Eddie Nketiah (14)

[TedLasso]

I know this is basically impossible but, and just hear me out, what if…he keeps improving?

What am I thinking. There’s no way a 23 year old striker at one of the premier clubs in the league will get better. I mean, what are the odds of something like that?

[Ach]

Barely improved in last 3 years

What makes you think he will now?

[Hypergooner]

At w3 and not much of a run in the team, I think he can get considerably better.
How many times have we seen young forward players leave big clubs and show everyone they are quality after a run of games at a smaller club. Kevin De Bruyne and Serge Gnabry spring to mind.

[Power n Glory]

At w3 and not much of a run in the team, I think he can get considerably better.
How many times have we seen young forward players leave big clubs and show everyone they are quality after a run of games at a smaller club. Kevin De Bruyne and Serge Gnabry spring to mind.

Have you forgotten about the original Project Youth? The two players you mentioned are a rare exception.

[theHotHead]

Prime Theo is better than current Martinelli but not better than current Saka. Problem is, getting Theo to be prime, he was hit n miss. Both Saka and Martinelli on form have some way to go to produce the numbers Theo got in his best seasons with us though.

[theHotHead]

I don't think he will get much better than he is now because of his game, he is a basic poacher/opportunist striker, he doesn't have areas he will improve in, his game is about being in the right place at the right time, not technique.

[ag6789]

Theo was a limited player. Lacked dribble , turn, operating in tight spaces and ball holding skills ( not robust enough for a CF) and mostly relied on speed, but did somewhat have a nose for goals. That's why Wenger put him in the wings after observing his capabilities for a while.
He survived at Arsenal for 12 years and scored 108 at an average of 9 goals in all competitions per year. Most teams would have jettisoned him long back, but as per the practices of that Era he carried on like Diaby , Wilshire ( 10 years!), Iwobi, Ox etc., w/o being visibly productive.
Marinelli, on the other hand seems to have many qualities, like dribble ,speed, an eye for the goal, and few other attributes. He's very young and has potential to be a top forward given time and space.

[Losmeister]

WELL... HE'S IN THE TEAM

Imma get behind him. He DOES work hard and presses well.

Hears hoping he can expand his game beyond tap-ins

Let us spray... (as in laughing your morning tea out your nose)

i mean pray

sigh

[VCC]

WELL... HE'S IN THE TEAM

Imma get behind him. He DOES work hard and presses well.

Hears hoping he can expand his game beyond tap-ins

Let us spray... (as in laughing your morning tea out your nose)

i mean pray

sigh

Made every other teams CBs day i bet

[theHotHead]

Theo was a limited player. Lacked dribble , turn, operating in tight spaces and ball holding skills ( not robust enough for a CF) and mostly relied on speed, but did somewhat have a nose for goals. That's why Wenger put him in the wings after observing his capabilities for a while.
He survived at Arsenal for 12 years and scored 108 at an average of 9 goals in all competitions per year. Most teams would have jettisoned him long back, but as per the practices of that Era he carried on like Diaby , Wilshire ( 10 years!), Iwobi, Ox etc., w/o being visibly productive.
Marinelli, on the other hand seems to have many qualities, like dribble ,speed, an eye for the goal, and few other attributes. He's very young and has potential to be a top forward given time and space.

Theo as an outside forward was formidable, thats why he got the numbers he got, he was not suited to our pass pass slow game, he thrived getting the ball from starting on the outside shoulder of the full back and running between him and the CB, ball played to him, pace gets him clear and he was pretty deadly in those situations

I think Theo gets rough justice on this forum, he was played out of position for a huge chunk of his career, he was never a winger but was played as a winger for Arsenal and England.

[alexafc12]

Walcott would excel playing at Spurs with Kane.

His runs I am behind were under rated. He was just average with the ball at his feet.

[theHotHead]

Agreed, he was totally average with the ball at his feet, but give him a chance to make that run and give him a shot at goal and thats where he shone

[Power n Glory]

I know this is basically impossible but, and just hear me out, what if…he keeps improving?

What am I thinking. There’s no way a 23 year old striker at one of the premier clubs in the league will get better. I mean, what are the odds of something like that?

Yeah it's not impossible. But we've just spent the last few years shifting talented academy players that failed to develop further. Bellerin and Maitland Niles are still on the books and it looks like the end of the road of Reiss Nelson despite looking promising in his early years. Hopefully, Nketiah doubles his numbers and we quick and rabit improvement from him but over the years I've players with more natural fail to develop further at this level so not that optimistic.

[Power n Glory]

Prime Theo is better than current Martinelli but not better than current Saka. Problem is, getting Theo to be prime, he was hit n miss. Both Saka and Martinelli on form have some way to go to produce the numbers Theo got in his best seasons with us though.

The funny thing about Theo, despite not looking as naturally gifted on the ball as other players, he turned to be one of our best Project Youth players. Ox, Iwobi, Joel Campbell, Vela..all failed to produce the numbers expected of them. Theo came the closest to delivering but was still inconsistent and met with a lot of criticism from fans.

Martinelli started off well with 10 goals but he's had injury problems and managed just 2 goals, then 6 goals the season just gone. He has a long way to go.

If Saka and ESR manage to double their goals and assists next season, they'd be on par of close to Theo's 12/13 season.

[swipe right]

Theo in form was a brilliant player. What an outlet he was. When he burst down that right flank it sent shivers down full backs. He made some amazing goals happen for Ade and RvP. Those were good times and it’s a shame we didn’t appreciate them more.