Eddie Nketiah interview: Playing striker in this Arsenal team is tough
The prevailing school of thought from outside the Arsenal bubble is that they need a striker, a classic No 9 capable of scoring 20 goals a season. The January transfer window was rife with speculation to that effect, but it came and went without a high-profile signing arriving at the Emirates. Whether Mikel Arteta’s side will have the firepower to sustain their Premier League title challenge and European aspirations remains one of key questions hanging over the remainder of the season.
Since Arteta arrived at the Emirates in December 2019, a constant presence in attack has been Eddie Nketiah, who has made 33 appearances across all competitions this season. Leading the line for Arsenal is a multifaceted job and, although the 24-year-old is comfortable with the demands, he admits it is not always easy.
“It’s a tough role, but something I enjoy playing,” he insists. “I think it all depends on the type of game and what the manager wants, where the spaces will be. You can have good days and bad days, but I try to give my best to help the team every time I step out there.
“I’m at a stage in my career where I’m comfortable dropping deeper, coming to feet and arriving in goal-scoring positions – but also being on the shoulder of the last man because I can get in behind to threaten defences.”
Arsenal have scored 70 league goals this season, five more than Sunday’s opponents Manchester City– a clash that could be pivotal in deciding the destination of the trophy. Alongside their attacking prowess, the lessons learnt from last campaign have been crucial to this title charge.
“Mikel is always demanding and pushing us to be the best versions of ourselves,” Nketiah said. “We came close last year and we know what it is like to be involved in it so that experience is going to do us well.
“Every player that’s joined has added something in their own way. All the players that were here before have developed and improved and got more experience based off last season. We’re taking one game at a time but we’re in a good place and we’re really hungry [to win] and do something for the fans.”
If Arsenal are to claim their first league title since 2004, their ability at set pieces will play a major role. Not too long ago, the idea of a ‘set-piece coach’ was ridiculed. Not anymore. Nicolas Jover has worked wonders for the north London club, turning them into one of the league’s best. Nketiah attributes their success to the squad recognising the benefits of dead-ball opportunities.
“We train a lot on it, Nico is a lovely guy and away from the pitch we get on really well. All the players have a good relationship with him,” says Nketiah, who smiles at the mention of the influential coach.
“It’s not just him though. The manager is really keen on it and all the players and staff buy into it. We know it can help us and it’s something we work on so hopefully we can continue to create chances from set pieces and open play because we’ve got fantastic players who like to arrive on the end of things and players who can put in quality balls so it all helps.”
Arsenal’s unbeaten league form in 2024 has come on the back of a mid-season break in Dubai that sparked a marked uptick. Arteta’s side had one win in seven games in all competitions before it.
“Everyone was disappointed,” Nketiah concedes about the team morale. “You want to be winning matches and competing for things throughout the season so we were disappointed with the results but it was a really good time to get back together, focus on things, have a good time training and I think it’s done us really well.
“It was a chance for some people to detach, come away and get a bit of a break but also to work hard and just be together. We always have to be together through good and bad moments. Going away allowed us to have a change in environment and get that spark back. It wasn’t a crisis. We were still playing well, we just didn’t get the results we wanted. It was about being able to take our minds off football for a few days, then reattach and work hard. We had a lot of time to work in units with the forwards, do some finishing and other things we wanted to improve.”
That effort is clearly paying off for Arsenal with the pressure rising.
“We have to believe. We have the quality to do it and with our fans behind us, anything is possible,” Nketiah says. “You have to aim to win and we are no different.”
For Arsenal fans’ sake, they will be hoping the players can finally get the job done.
Eddie Nketiah interview: Playing striker in this Arsenal team is tough (telegraph.co.uk)
Eddie Nketiah interview: Playing striker in this Arsenal team is tough
The prevailing school of thought from outside the Arsenal bubble is that they need a striker, a classic No 9 capable of scoring 20 goals a season. The January transfer window was rife with speculation to that effect, but it came and went without a high-profile signing arriving at the Emirates. Whether Mikel Arteta’s side will have the firepower to sustain their Premier League title challenge and European aspirations remains one of key questions hanging over the remainder of the season.
Since Arteta arrived at the Emirates in December 2019, a constant presence in attack has been Eddie Nketiah, who has made 33 appearances across all competitions this season. Leading the line for Arsenal is a multifaceted job and, although the 24-year-old is comfortable with the demands, he admits it is not always easy.
“It’s a tough role, but something I enjoy playing,” he insists. “I think it all depends on the type of game and what the manager wants, where the spaces will be. You can have good days and bad days, but I try to give my best to help the team every time I step out there.
“I’m at a stage in my career where I’m comfortable dropping deeper, coming to feet and arriving in goal-scoring positions – but also being on the shoulder of the last man because I can get in behind to threaten defences.”
Arsenal have scored 70 league goals this season, five more than Sunday’s opponents Manchester City– a clash that could be pivotal in deciding the destination of the trophy. Alongside their attacking prowess, the lessons learnt from last campaign have been crucial to this title charge.
“Mikel is always demanding and pushing us to be the best versions of ourselves,” Nketiah said. “We came close last year and we know what it is like to be involved in it so that experience is going to do us well.
“Every player that’s joined has added something in their own way. All the players that were here before have developed and improved and got more experience based off last season. We’re taking one game at a time but we’re in a good place and we’re really hungry [to win] and do something for the fans.”
If Arsenal are to claim their first league title since 2004, their ability at set pieces will play a major role. Not too long ago, the idea of a ‘set-piece coach’ was ridiculed. Not anymore. Nicolas Jover has worked wonders for the north London club, turning them into one of the league’s best. Nketiah attributes their success to the squad recognising the benefits of dead-ball opportunities.
“We train a lot on it, Nico is a lovely guy and away from the pitch we get on really well. All the players have a good relationship with him,” says Nketiah, who smiles at the mention of the influential coach.
“It’s not just him though. The manager is really keen on it and all the players and staff buy into it. We know it can help us and it’s something we work on so hopefully we can continue to create chances from set pieces and open play because we’ve got fantastic players who like to arrive on the end of things and players who can put in quality balls so it all helps.”
Arsenal’s unbeaten league form in 2024 has come on the back of a mid-season break in Dubai that sparked a marked uptick. Arteta’s side had one win in seven games in all competitions before it.
“Everyone was disappointed,” Nketiah concedes about the team morale. “You want to be winning matches and competing for things throughout the season so we were disappointed with the results but it was a really good time to get back together, focus on things, have a good time training and I think it’s done us really well.
“It was a chance for some people to detach, come away and get a bit of a break but also to work hard and just be together. We always have to be together through good and bad moments. Going away allowed us to have a change in environment and get that spark back. It wasn’t a crisis. We were still playing well, we just didn’t get the results we wanted. It was about being able to take our minds off football for a few days, then reattach and work hard. We had a lot of time to work in units with the forwards, do some finishing and other things we wanted to improve.”
That effort is clearly paying off for Arsenal with the pressure rising.
“We have to believe. We have the quality to do it and with our fans behind us, anything is possible,” Nketiah says. “You have to aim to win and we are no different.”
For Arsenal fans’ sake, they will be hoping the players can finally get the job done.
Eddie Nketiah interview: Playing striker in this Arsenal team is tough (telegraph.co.uk)
