Mikel Arteta showed his usual class by reiterating how impressed he is with the ‘attitude’ of Arsenal talent Eddie Nketiah after the 21-year-old talent’s game-changing contribution against Fulham today.
Nketiah pounced after Alphonse Areola parried the ball away to score a last-minute equaliser for the Gunners against Fulham, which came after Bukayo Saka fired in a corner from the right flank.
The Arsenal academy graduate was called into action in the 70th minute, replacing the in-form Alexandre Lacazette, who was forced to limp off in a worrying sign for the Gunners.
Arteta was questioned about what Nketiah can ‘still offer’ the side, having seen very minimal action recently and being ‘linked with a move away’, the Spaniard replied that the ace ‘always offers his best’.
Arsenal’s former captain turned boss reiterated that the youngster is ‘always a threat in front of goal’, with Nketiah’s natural finishing ability and poacher’s instinct certainly his best assets.
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Arteta stated that the 21-year-old is always a ‘threat’ in front of goal and ‘always offers his best’:
Mikel Arteta insisted that Eddie Nketiah is one of the Arsenal players that ‘always offers his best’ for the club after today’s heroics against Fulham… pic.twitter.com/pensY7EVNa
— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) April 18, 2021
“Yeah, he always offers his best. Today, he scored a goal, he had another two important chances, he’s always a threat in front of goal.”
Arteta dedicated some more praise to the England Under-21s’ highest-scoring player ever later in the press conference, sharing that Nketiah has been ‘fighting’ to get more minutes this season.
Mikel Arteta heaped praise on the ‘attitude’ of today’s Arsenal hero, Eddie Nketiah, adding that the striker has been ‘fighting’ to get more minutes in the team… pic.twitter.com/Dw7eRrkmdt
— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) April 18, 2021
Arteta was later asked on the importance of Nketiah securing some ‘rhythm’ to his game with more regular play time:
“Well, obviously every player needs minutes and Eddie’s been fighting all the time to get more minutes than what he was getting this season.”
“It’s good that when he has opportunities to show his attitude and his quality, that he’s done it.”
Nketiah has only made six appearances for the club since the turn of the New Year, starting just once which came in the FA Cup defeat to Southampton.
It does look difficult when trying to plot out how Nketiah will get the regular first-team football he needs to develop when he’s stuck behind Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and now even fellow academy graduate Folarin Balogun.
It’s nice to see Arteta hailing the youngster’s attitude, which is common from the Spaniard when the ex-Chelsea talent comes up in conversation, many other prospects would’ve thrown fits.
Arsenal supporters will be hoping that Nketiah can kick on from this moment and hopefully land some more minutes in the run-in to the end of the season.