Do Arsenal still need a bit more from Campbell?

Arsene Wenger must be quite pleased, and also relieved, about the way that the Arsenal and Costa Rican international forward has stepped up to cover for the injury hit Alexis Sanchez. It was Wenger who signed Joel Campbell for the Gunners in the first place, of course, so the boss knew there was quality there but it was looking ever more likely that his Arsenal career was coming to an end.

But Campbell has taken his chance to play with the first team well and he put in another good shift for us last night, showing some good skill and working really hard for his team mates. But now we have been told about the injury setback that will keep Alexis out of action until January, apparently missing the next four games, I think the onus is on Campbell to step up another level.

I do not want to be too harsh on the lad but he needs to improve his finishing. Campbell should really have scored at least one of his two very good chances last night. We got away with it in the end but only just and if Man City had nicked a point then fingers would have been pointed. The Costa Rican has scored a couple of Premier League goals already in just seven games and so he should not be lacking in confidence but he does tend to snatch at chances and needs more composure in front of goal.

Is that all that Campbell needs to really cement a place in this Arsenal side? And with three of our next four games being at home to Bournemouth, Newcastle and Sunderland, does Campbell have to use this period to prove himself once more?

21 Comments

  1. Ive rated campbell since we hot him but he was always very raw.

    Im glad wenger stuck with him, he has an interesting style, hes a lad that relies on confidence but hes playing with excitment and pride, he really wants to take his chance, abit like the ox has i expect him to be a squad player now for another two seasons and his consitancy will drop, he still has alot to learn. hes still young. But the ox should be coming put of his slump in consistancy soon just like theo did. I expect big things from the ox next season. But campbell is a totally different player, this boy has skills and he likes the share them!

  2. Campbell is talented but is still not the finished product. He needs to improve on his fitness (he seems to struggle to finish 90 mins) and his shooting. He’s making good runs so the goods should come.

    1. God help the rest of the World when he’s the finished article. 🙂 Coz dang man he couls be truly awesome.

  3. No doubt Campbell has earned his starting role but I’m hoping we see some rotation during this busy Christmas period. I’d like to see at least one start for each of Debuchy, Gabriel, Gibbs, Chambers and Ox with Theo getting a start in one game as as striker. That means at least one match rest for Campbell, Ozil, Giroud, Walcott, Flamini, Bellerin, Monreal and Kosceilny. I feel bad for Ospina but Cech is just so good that I wouldn’t rest him unless he says he needs it.

    On Campbell’s off day I’d like someone to introduce him to his right foot.

    1. @Trudeau
      How many 2 footed players do we have in our squad? 2-Santi and Bellerin
      How many left footed players do we have in our squad? 4 – Monreal, Kos, Ozil and Joel.
      So. On the teams next off days, we’ll introduce everybody with the exception of Santi and Hector to their other foot…DEAL?

      1. @Ny_Gunner, since when did kos became left footed?? And what happens to the Gibbs and Wilshere in your lefty list??

  4. Funny old thing scoring goals. He gets in the right position, and he’s shown that he knows where the goal is, so it’s probably about belief. The WBA miss may be playing on his mind, but that was about tiredness and the fact that he’d only been on the field for a few minutes. Giroud went through a dry patch, Alexis too. Hopefully, he just needs to stuff a few in the net and begin to believe he belongs on the same field as the others. It would appear it’s coming.

  5. Any chance we can discuss the WC finishing of Golden Boy Ramsey?

    JC may have missed a sitter but much like the assist to OG in Greece he put one on a platter for Ramsey who predictably pissed the chance away.

    Let the lad continue to feature and the goals will come.

  6. what we talking about here, the guy is unreal and only 23! What about the clear cut chance ramsay had that 9/10 midfielders would’ve finished off but he didn’t, let’s talk about that. Did you all see how many times flamini had to yell at him to get back but he never listens, always wants to go in the box, doesn’t respect his role as a holding MF. If he scores 1-2 goals a game you can excuse his inability to be disciplined in his role but the fact that he continues to ignore his role is mindblowing.

    Campbell did everything right yesterday and should be lauded for his performance. He’s getting better with every game and i think when sanchez come in, Theo should be placed on the bench to come in as a CF for giroud.

  7. Dang!!!!
    Some people ar never satisfied. Dude’s been out in the wilderness for 3 seasons, humpin and trying to get noticed in order to get into the 1st squad. Then got a few minutes here and there, but didn’t impress too much. Now he’s gettin those matches he mneeds to gel with the rest of the squad and he’s been puttin in some seriously good shifts. He scored a couple and missed a couple. Thats how it goes sometime. But score or not, the only other player who has a better engine than him, box 2 box, is Alexis. I can see why, at around the 65/70th min dude looks spent. But if you look at the goals he missed yesterday, you’ll see what he did to try and get in the position to try and make them, under pressure. But it ain’t good enough.
    He needs to do more.
    If it were Jack, Ox or Aaron, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.
    SMDH!!!

    1. JC ran himself into the ground again and could of easily had 2 goals and an assist if things went a little differently. His technical ability and futbol IQ on the pitch blends seamlessly with the likes of Ozil, Sanchez, Santi and OG and the intricate one touch passing they create is a sight to behold at times. Been very impressed with him of late.

      The only complaint I have of the lad is the stupid pacifier celebration, but if he starts scoring goals for fun Ill reconsider my stance. Lol

      1. Takes longer to get the pacifier untied from his shorts than it does to do a small celebration in the 10seconds you have! Dont see the point in it, if its to do with a child or that… then run to the fans and do the babyrock (like on fifa) and have a laugh with it!!

        Now where it hangs probably isnt good either… a rattle to the nutsack with the ball and its goodnight to young joel numbnuts!!

  8. Have backed campbell since the get go this season was hoping he would get time at Arsenal, due to injuries unfortunatly, but everyone has to take their chance and he has. As i said he will be our breakout star this year like the 2last season. At least one youngster maybe 2 a year, with the way our academy is, should be coming through so Ox would need to be worried because he needs to sharpen up as i believe another youngster who will challenge the wings next season is Wellington Silva… the boy has talent no doubt about it, Gnabry also has something about him, even though having a nightmare at West Brom.

    For now Campbell starts RW, Ox is behind him in the pecking order as Theo will be battling Giroud/Alexis for their spots. Then Welbz to come back… not bad imo.

    My pick for best youngster to maybe come up sooner than we think this season maybe, just like fabregas/wilshere, is young Adelaide!

  9. How about we just let Campbell continue on the current path which is not too friggin bad.

    He has done well since being thrust into a steady starting role. I am thrilled and appreciative.

  10. Completely agree leave the lad alone, full of passion and resilience he never gives up.

    Think ramsey defo needs to practise his finishing on a whole this season has been shockingly poor in front of goal.

  11. His final passing was misplaced along with oxlade chamberlain who is not running at defenders which is troubling for him. If we can wait another month to see how Joel has improved it may show a better idea of who is.

  12. cambell is improving overall and I love to his sliding style of defending which we witness a couple or more in the game against the citizens. I think he has learned that from le Coq.

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