NOW IS THE TIME TO BRING ON EDDIE NKETIAH by Deinma James
The Arsenal striker, Danny Welbeck, has had surgery on his broken ankle. Welbeck, who suffered the horrific injury in Arsenal’s Europa League goalless draw with Sporting CP had been named in the England squad for the friendly against the United States and the UEFA Nations League match against Croatia. The 27-year-old (28yrs later this month) Englishman has scored 5 goals across all competitions this season; 1 in the Premier League, 2 in the Carabao cup, and 2 in the Europa League. With his expected return date from injury unknown, Arsenal look well to cope in his absence, as they have Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexander Lacazette, and can now add highly rated Arsenal youngster, Eddie Nketiah, in the mix.
Eddie Nketiah is just 19 years of age, has featured for Arsenal’s U18 and U23 sides. He operates more like a ‘Fox in the box’. He is fast, can get behind opposition defenders, finishes well, and has a very impressive goalscoring record. He has scored 24 goals in back-to-back seasons at youth level. He has featured in the Premier League, Europa League and FA cup, and has also scored 12 in 13 Premier League 2 appearances. At the international level, he scored for England U21 in their 3-1 victory over Scotland in June this year. He also scored in Arsenal’s 5-1 hammering of PSG during pre-season.
Eddie became the first player born after Arsene Wenger’s arrival to score for the club. He made his mark in the 2017/18 season scoring twice in Arsenal’s 2-1 League Cup win over Norwich City. The 19-yr-old Englishman is highly regarded by Emery’s predecessor, Wenger: “He can score goals. I know his quality but when the team needs you and you can deliver that’s another quality. I know Nketiah can score a goal. And I know he has character. He smells the combination to give-and-go. He has the quality of reception”.
He was an unused substitute in the Gunners’ Premier League 1-1 draw with Wolves at the Emirates. Unai Emery’s comments after Welbeck’s injury suggests Eddie Nketiah will get opportunities this season. “The first (choice) is to look inside, and we have one striker also who is working well with the under-23s and is improving also, Eddie Nketiah, and he could have chances. But I think it’s early for speaking about the possibility (of signings in January).” Emery said.
Will Eddie Nketiah replicate his prolific goalscoring form at youth level in the senior team? Only time will tell.
With Welbeck already sidelined for several months, the Gunners will have a congested fixture list in the Premier League in December, as will other Premier League clubs. There is no better time than now to bring on Eddie Nketiah. Sooner rather than later, Eddie will definitely get valuable game time in the Premier League and Europa League to prove his mettle.
Deinma
The Bundesliga is showing English clubs that it is possible to bring in young inexperienced players into the first team, as long as they have plenty of courage and talent then they can be an asset to a team. And it doesn’t mean you compromise chances of winning medals, look at Dortmund.
Let Nketiah have a go, he is clearly very talented and I think he has a bright future ahead of him.
Yes, some fearless young and quick EPL players thrive in Bundesliga
It would be better to send Nketiah abroad, to follow the footsteps of Gnabry, Nelson and Sancho, rather than wasting his talent being unused substitute at Arsenal
Is it time for Nketiah to be given a chance at Arsenal?
With DW out for probably the whole season and all the games to come it is certain that Eddie will get chances to play and even to start games. I cannot accurately say what I think of him as I just have not seen enough and to really judge you need to see him come in against better teams than Norwich. He clearly has many fans on here but to be honest, so do most young fringe players trying to make their mark. He may well prove a wonderful player in time OR he may be another nine day wonder. I just cannot judge as yet BUT he seems to have that vital goalscoring knack, even though not yet at top level and all great strikers whilst in their very early youth days have that too. So there is real hope. Another factor with youngsters coming through the club is that the fans give them time to prove themselves which big buys do not generally get. Had Auba and Laca both not scored immediate goals , we would certainly be on their back for real right now and calling them a waste of money- which clearly neither are – but there will not be this same pressure on young Eddie and that is to his advantage. Our REAL long term problem right now is not the manager, backroom regime or even the several substandard players we have left. It is KROENKE and we should never forget the enormous disadvantage we will continue to labour under, esp compared to ALL OUR MAIN RIVALS, except Spuds, while Ebenezer Scrooge Kroenke owns our club. We need to wage war on him big time OR accept we cannot ever truly compete for top spot ever again , while he remains. REALITY! We should ALL focus on our REAL problem rather than kid ourselves this or that player brought in, on Kroenkes meagre allowance, will really change matters substantially ENOUGH to win the title. Cos it won’t and all who are truthful with themselves must surely agree.
This guy is my favourite Arsenal youngster.What I like about him is that he’s such a goal hungry player.He could score six in a match and still look for more goals like he hasn’t scored any.I will be very shocked should he not develop into a player who scores lots of goals when he starts play ing the major leagues.He’s the youngster I’m most sure will make it at Arsenal.I would prefer he goes on loan and we fill Welbeck’s space with a winger(RW).
Yes, a loan might be able to develop him more and prove whether he is ready to be a squad player at Arsenal or not
@kev-can I ask you where you have seen Eddie play to make him your favourite young player.Other than the odd cameo and a few U23 games I haven’t seen much of him at all so in just interested how you form your opinion of him
On AFC official website you can watch all the academy games. Or if you prefer you can catch highlights reels. Also allot of articles arise in there about our young guns, all sorts of articles and in depth interviews. Good source for anyone who isn’t living in London.
So Welbeck and Ramsey most likely out of the team next summer, which leaves us 2 players short from the required 8 homegrown quota. Also Jenkinson will be out as well I hope.
Bellerin
AMN
Holding
Iwobi
Emi Martinez
I hope Nelson and Smith-Rowe will be promoted to the first team. We might have to look for another English player next season. James Tarkowski, anyone?
Premier League XI based on Sky Sports Power Rankings
“Centre-backs
The rankings are heavily weighted towards attacking qualities – so centre-backs struggle to rank among the elite – but Arsenal’s Shkodran Mustafi is in pole position – narrowly ahead of City’s first-choice defender Aymeric Laporte.
Both defenders have got on the scoresheet once this term – but it’s the German who has recorded superior numbers in tackles, aerials, blocks, interceptions, clearances and duels.
Narrowly missed out: Virgil van Dijk, Michael Keane, Shane Duffy, Steve Cook and Harry Maguire.”
I know this doesn’t fit the narratives.
They didn’t count the number of bad decisions, did they
City keep the ball better than us, our defence does be allot busier than theirs. Ours is the busiest out of top teams. So tackles and interceptions is one thing, but how many attempts and how high is the success rate. This is an area that can be misleading, a player making fewer attempts but with a higher success rate, is in my mind the more accomplished. The success rate, it could be low for a player, or average overall, but if he gets enough chances at attempts, he’ll rack up points none the less.
I wont lie though.
I do find it surprising all the same.
Because I have to believe that the statistical analysts must compensate for this stuff. So just maybe, Mustafi, if he ironed out his lack of full concentration over 90 minutes, week in week out, or at-least improved a couple of degrees. Just maybe?
Does this system properly allow for disastrous errors made by rach CB’s, he asked , knowing the answer is NO. Any rating system that makes out Mustafi to be a decent CB is away with the fairies. To properly rate any player at any club you need to go to that clubs fan site and take proper notice of the real fans who watch him game in , game out. A prime example of this incorrect rating of players is Ramsey, regularly slated by us real fans- though some think him adequate, but when you listen to media pundits and non Gooner fans you might, wrongly, conclude he is wonderful and would a sad loss to us. WE ALL know the real truth.
jon why always so bitter.
John, dear fellow Gooner, I am realistic, not bitter. I am only bitter about certain other things far more important than football. You confuse what you perceive as bittermess with my realists opinion. of course as I see things. But that is true of all of us , surely. Even of certain excitable people, some from mostly far flung countries(ie not Britain) who were confident we would be seriously in the title race, including an individual who boasted he thought we would wallop- City by 5-0. I call those types fantasists, which is how I think of folk who do not apply thought before writing. I call those who consider and think deeeply as I am prone to do, though NOT always, I freely admit, REALISTS. I should mention for realistic perspective that things I AM bitter about include, racism, violence, lack of compassion, bigotry a la Trump but that I regard having been a lifelong football , let alone an Arsenal fan, as a huge privilege and nothing whatever to be bitter about. Unhappy at times, which is in the nature of being any clubs fan , yes, but never bitter. Hope that helps you to understand my position John. I just refuse to lie to myself about where our club really is, as I see it , of course . And all, in a democracy, are allowed to differ. That is healthy and natural. I mean no harm to anyone but try always to state the truth, as I see it naturally, and not to fool myself. Honesty will always make enemies. THAT IS WHY SO MANY POLITICIANS ARE TWO FACED. I am also bitter about that.
Speaking of 19 year olds Guendouzi is excellent for 19
He’s already an important player for us and as long as he’s healthy, he should be awesome with more experience
I think Both Torreira and Guendouzi have been a real help masking our average defensive line
He’s been called up for u21 France too
No Sir Nketiah is not ready! We need to bring In bodies I would say Atlast 2 players to supplement our attacking lime and may be play maker like Banega to push for 4th spot for this season and apart from that will be Wenger all over again one experiment after another
Give Nketiah a chance. How are we ever going to know if he is ready when he’s not given a chance. I remember years ago giving a young Charlie George and a young Ray Kennedy a chance when first team players were injured and look how they turned out !!