As Kev mentioned just a few days ago, before this current season was brought to a halt, Eddie Nketiah had pushed ahead of Alexandre Lacazette in Mikel Arteta’s plans. At least it seemed that way and although I was slightly surprised at the time he was first selected by Arteta, perhaps I shouldn’t have been. After all, he was recalled from his loan spell early by the club. One minute he’d been playing Championship football and the next he was in the starting line up for Arsenal’s FA Cup Fourth round fixture against Bournemouth on 27 January, scoring the second goal of our 2–1 victory on the south coast. Lacazette was selected for the following match away at Burnley which ended goalless but after the winter break, Nketiah returned to the first team and pretty much stayed there.
Eddie has certainly looked comfortable being amongst the big boys. After the FA Cup victory over Portsmouth, Arteta was full of praise for the young striker:
He has been phenomenal. The workrate that he puts in, the rhythm that he goes into pressing, his understanding of the game – when to come and when to go in behind – and always in front of goal, he is ready to score.
In other words, Eddie is getting things right. In other words, expect much more from our relatively inexperienced 20 year old Englishman over the next weeks, months and hopefully years.
Comparisons have been made between Eddie and Ian Wright, prematurely in my opinion but understandable. Both are 5’ 9” inches, both are English and both are or were in the case of Wrighty, players who love to score goals. Both have also had to deal with rejection. For Nketiah, that rejection came at Chelsea when he was told he was too small to make it so the story goes, but for Ian Wright, life was a lot tougher, to the point of which he nearly gave up trying to get his break. When that break finally came thanks to Crystal Palace in August 1985, he was just three months away from his 22nd birthday. Wrighty stayed at Palace until 1991 until David Dein brought him to Arsenal and the rest as ‘they’ say, is history.
Every Arsenal fan knows the challenge Wrighty faced whilst trying to get his footballing career off the ground, yet fast forward to now, it would never happen. He’d have been spotted at a much earlier age, been treated well and rewarded handsomely. But perhaps that determination and grit he possessed within helped him long term, in a similar way to footballers who have experienced a tough upbringing. Like anyone really who has had to fight for everything in life, we enjoy success more than if it were handed to us on a plate.
I think Arsenal have been guilty of being too nice a club over recent years and as much as I don’t want to drag Arsene Wenger’s name through the mud, I think he took us down that route, certainly during his latter years. His team/squad selection suggested that it didn’t really mater what certain squad players were doing in training, he knew who he would play regardless of how they’d played in the previous match. (Just my opinion)
That seemed to change when Unai Emery arrived as Mesut Ozil and Lucas Torreira soon found out and AMN, Guendouzi, Ceballos and Lacazette since Mikel Arteta was appointed but instead of rebelling, as players appeared to under Emery, they are responding to the hard work ethics Arteta believes in. Question marks hang over AMN of course but my point is, players are being selected on merit rather than by name. Hard work and the right attitude seems to be Mikel Arteta’s mantra. As it should be of course yet for years now, it’s probably not been.
That’s clearly why Nketiah has been given his opportunity and perhaps why Willock and AMN have found game time hard to come by. That’s perhaps why Xhaka and Mustafi had been playing and Sokratis sometimes found himself on the bench. Luiz is another who has gone from being a nightmare to watch to a player who organises the defence whilst playing well himself.
You and/or I might watch certain players and think they’re not good enough to play for The Arsenal but if their work rate, discipline and commitment is spot on, that’s why they’re out there.
That’s why in my opinion, Eddie Nketiah has been out there and I hope he stays there for many years to come. As long as he deserves to be.
Stay safe guys and stay healthy.
Morning Rico and thanks for the post.
If the AST report about the losses that Arsenal could suffer over the next year and a bit are correct then Eddie Nketiah is going to get a shed load of game time because the club will have no choice.
When I read reports of Arsenal bidding £43m for Thomas Partey I cannot believe it given the parlous state of football finances at this present time. Athletico Madrid, a club of similar stature to Arsenal must also be feeling the pinch, they have a different way of divi’ing up the TV money in Spain where Barcelona and Real hog most of it. Athletico probably need money as desperately as Arsenal, maybe even more so and they’ll play Arsenal off against whoever else is interested in Partey, but it’s possible that Alex Lacazette could be part of any deal with the Spaniards, he’s a player they like and hopefully still want. So Arsenal have someone they want and we seemingly want Partey?
If Partey is valued at £43m and Lacazette is worth about the same, then I guess a straight swap could swing it for us?
Gueye joining Watford on a free was interesting as I thought we were in for him, obviously not, so does that strengthen the links to Partey even more?
Morning Kev.
I too think Eddie will be getting a lot of playing time whenever the game restarts because of the way Arteta talks about him. It’s like he’s the perfect out and out striker we have. A poacher striker which we’ve lacked for a while now, probably since Eduardo.
I’m ignoring transfer rumours. 😂
Good morning Rico and Kev.
I believe Arteta has given the entire squad a close examination. Identified those he can work with and also knows who need to move on.
When the transfer window opens I think we will see some big changes.
Talking of the transfer window, I reckon it could open quite soon because the Premiership season is likely to be declared over in the next week or so. The chief medical officer of FIFA has said it will not be possible to safely play any matches before September at the earliest, even behind closed doors.
Morning Cicero.
I agree re Arteta and his assessment of the squad including players attitudes towards his methods. I’m sure he’d have hoped for the extra few months but he’s unlikely to get any more time.
I read that from the medical guy and add to his comments that other leagues are ending, I can’t see how the FA believe things here are any different. We’re sort of three weeks behind France as far as the virus spread goes but I believe our death rate remains higher and with idiots creeping back to work and doing other things we’re not supposed to be doing, that number is unlikely to decrease to the kind of numbers sport needs to see.
One death is one too many, let alone what the uk are reporting.
Morning all.
Rico, I think players now have little or no fear for their managers as they once did.
Certainly, less of them have loyalty and respect, but that’s a pretty fair comment with the world in general today.
It’s all about me, me, me, me, me, me.
Scott, I think Arteta is trying to bring back respect, respect him and his ideas and he’ll respect the player.
And there you have the problem ,. As Europe in general has handled the whole thing by locking down their country we in the UK have muddled our way through trying to please the city and business on the way. I know furloughed people that are quite happy to be at home and getting paid albeit 80% to do so.
Then we have the business minded politicos and their pals in the media asking for breaks in the lockdown , which in all fairness , has not been anything like as stringent as elsewhere.
The figures have been manipulated throughout , our media always looking for a way to criticise have jumped on every loophole they can find They pull figures out of their collective hats but really compare Apples with Oranges .
With regard to football I cannot see how there can be any other scenario but to cancel the season and start again when it’s safe to do so. Certainly you can’t social distance whilst playing football , although you could argue that Xhaka is often 2 metres away from his man and do you have to wash your hands every time you take a throw in ?.
As we have said many times before it’s quite likely that we will depend on our young players rather than buying in . In this case Eddie should be at the front of the queue.
Over the weekend I read an article which gave an estimate of the number of people that would be required in a stadium to stage a televised “behind closed doors” Premiership match. With players, match officials, coaches, medical staff, TV and other media staff, stewarding and security, catering, cleaning etc. the figure came to around an astonishing five hundred.
When you take into account the fact that every one of them would require testing for Covid-19 before the match, and possibly after it too, the logistics become a nightmare.
Suggestions were also put forward that players and coaches should move out of their family homes and into bio secure hotels for the entire period over which the remaining games are being played.
Multiply the number of remaining games by five hundred, the estimated attendees, then double it to obtain the number of tests required, both pre and post match and the figure rises alarmingly.
Where will that number of test kits come from? Testing laboratories, over stretched at the moment will be completely overwhelmed.
Can such an operation over two months in anyway be justified for such a trivial outcome?
Not to mention Ozil Potter whose been social distancing for a few seasons now…
You’re right, we cannot compare the Uk with other countries as were all very different. Also, the financial hit overseas club will take is far less than what PL clubs will so there’s another major decision making different.
Asking let alone expecting footballers to move out of their home would be a ridiculous suggestion imo. Why should anyone upset family life for a game of football? Haven’t we seen enough family homes attacked by villains who know when players are away from the family? Villains would have a field day.
Like the airlines and holiday companies are doing all the Premier can do is offer the TV companies a credit note.
Rico, I agree with you on Arteta and I always thought he had that steely resolve that is required nowadays.
Arsene didn’t have it.
I can’t say that’s a bad thing because back in the day, players just had respect for their managers.
Arteta is a different beast and exactly what’s required imo.
Our dog just won again.
8 starts at this particular track for 8 wins and a feature race tonight.
Very exiting stuff 🙂
No. 4 the blue rug..
http://www.racingqueensland.com.au/racing-and-results/full-calendar/greyhound/meeting/albi/20200430/race/8
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52463698
People have been banging the cut down the number of foreigners and give the home grown a chance drum for a long time and now those proponents have their opportunity to get their way. The question is how much will it devalue the money that TV is likely to offer when the Premier League becomes league division ! again.
TV money is the lifeblood of many of our clubs if they stop paying then the standard on offer will go down and we will lurch even more towards a league that can only be won by two or three clubs and gate receipts will gain in importance .
I am all for young players getting their chance but the problem that has risen is that the clubs that stand little or no chance of winning things have bolstered their teams with players that are little better or worse than our own players.
The next move will be the three foreigners rule being reinstated and crowds diminishing as the JCL’s will find something else to spend their hard earned on .
Who knows the attendees might actually get to start enjoying themselves again.
Hi Rico and All I Australia rules and English football are different but the head of Aussie rules and now talking about taking all the team to one area in Australia for between 3 to 5 months and playing several games per week behind clothes to catch up some players are in favour and some say they will not leave there families for that long how ever one coach recons that the players should agree as the get paid and 5 months is a small price to pay for the game and club there for if The head of Aussie rules are thinking about this then what is stopping The Premier league looking at some thing similar. I know you and me think about peoples health first but these big sporting co will all ways think about money
Scott nice win again, is your trainer looking at trying her at another track to see how she goes and how did your second dog go
Scott, also, back in Arsene Wenger’s better years, he signed footballers who knew how to play and wanted to.
Interesting article Kev. I wonder who’ll decide which players will pass the points test and which ones don’t. I can see City owners filling a few brown envelopes as I type… 😆
Doh! It said in the article who’ll decide.l.
unless I am mistaken didn’t Arsene wenger get players to cut back on drinking and smoking and start training more like professional player, Arsene Wengers problem was he stuck around a few years to long taking the blame and covering up for the owners
just thinking now that most countries have stopped playing because of the virus should we take advantage of this and make England and European leagues all start and finish at the same time then we can have transfer season at the same time
Rico, Pritti Patel will decide! With a little help from her fellow intellectual giants!
The England first brigade have already decreed it.
I will reiterate what Potter and many others have said for weeks……………………………how can footballers social distance on a playing field ?…….impossible!
The league should be scrapped now, no winners and no losers, but it seems that the powers that be and the media want their Scouse Luvvies to finally get an EPL title no matter what the health(death) consequences, whereas 99% of other teams fans will laugh their arses off if the league is null and voided………………..it would only be funnier if it where The Spuds!
Been to my local nursery today ( had to ring an appointment and had the whole place to myself!) and bought 12 Hypericum Hidcotes ( for a hedge)……….3 Hyrdanges……………….2 Buddlejas……………….and an Acer Platanoides Crimson King tree……………………………£59!!! ………………….yes that`s only £59!!!
I hope she’s an Arsenal fan then Wavy.
Rico, that what I was getting at.
Players back then just wanted to play.
Now, most just want to earn.
Different mindset, unfortunately.
Different game 🙂 🙂
Geoff, due to the restrictions, the trainer can’t go interstate so we’d have to take the dog off him which won’t happen mate.
She’d be better off in Victoria prizemoney wise, but that’s not even been a thought for us.
She will get her chance, restrictions will slowly start being relaxed in Oz from now on.
Geoff, Arsene changed the entire landscape of English football, no question.
Money then changed it again, but not for the better.
First of the month :- White rabbits
Mhikitarian swap for Cengiz Under being touted .
Only thing wrong with the reports is that our media is suggesting we get cash as well . But seeing as how he was valued at 50 million euros last year when Manutd were said to be interested , I reckon the money goes the other way and chances are it won’t happen.
White rabbits back to you potter..
Some of rumours are absolutely ridiculous, I’m surprised NN allow the content really, especially after I had my wrists slapped for not mentioning a source of information once.
Double standards…
Rico I have read NN site its a mazing how one person writes a story then over the next 2 week the same story appears but written by some else yet very rare to see them mention there sauce you must of upset some one by beating them to the story.
I`m off to get some more plants……………..you chat amongst yourselves! 😆
Scott with the results your dog trainer is getting I would stick with him too,
Geoff, he’s a hall of fame trainer-we are lucky to have him.
New post up now