Arteta’s bizarre Arsenal adoration hints at selections

Some managers have certain tendencies or preferences that follow them throughout their career. Just as they’re known for the style of play they prefer, they also have players they love more than others. Mikel Arteta has that at Arsenal. His name is Eddie Nketiah.

The primary issues at Arsenal is the lack of goals in the team. Netting just 18 after 15 matches this season, they’re on course for a similarly worrying tally of 55 from last season unless there is a drastic change.

Emile Smith Rowe is finding the back of the net and Martin Odegaard has two in his last two, but that’s not enough. The senior strikers at the club either miss too many chances or don’t get them at all and goals from wide areas are few and far between.

All of the metrics make for poor reading, whether it be big chances created, xG, or the number that reads ‘goals scored’.

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Mikel Arteta’s bizarre Arsenal obsession with Eddie Nketiah hints at further minutes for out of contract striker in final attempt to shun transfer

Southampton is the next opportunity to find solutions to this issue, one of whom doesn’t appear to be Nicolas Pepe. Totalling five minutes in the past seven Premier League outings, it’s now two matches back-to-back where Eddie Nketiah has been selected to come on off the bench instead of him.

Rejecting another contract on the eve of the Manchester United defeat, attempts to tie the striker down to a deal running beyond his existing one that expires next summer have proved futile.

Arteta, however, isn’t giving up. His unbreakable adoration for Nketiah refuses to wane. It’s getting a bit strange.

"“Eddie has six months left in his contract and we are having discussions with him and the agent to try to find the best possible way,” Arteta said in his pre-match press conference. “Eddie knows how much I rate him, and I like him – and I would like him to stay at the club.”"

There is nothing bizarre about him liking the player. But few players in the Arsenal squad have received such glowing reviews in public as Nketiah. Whenever the opportunity arises, Arteta will find time to shower him with praise.

Like Harry Redknapp and Jermain Defoe, Arteta really likes him. This season Nketiah has impressively shown improvements in areas of his game in the small sample of matches he’s played, all despite his lack of minutes.

But, that’s why it’s odd.

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