On Saturday versus Fulham, Arteta opted to bench Eddie Nketiah for Leandro Trossard, a move the Spaniard must have regretted. That was evident when, at halftime, he opted to correct his mistake, subbing off Trossard for the 24-year-old.
Nketiah came in and hit the ground running; he was bad news for Fulham defenders. His pressure on the Marco Silva-led side helped Arsenal get back into the game. Arsenal managed to equalise the Andreas Pereira goal that had given the Cottagers the lead. Minutes after Saka’s equaliser, Nketiah gave the Gunners the lead and must have thought he had won the match for Arsenal, only for Palhinha to score a late equaliser to see the game ended 2-2.
If there’s one player almost guaranteed to start Arsenal’s next match, it is Nketiah. The Arsenal No. 14, as per Darren Bent, can guarantee Arteta plenty of goals that Gabriel Jesus can’t.
About Nketiah not starting but ought to be, Bent told Soccer Saturday: “I’m not quite sure, maybe because Fulham would defend deep, so maybe there wasn’t enough space in behind to play Eddie [Nketiah], but for me, I’d play Eddie every day of the week.
“I think even if you played him, Gabriel Jesus, whoever, I think if they all get ten games, I back Eddie to score more than all of them.
“He’s a natural goalscorer; even his goal today, first half, the ball’s going across the box; no one’s in there. Kai Havertz is on his heels; [Leandro] Trossard’s outside the box.
“The first time they swing one across in the second half, who’s there? He’s there. Slides in taps it in the empty net.”
Could Arsenal win the league with Eddie Nketiah leading the attack?
Daniel O
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Maybe, if he keeps playing with Havertz or Rice behind him. They could be Giroud’s successor, who helped Sanchez, Walcott and Ozil a lot with his physicality
Nkethia seem to have added a bit of physicality to his game and his runs behind defence is quite good. But a striker of his height hardly get enough goals this days in Epl. Aguero was lucky in his time, but most teams now resolves to using tall and physical defenders.
In my opinion, his hold-up play still sucks, but he’s pacey enough to live on the shoulder of the last defender
Aguero played with a much better system and I reckon his skills to be better than Nketiah’s
Arsenal playing style is not over reliant on any one player, but if Eddie manages to score eighteen goals for Arsenal in this campaign he would have done his part.
Looking at the 3 games so far, Arsenal haven’t started in good form compared to City or Liverpool. Hope things change quickly.
Eddy good player. Trossard remains a good player, little respect.
No.
Need full back, Partey upgrade. Havertz out, striker
Played correctly, i see Eddie getting 20 plus goals. BUT i dont see Arteta playing Nketiah as our no9. He will always play Jesus ahead of him. Do i see Jesus gett20 plus goals? No. So i doubt Nketiah will play for Arsenal all season to see if we can win the league with him as our striker. Plus there are a few other little problem need sorting as well.
why Kai?
Exactly Andrew, why Kai ? 5his is shades of Xhaka hatred all over again, the scapegoat for us making mistakes in defence and not converting our numerous chances into goals. Give the guy a break, crucifiction anyone?
I don’t think Eddie is that reliable but this may be our reality. Kai can be out there to better gel with our team, who knows. But we seriously need our team back to normal lineup. Eddie is not the epicenter of our issue, our lineup is. Do I want a CF for us, oh yeah, but that is not happening this summer.
You guys should stop talking about title when we are just 3 games, you people think the way we were lucky last season will be the same this season?
Anybody can win the title now and you should stop dreaming or over confidence about the title and wait till we have player like 35 games…
Fulham are relegation battle team. Why should we have faith in a cameo appearance. I’m still feeling the stupidity in letting Balogan leave and the endless generosity awarded to such a pedestrian.
A long way to go, but NO, particularly if Arteta continues with his current starting 11..
Nketiah is arsenal’s diamond! If started every game, he will definitely score more than 20 goal every season. We must avoid the same mistake we did when we Giroud was our player and Ramsey! Many fans hated them but after they go you saw yourself how we struggled
No. He plays for a top team so he is bound to score every now and then. Let’s not get carried away every time he pouches one. Still Championship level.
Again I’ll say does MA have the faith? No he doesn’t
That’s why he’s replaced by Jesus whenever he is fit.
We can not win the title because of 4 things.
1. When I see Party playing on the Right wing, I feel sick. I think that Arteta need to end that experiment.
2. With Kai we cannot go no where. I think that Arteta need to try other players because Kai have got enough time to be tested but in vain.
3. Nketia is trying but he is not on the level that a team that wants to win a title needs. We create many goal chances but we are not getting goals.
4. Gabriel Magalaes needs to start every game. Arteta needs to stop the experiment of starting him on the bench.
Agree with 1, 3 and 4. About 2, I think Kai might come good, but needs to build his position in the team from the bench.
From what I’ve seen so far this season we will have trouble getting into the top 4 let alone winning the thing, no matter who starts up front! We’ve gone from having one of the best, settled defences of last season where everyone knew their role to a defence all over the place and not knowing who should be where. Our midfield hasn’t got a Scooby’s do and our forwards couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo. I think that sums up my feelings from what I’ve seen this season.
So we buy 65M Havertz from Chelsea and give them Smith-Rowe predictably for peanuts. Very Arsenal indeed.
QD, fall out with Arteta and your career at Arsenal is doomed; Kieran Tierney, Gabriel Magelanes and now ESR because they didn’t support Arteta’s selections. Dissention in the squad is guaranteed should out of form players continue to be selected or players continue to be selected out of position.
QD There is no evidence at all for your ridiculous claim that we are going to let ESR leave at all, let alone for peanuts.
Why dont you THINK before writing nonsense ?!!
The boys just finished a gruelling unforgiving pre-season training just a month ago. They need time to adjust among new mates and time for their fitness to hit peak condition. As much as the fake fans wanna create havoc with their greed, immaturity and uselessness, we, the true fans will continue to support the team and will expose the anti-Arsenals.
WELL SAID MIKE!
We are not selling ESR, and if he did have a conversation with Arteta, then he has every right to do that so as to find out what he has to do to make the first 11. The difference is ESR hasn’t gone public about not being picked, unlike Balogun who’s interview sounded like one of a spoilt child, he stated he doesn’t need to work that hard to prove he’s a starter anymore, after the season he just had- well guess what, that attitude ain’t going to win over the fans/gaffer or as we have seen so far, any potential suiter like PSG/Real or Barca as he’s had one half decent season in a poor league where a chunk of his goals came through penalties. In the summer I was advocating Balogun is introduced into our squad and given the chance to shine but now I think he’s attitude stinks after seeing his interview and tbh, don’t want him anywhere near the squad, let alone the starting 11. Good luck to him. ESR on the other hand, seems a humble lad and will give the gaffer a selection headache when he gets his opportunity, which 100% he will get, with the number of games we are playing this season.
No, I don’t have. I would have sold Nketiah and Balogun. I wouldn’t even look at Havertz, because we have ESR and use this money combined to buy a striker like Victor Osimhen
No. But it won’t be Eddie’s fault. I think he is good enough to play for a EPL team but not for one with aspirations of domestic and European glory. He has a lot of redeeming qualities and I really like him I just don’t think he is or will ever be of the level required.
We cant make top four with the likes of Nkeitiah