For a big club like Arsenal, with Champions League football to cope with every season as well as the Premier League and domestic cup competitions, a large squad is necessary but that does also mean that, quite often, the fringe and young players do not get the amount of time on the pitch that they need to improve their game and progress their football careers.
That is why the Gunners and other big clubs make full use of the loan system and this season is no different. Unfortunately, a lot of the players that go on loan still do not make it and are soon forced to move to other clubs, but it can work for some and there are two stand out loanees from the Gunners this season who are doing everything to suggest that their futures are at Arsenal.
One of them is the young striker Benik Afobe, who has gone goal crazy since joining League 2’s MK Dons. This is the 6th club that the 21-year old has been to but it all seems to have clicked for him this time, as he has scored 15 goals in 20 games, including two against Man United to help eliminate them from the League Cup. And Afobe has told Arsenal.com that he is looking forward to coming back to Arsenal at the end of the season full of confidence and ready for action.
He said, “It’s been really easy [to settle]. From day one the manager showed a lot of faith in me and I’m really happy with the way they’ve treated me. I’m really enjoying my time here.
“Sometimes when something clicks, it clicks. I’ve done nothing different to any of my other loans in terms of preparation and hard work – I’ve always done that. I just think it’s about the timing and being in the right place at the right time.
“I didn’t feel like I was involved as much as I should have been on previous loans, but here I feel like I’m a big part of MK Dons’ season with the minutes I’m playing and the goals I’m scoring.
“You can train as much as you want, and you can work as hard as you want, but if you’re not playing games you’re not going to improve. Playing every week shows you’re ready to be playing men’s football.
“At the moment I’m enjoying my football but I want to go back to Arsenal in the summer with my head held high and happy with the season I had. I want to prove them right because I know they believe in me.”
The other Gunner on loan who looks like securing his Arsenal future is Carl Jenkinson, who despite suffering a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the start of the season, has really started to prove himself at West Ham. The Hammers are surprising everyone in the Premier League and Jenks has been a mjor part of that, scoring more fantasy football points than any other West Ham defender.
The fact that he is a boyhood Arsenal fan makes the 22-year old even more determined to succeed but he is not daft enough to assume it will work out. So his decision to go on loan this season is looking like a good one, even if Arsenal could have done with him to cover for the injured Mathieu Debuchy.
Do you think these two will be in the Arsenal first team next year?
With wenger afobe might end up the way campbell is now, I suggest he moves away from arsenal to realise his dream of first team football
Good news they are doing well.
Jenks will face tough competition
from Debuchy Chambers and Bellerin.
May be Chambers will play more central
in the future. May be when Jenks comes back
Bellerin will go out on loan.
Afobe seems to be a top prospect so
some really good news here Gunners.
Yo! Seriously, Sir-bozo should go out on loan. Benik Afobe should be brought into the first team already.
Your dreaming mate afobe nowhere near good enough to play there is a huge difference from league 1 to prem league maybe he has just found his level!
actually I won’t mind sir no goal going out wether on lone or even permanently, I hate to see that guy on the pitch for arsenal because he actually don’t deserve it.
I always felt that Jenkinson might have been converted to a CB. He is quick,strong and good in the air.. I’d be much happier seeing him there than either of the present pair.
Yes! I think they could have a pretty good chance of making the first team! Coyg!
time to free transfer all the dead woods
Ozil, Rosicky, Arteta, Coquelin, Giroud, Monreal etc……
and Wenger….
You forgot yourself.
@Hafiz,
I think you are delude …… how can u call ozil deadwood….? It is Wenger I blame for this your delude comment….get a life mate.
I’d like to put Arsene Wenger on the wing.A Bowing 707
havent seen many hammers games tthis season but good to know jenko is getting some much needed p l experience ,,
akpom is looking really hungry for goals if he can keep improving be good to see him in pre season banging in a few goals for us
@ sollygunner….. U should check out the one coming up next week against everton ….. Bet u’d Love it
Jenkinson, Akpom, Afobe, Campbell, Hayden and Ajayi are the leading promising youths that should get into the first team squad in a year time for some and a year to three years time for some other one.
I agree with you totally Samuel
Chuba is also a great talent..we have some exciting prospects
I am so glad that Jenks has done well at West Ham and in the UK U21’s ..I just LOVE it when we have true gunners playing for us
I hope Benik & Jenks get their chance next year
such raw TaLent! And a man-utd destroyer too….my money’s on him getting Loaned, benched or completely sold out….. Wenger won’t Let him standing in the way of his beloved sanogo (who haven’t even played in England for3 seasons) ….. Wenger really amazes me. His judgement is completely clouded by black smoke
Sometimes I wonder why Jenks was sent out on loan,he would have battled the RB position with Debuchy and would also have Berlin to look out for.he started getting better towards the end of last season,and instead of giving him a chance,he was loaned out and we can all still see that he is doing well at West Ham. Benik is a fanstic player,15 goals in 20 games,I would take him anytime any day Over Sanogo,he scored two great goals for MK Dons against man united,when was the last time any of our strikers did that?
Leave a comment? Wenger out!