EDDIE NKETIAH
AGE: 18 CLUB: ARSENAL POSITION: STRIKER VALUE: £3m 2017-18 APPS: 7 GOALS: 2
WHAT HAS HE GOT?
ARSENAL recently had three international strikers on the books — Alexandre Lacazette, Danny Welbeck and Olivier Giroud. They are all natural No 9s. Giroud has now left, Lacazette is injured and, although Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been added, I wonder whether young Nketiah (below) will now get the chance his form deserves. I do hope his efforts will be encouraged and there appears hope they will be as he came on as a late substitute against Ostersunds last night. A brief introduction in the League Cup saw him score two goals earlier this season. When I saw him in another game he looked every bit a player going places and one wonders how he would cope with a loan move away from the Emirates to help his progress. Only 18 and with a strong frame, he showed speed down the channels which took him away from his marker to score the first of two deserved goals with a fierce rightfoot finish. Previously he had impressed me by cleverly deceiving the same defender by slowing him down while shielding the ball and then changing pace to burst away. In the first half he showed to receive on the edge of the box with his back to goal while tightly marked. He then curved a beautiful left-foot bender inches past the post. Right-footed, pacy and powerful, he has excellent movement. His centre-back marker could never rest as he constantly looked to work him, coming towards the ball and, if not receiving, he would spin to try and get goal-side.
WHAT DOES HE NEED?
HE IS young but looks mature for his age. He is brave but I am uncertain at the moment about his aerial strengths. In the game I saw, so few crosses came in his direction. Overall I saw enough qualities to consider him to have a very bright future. He will follow a long line of young Arsenal strikers but many looked promising only to not quite hit the standards required by Arsene Wenger. I am thinking of players like Chuba Akpom and Benik Afobe but I think that this Lewisham lad, with a fair wind and luck with injuries, could go far.