I think you could see similar scenarios with Nelson and Nketiah and possibly Emile Smith Rowe.

They will be moved on and will find their true value. I honestly suspect Eddie would similarly struggle to get regular minutes for anyone outside the bottom 3

I see we are being linked with Alexander Isak.

Out of the all the strikers we are being linked with I would probably say he’s the most logical from my perspective.

I don’t really see us going for a beanpole type target man as much as they keep getting linked and would envisage a more mobile type with lethal finishing. More of an Ian Wright than an Alan smith.

This summer could be interesting. Also think you could see 1or 2 very surprising exits possibly on the horizon.

The trouble for Eddie is being born in the wrong era. Had he had his professional career in the 90's he might well have made more of it because teams played with 2 strikers, big man/little man - or the best played a striker and number 10 - but there were far more opportunities for a striker with Nketiah's skillset. Teams now tend to play 1 up top and that 1 needs to be far more than a penalty box finisher/poacher. Would a young Michael Owen in today's era had to have eventually found his way in to the team by playing on the wing for example?

Those teams lower down the league also play 1 up top and that 1 up top is often even more so a bit of a big man rather than the type of player Eddie is.

A lovely article to read, I imagine it will be enjoyed here: https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soc ... 63890.html

I hope more teams see what we did to City and believe they can do it as well. Their set up is 4 CB's across the back 4 and they tuck in the wide men (Foden and Silva in our game) meaning the space they created was out wide for their CB playing as full-backs. They pose very little threat in those 1v1 areas in the wide channels. Arsenal funneled back Saka and Jesus to defend them which allowed us to tuck both our full backs in to a very compact back 4. City's wide centre back didn't have the creativity or guile to beat a man so ended up lumping in hopeful crosses or recycling it back.

It wasn't until City made subs and made Doku and Grealish their wide players instructed to keep the width that they managed to get in behind us (Doku on a couple of times).

It is also interesting that Pep chose Foden and Silva to fill the wide forward roles, they are the best ball retainers for City in those roles. Doku and Alvarez have much higher turnover rates, they're more explosive maybe but they give it away more and Pep didn't want to be exposed on transitions. So to some extent Pep's approach was risk averse as well.

I think an area we should address in the summer is having another forward option with genuine pace. Only Martinelli gives us that at the moment.

I hear this but it’s a bit of a distraction, even if I picked an average ish striker from the noughties when 2 were being played up front all the time I’d say they have more to their game than Eddie. Say … Defoe ! Yes the king of bling ! Not even top level by any means but he was a decent finisher who would net spurs 15 or so goals a year. Thats just beyond Eddie no matter what formation. If you can’t do the business with martinelli, star boy and Ødegaard feeding you then you aren’t good enough.

Eddie Nketiah's last goal away from home in the Premier League came on New Year's Eve 2022. Says all you need to know really

I agree Nketiah is not at Defoe's level from that era, I'm just saying in an era of 2 man striker partnerships he'd have more chance of a solid premier league career. Whereas if you went through the entire bottom half of the league currently and the type of striker they play as the lone front man Eddie might have more ability. finishers instinct etc but these clubs scrapping at the bottom aren't putting loads of chances on a plate they need a guy who can get them out, hold up the ball, run the channel, be strong etc
Those bottom half first choice strikers
Chelsea (!) Jackson
Fulham - Muniz
Bournemouth - Solanke
Palace - Mateta
Brentford - Toney
Everton - Calvert-Lewin/Beto
Forest - Awoniyi
Luton - Adebayo
Burnley - Fofana (loan from Chelsea)
Sheff Utd - McBurnie
All of those strikers apart from maybe Muniz are tall and physically strong. Muniz is still 6ft 1".

I'm not sure who in the prem would buy Nketiah to be their first choice striker. Teams that can create enough chances to accommodate him are at the top of the table and he's not good enough for that level. He's good enough for lower league sides but their structure wouldn't accommodate him as first choice

We haven't went on a goal fest for a few matches now. Luton would be a good opportunity to work on the goal differential. Liverpool have an easy match and could put a real dent in it.

A win would be nice.

ARS - Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Ødegaard, Partey, Smith Rowe; Nelson, Havertz, Trossard

Much more rotation than I expected. Big risk from Arteta hope it pays off

Few rumours that none of Saka, Rice, Martinelli or Jesus start

Reiss Nelson is better off the ball. He's great around the box, but out in midfield, he doesn't move the ball forward enough. Hope the goal counts.

Zinchenko loose too many times.