Work hard and you will get your chance.
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Don’t think he has shown quite enough to make me believe, he will become a future strong midfielder for a top team like Arsenal.
Perhaps he should work harder to improve himself, and drop that sense of entitlement his attitude conveys.
He isn’t starting because he isn’t showing the required quality. Young man has it backwards; earn the time on the pitch rather than getting time then trying to justify it.
Martinelli worked his way into the lineup, Tomi even has to work his way into LB. Tierney isn’t complaining either.
Perhaps loan or move Lokogna if this persists, club will be fine.
Not good enough and certainly not Arsenal material.
Eyeing him play, most I wish he could accelerate his mobility much more. He’s got something on him, waiting to be unleashed the sooner he realized the better.