Eddie Nketiah has proved his doubters wrong in 2023. The Arsenal striker may have had reason to be frustrated in the first half of the season after signing a new long-term contract and losing his place in Mikel Arteta's side to Gabriel Jesus.
Last campaign, the Hale End graduate became a regular in the Gunners' attack following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's controversial exit to Barcelona. After a string of inclusions off the bench, Nketiah started the final eight games of the season and scored five goals amid intense speculation surrounding his future.
Amid the rumours linking him with a free transfer move to Germany, Nketiah committed his future to the club in June. "I'm delighted Eddie is staying with us," Arteta said in the summer.
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"He represents what we are all about and all the values of the club. We are very happy that he has extended his contract and now we have to get to work and continue to develop the great talent and person that we have in him."
Sixteen days later, Jesus arrived from Manchester City in a deal worth £45million. Arteta's objective of replacing Alexandre Lacazette, who played the false 9 role particularly well before returning to Lyon, was completed, with the Brazilian handed the opportunity to be the main man in attack following Erling Haaland's arrival in Manchester.
Arsenal have been red-hot since the opening day victory over Crystal Palace back in August. The Gunners have dropped points in only three of their 20 Premier League games - losing once - to place them in good stead to lift their first league title since 2004.
Arteta’s men find themselves five points above Pep Guardiola’s side, albeit with a long way to go. But they’ve astounded the football world. Whilst it would be unfair to pile additional praise onto any individual this season, Jesus' role in attack alongside Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli has been sensational.
Prior to the World Cup break, the 25-year-old faced scrutiny due to his run of six games without a goal. But anyone who has kept a close eye on Arsenal this season will know, Jesus offers more than just goals.
Seven assists in all competitions in 20 games is good going for a striker playing centrally in attack. Only Saka, Christian Eriksen and Kevin De Bruyne have created more goals this season, with Jamie Vardy the next best striker with four. However, his unfortunate knee injury sustained during the World Cup placed emphasis on Nketiah to prove his worth.
Fast forward to now and talk of Arteta seeking a new No. 9 has quietened dramatically, with the 23-year-old Nketiah having played every minute in Arsenal's six games back, scoring six. His two strikes in Sunday's dramatic 3-2 win over Manchester United perfectly summarised his development over the past year.
His first comes from good movement and a powerful header from close range before the match winner falls his way courtesy of his quick reactions and intelligence to stay onside. If Arsenal fans were not confident going into their title race with Manchester City prior to the resumption of the season, they are now.
Of course, statistics are not everything in football. But they certainly play a huge role in factoring whether a player is conducting himself well in a system, making the most of his opportunity and ultimately doing his job on the pitch. His goal record speaks for itself but Nketiah's in-game statistics show why Arteta was right to place his faith in him.
Courtesy of BonusCodeBets, Opta Stats show an upwards trajectory of Nketiah's influence within Arsenal's attacking plays. The striker's touches in the opposition box per game has risen from 7.1 to 7.8 whilst also managing more shots per game from 3.2 to 4.1.
An interesting combination of stats taken from the sample shows Nketiah has become better on the ball. His fouls won per game has leaped from 1.5 to 2.3 and has been dispossessed fewer times than last season, with 9.9 the figure this season compared to 12.2 prior.
Nketiah's impressive displays have allowed Edu Gasper to focus elsewhere on areas of Arteta's squad this month in a bid to continue their remarkable campaign. Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior have arrived to bolster the winger and defence positions, respectively, and Jesus' return will have the feel of a new signing.
The Brazilian's absence has provided Arteta with additional selection issues for the remainder of the season. Both players offer different things on the pitch and both can play key roles in bringing Premier League title success to the Emirates Stadium in May. The football club just have to keep their faith intact, just as Arteta did with Nketiah.
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