Nketiah?

[silvertop]

At Arsenal he was a bit-part player who only scored 19 PL goals over 7 seasons.
At Leeds he only scored 3 goals in the Championship in 17 appearances.

Ill let others assess the stats, but I will comment on the subjective value placed on him by gooner fans.

When he came on in the cup they cheered and shouted "Eddie Eddie Eddie!!"

They were not being ironic. Arsenal fans are not that sophisticated. If they were relieved to see him off they would have jeered.

For me, it's a head scratcher. Dougie was after him for yonks and his judgment has proven good over and over. If anyone can get a decent tune out of a player it is OG. And he has moved from little fish in big pond to bigger fish in smaller pond with what is supposed to be a close, nurturing team environment.

Is it just a question of time?

 

[BromleyMonkey]

Ill let others assess the stats, but I will comment on the subjective value placed on him by gooner fans.

When he came on in the cup they cheered and shouted "Eddie Eddie Eddie!!"

They were not being ironic. Arsenal fans are not that sophisticated. If they were relieved to see him off they would have jeered.

For me, it's a head scratcher. Dougie was after him for yonks and his judgment has proven good over and over. If anyone can get a decent tune out of a player it is OG. And he has moved from little fish in big pond to bigger fish in smaller pond with what is supposed to be a close, nurturing team environment.

Is it just a question of time?

A lot of Arsenal fans likened him to Ian wright, which is good enough for me.

The stats of 19 goals in over 100 appearances is bollocks as everyone knows, being thrown on for a minute to wind the clock down at the end of a game counts as one appearance!!

 

[Xong Kudu]

I’ve said it before and will say it again he never has been able to place a shot to the side of the keeper. He’s a ‘head down’ and ‘hit it in the general direction’ merchant. This is why he finds the keeper so much. He did the same at Arsenal.

He’s a terrible finisher. That is his problem. Ian Wright had keeper awareness and could place the ball into the net. There is a huge difference between both players.

 

[pssguy]

Of course, there is always a way of presenting stats that supports your argument. At Arsenal he pretty much always had a 'top' international forward to contend with (Jesus, Lacazette, Aubameyang etc), but often came in and performed when needed.

Arsenal needed a proper striker but he was still fourth choice behind Havertz, Jesus and Trossard last season. Freedman had a longing for him, like Sarr. The latter has panned out OK so far. Roughly, 50% of transfers turn out well. Glasner presumably wanted Lacroix and Kamada' so the same rate of return there

 

[AbbeyRoad1969]

I think we've bought two duds, Nketiah and Kamada. It happens. For every Wharton and Sarr there's the other side of the coin. Eddie's missed chance early in the game on Saturday sums him up, that's why Arsenal sold him. Kamada is too fragile for the Prem, he needs time and space to play, you get limited both at this level.

 

[Palacesince64]

I think we've bought two duds, Nketiah and Kamada. It happens. For every Wharton and Sarr there's the other side of the coin. Eddie's missed chance early in the game on Saturday sums him up, that's why Arsenal sold him. Kamada is too fragile for the Prem, he needs time and space to play, you get limited both at this level.

I don’t wish to add to the Kamada debate but I do think you’re being harsh on Nketiah. He scored for Arsenal whenever they played him but was down the pecking order and Arseteta preferred playing with a false 9 much of the time. I’ve no idea why they sold him given their current predicament and I suspect many of their fans are bemused too.

 

[AbbeyRoad1969]

I don’t wish to add to the Kamada debate but I do think you’re being harsh on Nketiah. He scored for Arsenal whenever they played him but was down the pecking order and Arseteta preferred playing with a false 9 much of the time. I’ve no idea why they sold him given their current predicament and I suspect many of their fans are bemused too.

Many of their fans couldn't believe we paid 25m for him

 

[dreamwaverider]

There was an Olise size gap to fit in the front 3 in Glasner’s system at the beginning of the season.
The candidates for the role were Nketiah, Sarr and Kamada.
Kamada hasn’t looked comfortable in the role and neither has Nketiah.
At first Sarr looked ill at ease too, but presumably based on coaching and his own efforts he has adjusted his game dramatically.
He no longer crowds Munoz’s space, tucks in when necessary and joins the striker when we are on the attack.
It hasn’t worked every game, but Sarr has definitely adjusted to suit the system.

Which does beg the question why Nketiah hasn’t so far been able to make the adjustment.
You are being asked to play slightly to the side rather than down the middle, but there are opportunities to get into the box.
Furthermore, some on here have suggested that Nketiah would be better suited to 2 up front.
In our current system, when we are in possession the two outside forwards are asked to join the central striker in and around the penalty area.
Not that different to playing with 2 up front in those situations.
Nketiah should be able to adjust his game dramatically- it’s not like he’s being asked to play centre back or holding midfield.

Sarr is way faster and tougher and from what ive seen; a far better player than Nketiah. Probably why he has adjusted so seamlessly. Sarr is really shaping up for us. Eight prem goals already. I would love to see Nketiah get there, but so far he is not delivering.

 

[park the bus]

Football is a results business, and at this level a cut throat one also - fact is he had the start he was probably craving and totally fluffed his lines with a poor effort straight at the keeper; he could have dropped his shoulder and gone round the keeper or dinked it over him but in the end the all too familiar hit and hope that marks out the lesser forwards from the really cultured ones.
It's why good forwards end up at clubs higher up the league table.

 

[PalazioVecchio]

I think we've bought two duds, Nketiah and Kamada. It happens. For every Wharton and Sarr there's the other side of the coin. Eddie's missed chance early in the game on Saturday sums him up, that's why Arsenal sold him. Kamada is too fragile for the Prem, he needs time and space to play, you get limited both at this level.

Correct. And the summer time is the time to deal with these problems. Nobody has the luxury of a hundred fluffed chances every game.

Maybe a genius like Glasner can solve the Nketiah conundrum. Find the tactics and style that make him score like Mateta. But i doubt it.

 

[Stirlingsays]

Many of their fans couldn't believe we paid 25m for him

Maybe, but what fans think can't really be relied upon.

I remember on here when a 10 million offer was made on early Zaha with some people on here saying we should bite their hand off......I was amazed at the time and I've never forgotten it.

I've also never quite got over being told that Owen Garvan was going to do well in the Premiership.....Big debate on here about it and it was like conversing with someone telling you that 3D telly was the next big thing.

 

[Xong Kudu]

Watching highlights again that Nketiah ‘miss’ wasn’t as bad as I first thought. His first touch is excellent and then he does in fact glance up to get a fix on the keeper and goal. He tries to bend it round the keeper towards near post but the keeper makes a good save. All that sprinting as well.

I’m willing to stick with him and cut him some slack.