Depending how Eddie does the rest of this season for Arsenal, why not keep both and let them slug it out to be first choice back-up to Jesus.

Striker is the most expensive position to recruit. We suddenly appear to have 3 very decent ones already on the books!

comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted 2 minutes ago
Depending how Eddie does the rest of this season for Arsenal, why not keep both and let them slug it out to be first choice back-up to Jesus.

Striker is the most expensive position to recruit. We suddenly appear to have 3 very decent ones already on the books!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree. But say someone bids something ridiculous like £80m?

comment by oldboy2002 (U20062)
posted 11 minutes ago
comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted 2 minutes ago
Depending how Eddie does the rest of this season for Arsenal, why not keep both and let them slug it out to be first choice back-up to Jesus.

Striker is the most expensive position to recruit. We suddenly appear to have 3 very decent ones already on the books!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree. But say someone bids something ridiculous like £80m?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It won't happen

comment by Passion Power - Make 1984 fiction again (U8398)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by oldboy2002 (U20062)
posted 11 minutes ago
comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted 2 minutes ago
Depending how Eddie does the rest of this season for Arsenal, why not keep both and let them slug it out to be first choice back-up to Jesus.

Striker is the most expensive position to recruit. We suddenly appear to have 3 very decent ones already on the books!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree. But say someone bids something ridiculous like £80m?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It won't happen
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chelsea need a striker in the summer.lol

Both Balogun and Nketiah are playing really well, which is a fantastic problem for Arteta to have. But he will have to come up with a plan or a new formation fir 2023/4 to be able to keep both because neither will accept a "squad player" role.

Arsenal tied them both down to long term contracts fortunately so we don’t have to worry

Balogun is top class. Will be better than Eddie. How we develop him is vital now. Could go either way.

Balogun will also be the star for USA at their home world cup.

comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted 42 minutes ago
Depending how Eddie does the rest of this season for Arsenal, why not keep both and let them slug it out to be first choice back-up to Jesus.

Striker is the most expensive position to recruit. We suddenly appear to have 3 very decent ones already on the books!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Might be difficult to convince a player to go from competing for the golden boot in France to battling to be a back up striker. Especially with the Euros coming up, might want to go out and play games to try and sneak in.

comment by Lisandro The King Martinez (U10026)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted 42 minutes ago
Depending how Eddie does the rest of this season for Arsenal, why not keep both and let them slug it out to be first choice back-up to Jesus.

Striker is the most expensive position to recruit. We suddenly appear to have 3 very decent ones already on the books!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Might be difficult to convince a player to go from competing for the golden boot in France to battling to be a back up striker. Especially with the Euros coming up, might want to go out and play games to try and sneak in.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He will likely play for USA than England

Will he? He’s been playing for England’s u21’s. If he keeps his form up he might get a look in for the senior team. Same with Nketiah. Toney’s ban looming, Abraham and DCL playing crap. There could be openings for someone to break into the squad.

Keep him at all cost, best finisher at Arsenal since Wrighty👍

He looks a great player, good hat trick tonight

comment by Grand Cannon (U18697)
posted 2 hours, 53 minutes ago
Both Balogun and Nketiah are playing really well, which is a fantastic problem for Arteta to have. But he will have to come up with a plan or a new formation fir 2023/4 to be able to keep both because neither will accept a "squad player" role.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Change a potential title winning tactic so one of our back up strikers don’t get upset?

Nketiah's role is literally as a squad player.

Highlights to the game if you haven't seen it
https://youtu.be/57Z7qGB3EqY

Nketiah is a first team player, whether he's first choice or not is irrelevant as it's down to the attitude of those not in the first XI to compete and challenge for a first team place. That's what he is doing now, that is what Trossard will do, and despite him not being the most popular acquisition, that is what Jorginho will be expected to do.

On Balogun, great to see him doing well and people can say its a poor league but he's playing for a midtable team and this can only be great for his development.

Given he's on a long term deal, Arsenal can assess him in the summer and see what is best for the player and the club. Maybe a PL loan move with a decent fee attached next season to enable him plenty of game time?

comment by Lisandro The King Martinez (U10026)
posted 11 hours, 25 minutes ago
comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted 42 minutes ago
Depending how Eddie does the rest of this season for Arsenal, why not keep both and let them slug it out to be first choice back-up to Jesus.

Striker is the most expensive position to recruit. We suddenly appear to have 3 very decent ones already on the books!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Might be difficult to convince a player to go from competing for the golden boot in France to battling to be a back up striker. Especially with the Euros coming up, might want to go out and play games to try and sneak in.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I dunno, PSG signed Ekitike from the same French side after he had an impressive season with them, and he's hardly first choice

I reckon Arteta will send Flo Balo out for another loan, just like he did with Saliba. You can't overemphasis the role regular first team football has on a player. Balo is still fairly raw and he needs to work on his pressing, but he's progressing well.

I think all talk of him playing a role with the Arsenal first team next season is premature. Perhaps Arteta will allow Balo to integrate with the first team next season, and play a few games in league cup, etc. But at the turn of the year I'd expect him to be back on loan, working on his development.

Oh, and all this talk of his price tag is ridiculous. Arteta pressed Balo into signing a contract extension because he believed he could develop the player, he's not about to sell him on the back of decent league campaign.

It'll be another loan out next season and then an evaluation on when/how to integrate him into the Arsenal 1st team.

pretty amazing that the championship is harder than ligue 1

comment by Taki Minamino (U20650)
posted 1 minute ago
pretty amazing that the championship is harder than ligue 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Balogun would be in the 20s already in the Championship.

Why would we sell our top young players?

comment by KSE Out (U21076)
posted 3 hours, 29 minutes ago
comment by Lisandro The King Martinez (U10026)
posted 11 hours, 25 minutes ago
comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted 42 minutes ago
Depending how Eddie does the rest of this season for Arsenal, why not keep both and let them slug it out to be first choice back-up to Jesus.

Striker is the most expensive position to recruit. We suddenly appear to have 3 very decent ones already on the books!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Might be difficult to convince a player to go from competing for the golden boot in France to battling to be a back up striker. Especially with the Euros coming up, might want to go out and play games to try and sneak in.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I dunno, PSG signed Ekitike from the same French side after he had an impressive season with them, and he's hardly first choice
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He’s second choice. He wasn’t competing for the golden boot to potentially being third choice. It’s a bit different.

Pep juggles his squad by embedding the idea in the club that all trophies are equally important. So players in the 19-23 age group rarely complain. Jesus can play wide or striker. Eddie and Balogun are proper no.9s. There really shouldn't be an issue for a few years.

Pep also doesn’t have three strikers in the squad because he can’t give enough game time to the third choice. Most clubs don’t and prefer to use a player out of position where needed.