Perhaps no player sums up our modern fan base more than Eddie Nketiah. by Dan Smith
He’s long proven he’s not good enough to be playing for a club the size of Arsenal.
That’s not an insult, just a reflection of the level we are told we are aiming to reach.
If we are trying to compete with Man City, we have to give an honest appraisal of what we have.
Does Eddie get into the Champions first 11? How about Liverpool? Chelsea? Newcastle? Spurs? Villa?
How many sides in the Prem does he start for?
Why are the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich not on the phone making enquiries?
Because whisper it quietly …. He’s not good enough.
He’s 24, so can no longer hide behind being a youngster, and yet he still acts like a competition winner each time he’s on the pitch, grateful to play for the Gunners rather than believing he should be.
In the title run in, whenever I saw him brought on for Martinelli or Jesus, I would almost give up with an obvious drop off in quality.
Yet there are some Gooners who won’t have him criticised because they believe what makes a supporter is saying everything is perfect no matter what.
I know the same readers who refuse to acknowledge our striker’s limitations, yet they were happy to mock a Giroud and Walcott, men who scored over 100 goals in our colours.
It doesn’t impact me your opinion, you’re only lying to yourself and harming our chances of ending our trophy drought by allowing the Kroenke Family to, instead of buying a striker to compete with Jesus, just give Eddie 100,000 pounds a week.
12 months ago, I was suggesting that was a lot of money for someone who will mostly sit on the bench and won’t get double figures in goals.
Wasn’t Ozil greedy for collecting his wages knowing he wasn’t going to start every week?
Eddie scored 9 goals in all competitions last season.
He scored 4 in 30 Prem appearances.
100k a week for 4 League goals.
It was obvious that was going to happen, so transparent, anyone who thought otherwise was foolish.
By the time he was injured he had been dropped for Trossard, with Arteta preferring to play with a false number 9.
Now some will argue that Eddie hasn’t had enough chances, that he hasn’t started as many games as he should.
Yet that’s an entitled view.
What happened to taking every opportunity and acting like it’s your last?
Where is the attitude of making every last second count to get noticed.
Because whisper it quietly …. Eddie Nketiah has played 131 times for Arsenal!
You can twist that stat to make it work for you, you can break down how many of them were starts, you can go round the houses …. 131 games is more than enough opportunities to be able to judge a talent and assess if they are good enough.
Yet some feel admitting anything is wrong with the club they love makes them less of a fan.
That’s their right to have that point of view.
I don’t agree with it, but I respect their thought process.
Yet something strange has happened this week.
With rumours circulating that offers might be considered for Balogun, especially after he’s refused another loan spell, the very same Gooners who condemn me for suggesting Eddie isn’t good enough are now suggesting that if a forward has to be sold it should be Eddie as Balogun hasn’t had the same number of chances.
Which is true, the American international has played twice for the Gunners, 129 times less than Eddie. In one season in France, he already has 7 more League goals then Eddie’s managed in his entire career.
That’s the difference; one player took his opportunity, ran with it and got noticed.
The other is letting his career pass him by.
So, what are these Gooners actually trying to say?
They defend him as good enough to play for Arsenal but are willing to throw him under the bus to keep Balogun?
There has then been links with Eddie and West Ham (notice all the clubs rumoured to be his signatures are in the bottom half of the table?)
I’m not sure he starts every week at the London Stadium either (which I suppose will be someone else’s fault ?). Yet some now hope he can be a makeweight in the Declan Rice saga!
Personally, I don’t think a player whose highest League goals tally is 5, is going to make or break a deal worth 100 million.
Yet again, it’s mixed messages from a section of our fanbase.
You fight for this notion he’s good enough, yet again are willing to throw him under the bus for Rice?
At least I have my opinion.
That is that Eddie is not good enough for Arsenal. That’s zero disgrace.
His stats are laughable in terms of trying to argue he should be playing anywhere near the Champions League.
If he moves, that will be confirmed by the quality of the side he joins.
He’s said to be concerned that Kai Havertz is another threat to him starting.
I don’t believe that.
I don’t think deep down in his core, Eddie thinks he will ever be starting every week if everyone is fit.
That’s why his agent deserves a pay rise for getting him his current salary. 100 grand a week for 4 League goals!!!! Wow!
So where do you guys stand on Eddie?
Good enough to play for us? Or bad enough to sacrifice him for the sake of Balogun and/or Rice?
It’s time to make your mind up……
Dan
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