Arsenal: The main difference in Eddie Nketiah

Eddie Nketiah has looked like a markedly new and improved version of himself during Arsenal’s pre-season. The main difference between now and last season? Confidence.

It is always interesting to see how players have developed their games from year to year. Watching Hector Bellerin move away from his over-reliance on his speed and learn how to become a more secure, positionally astute defender; witnessing the rise and rise of Cesc Fabregas as he bulked up to handle the physicality of Premier League football; seeing the likes of Francis Coquelin and Ainsley Maitland-Niles burst onto the scene as they adapted from one position to another.

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Arsenal have always prided themselves on the development of their young players, and to see prospects figure out the senior game and develop their own styles as a result is a key hope of the fan base every summer. And this pre-season, no young player has looked more distinct from last season than striker Eddie Nketiah.

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Nketiah looked extremely sharp in the win over the Colorado Rapids. He then followed that up with an almighty eight-minute cameo against Bayern Munich, scoring the last minute, before notching a brace against Fiorentina at the weekend.

The 20-year-old has played with terrific energy, dynamism and a greater nous in and around the penalty area, illustrated in the space that he has found in and around the six-yard box for all three of his goals thus far.

There are plenty of technical, physical and analytical reasons for these developments. He is certainly stronger, that much is evident just looking at his shoulders. But there is also an intangible element to his progression. Nketiah is more confident.

After the two-goal victory over Fiorentina, Nketiah was asked about his performance and what next season could hold for him:

"“I feel like I have been improving until being at a stage now when I am ready to play regularly. I am trying to show in pre-season that I have developed and I am ready to show what I can do. I am ready to start playing regularly.”"

That is a confident answer. I am not sure that he would said ‘I am ready to start playing regularly’ this time last year. But this time around, Nketiah is eager to show he is capable of. And even more than that, he himself believes that he is capable of great things, and that shows up on the pitch.

There is a strut to his play. He strides around knowing that he can beat his opposite number. He strikes the ball with clarity and precision. He demands to receive passes to feet and deliberately darts into channels with intensity and drive. There is an authority to his play that wasn’t previously present. And of course, there have been goals, which always helps with a striker’s mentality.

Nketiah is playing better than ever. It would be too simplistic to put this down to one, singular reason, but the primary difference in his play is down to confidence. Long may it continue.