There is healthy competition for the central striker role after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has begun to play on the left of the front three. Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah look set to compete for a starting spot throughout the season with Mikel Arteta willing to pick players based on performance.

After the 21-year-old’s late goal secured victory over Leicester City in their third-round match-up, the Gunners now face the prospect of playing Liverpool twice in four days if the Merseyside outfit are successful in their cup match against Lincoln City. 

But the question on everybody’s lips is should Nketiah start against the Premier League Champions?

  • Positives

Nketiah reminds me of an old-fashioned striker, one that is there to do their job. He has been one of the many success stories under the new Arsenal boss and is a player who is making himself known with his crucial goals for the team.

For me personally, it is exciting to watch him play. His movement in and around the box is sublime, he has got the mindset of a natural goal scorer. But most importantly, the manager believes in him.

Nketiah played a full 90 minutes against Leicester, that hard work paid off as he bagged himself a goal right at the end of the game.

 

Arteta genuinely believes that the youngster is the right man for the job. He is not trying to prove a point by playing him or figure out if Nketiah is up to the task, I think the Arsenal boss believes he can do a better job than, a slightly struggling but coming into his own, Lacazette.

Former Crystal Palace hitman, Clinton Morrison is one of the many admirers of the English youngster. Speaking on Sky Sports News he said:

“He’s a young player who couldn’t make the grade at Leeds when he went on loan but he’s come back to Arsenal and he’s doing ever so well, Sometimes when the manager believes in you, he can get the best out of you.

“But you know what I like about him, he always wants to get in there and score goals. He doesn’t need a lot of chances and when it comes to him he’s ice cold, Morrison told Sky Sports.

“One of the best people who told me about that was Ian Wright. When you are in the box go ice cold. So, if Nketiah wants to ring up Ian Wright, I am sure he would give him advice. He has a bright future at that football club.”

  • The stats don’t lie...

Last season he only scored nine goals in 36 appearances, including his loan spell in the Championship with Leeds United. 

Nketiah will hope to improve on that this season having already scored two goals in four games. He has now scored 11 senior goals for the Gunners. But it is not just for club that the striker has impressed, but also for country.

 

Just this year alone, in the UEFA European U-21 Championship qualifiers and international friendlies, Nketiah has scored 12 goals in 10 games for England, scoring a hat-trick in their 6-0  win over Kosovo.

The forward has scored five goals in five appearances in League Cup competition, scoring three for Arsenal and two for Leeds. If the Gunners were to face Liverpool twice in one week, then surely Nketiah must start in the cup game with a profound record like that.

  • Negatives

I do not really have anything bad to say about Nketiah. But there is something you can never ever guarantee with any player, and that is future success. He is only 21-years-old and still learning from the best, but I feel that he is ready to take that next step.

My final point is not necessarily a negative part of his game, but I feel it is something that, as a professional player, he should have complete control over. I feel that sometimes he can be too over-energetic, especially when coming off the bench which results in silly fouls and bookings.

 

It is almost as if he’s trying too hard to prove himself, whereas if he just toned it down a little, but still showed the aggression and determination to close down players, that would improve his game a lot.

A prime example and the only red card he has ever seen, was against Leicester in the League last season. Replacing Lacazette in the 70th minute, only to be sent off after five minutes for a debatable challenge on James Justin. He has only ever received five cards in his professional career four yellows and one red. 

 

However, the demands of making it as an elite-level striker means, you cannot count your chickens before they hatch. The youngster will need to add more strings to his bow if he is to establish himself for both club and country.

Over the past couple of seasons, he has already shown that all he needs is a chance, and when a big chance arises, you can be fairly certain he’s going to take it. It will be interesting to see who makes the starting line-up for the Premier League clash at Anfield on Monday 28 September.