Folarin Balogun’s case needs to be addressed By Sylvester Kwentua
Good day family. Last night’s game has been played and lost! Now Arsenal can move on and start preparing for their game against Everton on Monday. Meanwhile, as the game against Manchester United was going on last night, I took a long look at Arsenal’s bench and didn’t see a player I wish would be given more playing time. I didn’t see Folarin Balogun on Arsenal’s bench, and within me, I just said “Can this young player be given playing time opportunities to show his talents?
Scoring of goals has been Arsenal’s major undoing this season and even now after playing Manchester United, I expect it to still be a problem to give Arteta sleepless nights. Of course fans don’t expect the problem to just vanish after one game! So the question once again will be how to solve the lack of goals for Arsenal?
The truth is that Arsenal have good strikers who can actually score, but rotating them effectively has been Arsenal’s major problem. I don’t understand why Arsenal will have young strikers in the squad and be afraid to give them opportunities, while sticking to older strikers who are not scoring goals? Especially with the crowded Xmas/New Year fixture list upon us, with the need to rotate regularly. Fine, Nketiah may have made up his mind to leave Arsenal, what about Folarin Balogun? The young England international is talented and knows how to score; unfortunately, he has been left totally unutilized, and this is giving Folarin cause to think of a getting away from Arsenal to gain more playing time.
“I have played youth football for a little while, I have obviously scored a lot of goals at that level and improved at that level drastically from when I started,” Balogun told Football.London.
“I do feel like I am ready for a new challenge but I am not sure what that might be, it might be a loan or if I am needed at Arsenal then I am here and the gaffer knows that.
“I am definitely open to a new challenge but it is something that whatever that challenge is I will be ready.
“I know the potential I could have and that I need to achieve is massive. I haven’t achieved it yet. What I see now I would just describe as glimpses, things that need to be worked on and can be improved..” Folarin revealed.
The not-so-hidden message here from Folarin is “Arsenal show me how serious you are about me or let me go and seek better opportunities somewhere else.
Hopefully, the Arsenal management is listening, as they seek to solve a problem that is gradually derailing Arsenal’s progress.
We are Arsenal and proud.
Lied to about being a part of this seasons plan….instead of being sent on loan to gain valuable experience he’s busy smashing it in the u23s which is not helping his development at all.
I disagree we need to use him, same reason am skeptic about using Martinelli upfront.
Players like Auba can afford to play like trash and some portion of fan would still support them because of their past record, and when they get curse at, they can condone it and use it to spun themselves to better performance. However, If Balogun play 4games without scoring, imagine the abuse and bashing he would get, and can he take it, would the abuse not get to him and destroy him.
How about fans reaction to the coach who bench prolific striker for a kid
Arsenal lacks quality.These youngsters are not as talented as what we had in the past….Nasri 21,Cesc 20,Vela,Diaby, RVP,Song, etc…we lack quality especially in midfield.We need a midfielder can can hold possession and dictate play.Until we have this, we are not going anywhere
@Daniel I can agree but again when are are we going to have our identity as a team because maybe its not that we our young players are not talented but its because we don’t have identity for them to fall in to
Arsenal needs to be ruthless and bench Aubameyang.I think he’s done. We need a modern striker, who is well rounded and can help the team in all aspects of the game. Tired poacher Aubameyang has lost his pace and has no power in his shots at goal ,not even from 4 yards out. Having Aubameyang on the field is comparable to Arsenal playing with ten men. He has gone missing too often and adds nothing to the game. To have a chance of making the top four Arsenal must invest in the January transfer window and buy at least three quality players like Alexander Isak (striker), Christopher Nkunku (creative attacking midfielder),and Yves Bissouma(defensive midfielder). We can’t wait for the summer to strengthen the squad . It must be done now. Arsenal can raise up to 92m pounds from the sale of Torriera ,Kolasinac , Guendouzi, Nketiah, Lacazette, Mari,Chambers and Elneny to help fund the transfers. From the next game onwards, Martinelli, Bolagun and Pepe should be given more minutes.
v Everton 🙏
Ramsdale
Tomiyasu White Gabriel Tierney
Saka AMN Partey Martinelli
ESR Balogun
Leno
Tavares
Holding
Sambi
Odegaard
Pepe
Lacazette
Aubameyang
Nketiah
They need to dig in the pockets and get a good striker in the Jan window.With a good striker,theres is a big chance not just for europe next season but Champions league proper.
We can sign any player but under Mikel Arteta they will be come ordinary players because this guy has been with us for almost three seasons but we still playing with no identity we still don’t know what we are good at defending or attacking so for me we need somebody who is going to come and implement the style of our team play.