As per Japanese sports news aggregator, イギリス ブックメーカー, the 19-year old striker Chuba Akpom made his fourth appearance of the season as a sub for the Arsenal first team yesterday. And although the young Gunner is still waiting for his first senior goal, he did show us enough promise to suggest that we could have a future star on the books.
With his pace and footwork, Akpom won the penalty for Cazorla to score and with a bit of refinement he will be a big asset. But is he really going to get much playing time with Arsenal this season? A report in The Mirror today claims that the Championship club Wigan are very keen on taking him on loan for the rest of the season and I think it would be a good idea.
Arsene Wenger may be reluctant after allowing three forwards to leave the club already during this transfer window, but even without Podolski, Sanogo and Campbell to compete with, Akpom will not get much of a look-in against Alexis, Walcott, Giroud, Welbeck, Chamberlain and Ozil.
He needs to be playing and as long as he wants to go and is willing to sign a new contract, I think it would be best if we let him. If he stays and does not play, we could lose the talented young striker for nothing in the summer. Wigan are desperate for goals and would play him all the time. They also have Malky Mackay as their new boss and apart from the recent `textgate` controversy, the Scot has proven himself a very good manager.
If Wenger is concerned about needing Akpom if we hit another injury crisis, surely he can do the same sort of deal that he did with Coquelin and be able to recall his player. Just look how well that worked out for us. So do you agree that the Gunners should let Akpom go on loan?
Forget Sanogo, Podolski and Campbell, Akpom is the one who I see making it to the top level.
Incase u hav forgotten, we still hav 3 competitions to feature in…
Woudn’t compare him with podolski…but that boy should compete with giroud he offers a lot compared to welbeck who only runs with no ideas at all
My lineup vs Tottenham:
Ospina
Bellerin Mert Kos Gibbs
Coquelin
Walcott Ozil Cazorla Sanchez
Giroud
Subs: Szszcesny, Monreal, Chambers, Gabriel, Ramsey, Rosicky, Welbeck
I’ve left Ox out because I just don’t know if he’ll be fit or not, I know Monreal has been in fine form lately however with Waker’s pace down the right I’d have Gibbs at left back. Ramsey is quality on his day however he is often very frustrating and distributes some embarrassingly shit passes at times and seems selfish so i would bench him and Wenger even said Welbeck will be fit for the game so he will be back on the bench no doubt.
Monreal is a better choice, walker’s face or no it.
Approved, Alexis call him TITI (king Henry) for a reason. A loan won’t be bad for him. All the best kid. He’s my compatriot.
Akpom has shown some good signs, so AW should do same as with Campbell. Sign extended contract before going on loan to gain experience. But add clause (like LeCoq) to get him back if we have injuries.
Hahahahaha so true, I said at the start of the season we should have offloaded Podolski because he serves no purpose at Arsenal besides putting everything on social media and I’m pretty sure someone already has the job of updating Arsenal.com… It’s a complete joke along with his pay check that he collects week in week out. Again I strongly believe the reason we kept him was becuase the real “WORLD CLASS GERMAN” we could have gotten to replace him (Reus) was injuried at the time. Shame, Podolski having a World Cup winners medal and Reus doesn’t speaks for itself in my eyes. Maybe, just maybe next time those individuals will back the manager since he actually saw him everyday on the training ground. Replace immediately with “Paulo Dybala”.
Kevin Strootman out for the rest of the season. Sad really. Brilliant player.
If we allow Akpom to go on loan that will mean we will be without Akpom, Afobe, Podolski, Sanogo and Campbell. We will only have Giroud and Welbeck left as strikers. You should always have 3 dedicated strikers at your disposal
ie. Costa, Remy, Drogba
ie. Aguero, Bony/Dzeko, Jovetic
ie. Falcao, RVP, Rooney
Sanchez and Walcott are wingers who can play up front if needed but not specifically strikers. Ideally in the summer would like to see us get WC striker
ie.
Cavani, Giroud, Welbeck
Dybala, Giroud, Welbeck
Destro, Giroud, Welbeck
etc
Arsenal don’t play with out and out wingers.
Remy isn’t a lead striker. He is someone you would class as winger. So why one rule for Chelsea and another arsenal?
And I dnt think dybala is anyway better than akpom…
Then you are seriously deluded! I rate Akpom higher than Welbeck, who I don’t think will get any better.
Giroud, Akpom, Dybala. Now that’s a strike force with infinite potential!
really..giroud…am sorry but the only infinite potential of this guy is in toy story 5… hes a decent bench player..a gallic ricky lambert but we need quality to move beyond 4th place perenials… it would be silly to shunt akpom out now….too many games coming up and too many uncertainties around wellbeck giroud and the whippet….
I too would love to see Akpom become one of our established strikers but I must politely disagree, with what I’ve actually seen of Dybala (not youtube clips) we would be foolish to pass him up if he’s available and the price is right. Just saying, we’ve miss the boat on a few in the pass becuase of this and I don’t think it’s a trend we should keep repeating…
You can repeat this mantra a hundred times but it won’t suddenly become either true or accurate. You have a fixed view as to what a “striker” is but you don’t let on what it is in your mind that constitutes a “striker”. It is not clear from your lists from other clubs either as to what a “striker” is in your mind because you have a collection of different forward types; centre forwards, strikers, second strikers (in a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2) etc etc. But you elect to only cite our centre forward options in the 4-2-3-1 formation we tend to play. Man U and Man C need more forwards/strikers because they account for two positions on the field. If you go to AFC website they will tell you we have 6 “forwards”. Chelsea’s website will tell you they have 3 “strikers”. Man U’s website will tell you they have 4 “forwards” (for 2 positions). Man C’s website will tell you they have 5 “strikers”. Looks like it is United who are a bit light with Rooney no longer playing up front and only 3 players (incl Wilson) covering the two positions up front.
Have you seen Alexis play for Arsenal?? Do you watch Walcott? Serious questions because if you think they are playing as conventional wingers then you are being plain silly and just playing word games here. Both effectively play as second strikers to OG. Neither play up and down the sidelines, both come in field at nearly every opportunity, neither attempts to hit the bye-line to cross, both score frequently from central positions. You don’t have to think back any further than Walcott’s last 2 goals to work it out.
Take Real Madrid. Their Wingers Bale & Ronaldo score more than Benzema.
Completely disagree! Letting Akpom go on loan would be crazy!
If you’ve been following Arsenal for the last 6/7 years you’ll know we always have lots of injuries, so you need good squad depth. We’ve already let Podolski, Sanogo and Campbell leave, so it wouldn’t make sense letting another forward leave.
You mention that he wouldn’t get a look in with the likes of Alexis, Walcott, Giroud, Welbeck, Chamberlain and Ozil. Well only Giroud has the experience of being an out and out striker, which leaves us a bit short if he were to get injured again. Chamberlain and Ozil never play in that position, because they’re not strikers. Walcott has very little experience in that position, and is too effective on the right to move him. Alexis can play there, but it’s not his natural position. You can argue that Welbeck is naturally a striker, but has spent most of his career out wide, so he hasn’t got enough experience in that role. And just like at Man Utd, Welbeck has pretty much run around like a headless chicken for us. I wouldn’t pick Welbeck ahead of Akpom.
It won’t happen, but I’d love to see us get a top quality DM before the window shuts. Coquelin has been fantastic, but we’re screwed if he gets injured, what with Flamini being rubbish and Arteta not back until around mid April. Knowing our luck Coquelin’s bound to pick up an injury at some point.
Off Topic. Ospina versus Szezcesny, games since beginning of january
Off Topic. Ospina versus Szezcesny, games since beginning of january
Southampton, szez, goals conceded 2
Hull (FA Cup), Ospina, goals conceded 0
Stoke, ospina, goals conceded 0
Man city, ospina, goals conceded 0
Brighton, szez, goals conceded 2
Aston villa, ospina, goals conceded 0
Is a pattern developing here?
Despite having aanchez and walcott as striker cover I feel we need akpom as one of our three along side giroud and welbeck. Younous kaboul to west ham, Reid going somewhere then, (not to us I know).
@jonm. Simply yes. Ospina is calm composed and has stature, schez doesn’t. The defence are more relaxed and confident with ospina behind them.
Ospina is to small I’m not a fan to be honest i think he’s average that’s it.
I think Sczesney still has more ability.
No matter what we do, just get him to sign a long term deal and i’ll be happy.
This kid has a very bright future.
I wouldn’t send Akpom on loan for the rest of the season due to our terrible injury proneness.