Jamie Redknapp has opined on the reason why Mikel Arteta has shifted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the wing and played Eddie Nketiah through the middle of the Arsenal attack.
Nketiah was recalled from his loan spell at Leeds United in the last transfer window and the Englishman was expected to head out on loan again.
However, he impressed Mikel Arteta in training and the Spaniard decided to keep him and make him an important member of his first team.
The striker has made the Gunners change their setup. Alexandre Lacazette now starts from the bench while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has had to play from the left side of attack.
Aubameyang’s speed makes him a good attacker from the wing and he has continued to score the goals for Arsenal.
However, if anyone is wondering why Arteta has kept the club captain on the wing to accommodate Nketiah, Redknapp reckons that it is because of Nketiah’s hard work in front of the goal.
Redknapp told Sky Sports as quoted in the Metro: ‘Work from the front, chase things down… It took a little while for Aguero to buy into it and I don’t know if Aubameyang at this age will be that striker still, especially if he doesn’t want to be at the club and he wants to go.
‘He thinks with Nketiah – he works hard for the team. It’s a midfielder’s dream, it’s a defender’s dream, when someone is just pickpocketing balls around the pitch and winning balls back. It’s fantastic.
‘And he gets his reward. It’s not good goalkeeping, it’s not good from the defender as well.
‘But a lot of strikers would just leave it, they wouldn’t bother chasing lost causes, he did it and deserved that goal for that reason.’
Nketiah is a very talented player and hes at an age where he need to play regularly and improve….
he has to play…the same goes to Martinelli
Was glad Eddie scored!!
OT.. The day I’ve been dreading for ages is finally here.. I have my ear plugs ready for work.. although I’d rather not go in, rather become a recluse for at least 6 months 🤪.. for me, this is a terrible day in football…..oh well at least the media and FA will be over the moon 🙄
The title was destined to go to Liverpool so we cant do much about it specially after the Reds played fantastic eye catching football throughout the season. Anyway coming back to our own dear Club, a great win and the assessment is right regarding Nketiah’s work rate. And also I feel Auba has much more freedom on the wings and likes that position more than a CF position. Up the Gunners!
auba works very hard as a cf too. i can remember him intercepting many balls and scored from some too. he even forced a red card today. auba has been a beast as a cf and scored so many goals doing so we are not even sure eddie will be close as good as he is.
lets not hype this kid because he had a good game gush even martineli deserves more opportunity than him and is clearly a better player
all the same it comes down to the coach’s choice and he has made his choice
eddie has been improving not denial about that
Bellerin is finished at arsenal. Ainsley was way better when he was at RB
Yes, Bellerin has been a concern for a good While now. Time to sell him perhaps. And I personally like AMN as a right back. Don’t think he likes it though.