Chuba Akpom says he’s willing to play in one of the wide forward positions if it means he can get more playing time for Arsenal in the upcoming season.
The 20 year old is primarily a central striker but believes he’s got the attributes to make a position from the flanks too. Speaking to Squawka, he was asked if he could do a similar job to Alexis Sanchez or Alex Iwobi, and said, “Of course. I’ve played on the flanks a few times for Arsenal so yes I think I could play there, I can dribble, I can run.
“It’s a big task defensively as well. If I got the chance to play there I would love to, the main thing is playing for the team and contributing, making an impact.”
Having spent last season on loan at Hull, scoring 7 goals, Akpom is now setting his sights on Premier League football with the Gunners.
“The aim for this season is to get as much game time for Arsenal as I can and hopefully have an impact on the first-team,” he said
“As a young player you have to be patient to get your opportunity, the boss knows what he’s doing all the time, he knows when to put you in at the right time, so you just have to be ready and prepared and keep mentally focused.
“I’ve gone on loan and I think that’s benefited me. It’s all helped me because now I’ve matured as a player and hopefully this season can be a big season for me and Arsenal.”
Having seen a bid for Alexandre Lacazette turned down, the Gunners appear to be no closer to adding to their forward ranks, increasing Akpom’s chances of being used. At least until signings are made.
On August 31st.
2019.
All hail Chuba!
?
He cant be any worse than Walcott, so why not? get him involved.
this is a player eho couldent get in th hull side.
where the fuck are we going
We need a Quality Fucking striker
IIRC Bellerin couldnt hold his position as well when he last loaned out.
C’mon Chuba it’s there for the taking!
Fuck paying over the odds for mediocrity like Lacazette.
Seriously, at the moment I’d rather spend the big money on Mahrez and a decent centre back…
That has been my long standing view as well.
Ofcourse, we can improve on Giroud but are we ready to pay the kind of money required for it?
Comparatively, add Mahrez, we would improve the contribution from the right side dramatically to last year.
We seem to trying to find some value for money deals (the bids for Vardy and Lacazette) and compromising on the settling time, as well as risking loosing out on targets (like Mkyitaryan).
Sorry for Akpom but Wenger will buy Lacazette and play him wide and Giroud as CF.
Lacazette is far from mediocre. People who say that probably haven’t seen him play too often. He’s exactly the sort of player we need. Fast, fairly tough and 2 footed.
The way this summer’s going, next we’ll have Sanogo offering his services at CB. Probably followed by Wenger publicly backing his qualities and ability to play there. Whatever Arsene and the board are up to behind the scenes, surely they must realise the longer nothing happens the less patient and less forgiving the fans will be. Come on Arsene, don’t let us down!
I like Dion Dudblin.
Playing on the wing should never be considered the graveyard shift. Wideplay is a craft that when performed properly can win you a league. Exhibit A.) Mahrez
And remember, TH14 started on the wing.
Exhibit B) Pires
This is very true and it’s a little worrying that of all our wide options, only Sanchez, Iwobi and Campbell seem to be happy there. And it’s debatable if it’s even their best positions!
Messi, Ronaldo, Sanchez…err…TGSTEL!
Mahrez last season and Hazard the season before. The modern game can be dominated by an excellent winger.
Would love to see him progress and make an impact. Not in place of the imminent top, top, top player that is obviously coming in (I remain a dreamer!). But would like him to become an excellent third option, akin to Iheanacho at Citeh last season. He’s got the potential and the ability, just hope we can see the Akpom of the first few Hull games, not the one that petered out for the rest of his loan spell!
A true dreamer would want our perfect striker to come from within. You lack the soul and vision to be a true dreamer. You shall always sleep lightly and wake just before the big orgasmy goal that wins the dream final. Thus are you cursed by your flawed imagination.
I’d like us to get Aubameyang, and that he would not make into starting lineup because Akpom.
Gutbukket, how on earth do you know about my HFB and Pires dreams?!! 😉 Hehe
Although he should be our 4th or 5th wing option if we don’t send him on loan again, this is the right attitude from Chuba. Good luck to him
Why sending him on loan? Wenger should give him 10 mn or 20 mn in games where we are two goals up.
How many games next season are we going to be 2 goals up with 20 minutes to go… not many, my friend, not many.
Things will spin fast as the transfer windows draws to close, i wouldn’t be surprise if we pull something special.
As for Akpom, he probably needs to wait for his chances, i just can an opening for him at the moment,
Remember a few years ago when Ramsey’s face scored via a Miquel clearance while DENCH ran the midfield and we lost to Liverpool in August? No? It’s starting to look like a re-run is scheduled for August 14th anyway so no worries son.
Not sure how people disagree, point being that we will have to play young players who simply aren’t ready at centre back and centre forward, two vital positions without signings. Meanwhile Liverpool will have players that can and have hurt us (Mane, Coutinho, Sturridge etc)
Surely Campbell would be ahead of him in the pecking order…
Still don’t understand why Wenger seems so reluctant to use Campbell.
Someone made the point about Walcott a while back – its maybe going against Joel that he’s not homegrown…
As some people have said before, Campbell has been the sacrifice to appease the god of team balance. With Alexis (who comes to the ball), Ozil (who finds spaces between the lines) and Giroud (who comes to the ball), the only natural runner we have left is Aaron Ramsey in midfield. Joel Campbell is a tidy technical player who, again, likes to have the ball to feet. He is not fast (despite popular opinion) and thus cannot stretch defences like a Walcott can. If you have all these ‘to feet’ players in the 11, then the opposition third becomes extremely… Read more »
Not fast? He looks quite fast. How are you so confidently measuring his speed jagger?
Distances covered in World Cup 2014.
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/brazil2014/statistics/players/distance.html
Sort according to top speed and search for Campbell.
I think next season if Cambpell has a breakthrough season we’ll know why. Although many Arsenal fans have the impression that Wenger’s lost the plot and next thing we’ll see Sanogo at CB, HE ACTUALLY KNOWS WHAT HES DOING. Not his fault in recent seasons he tried developing English players that seem to have a similar psychological problem that their national team has. You can’t tell me Ox and Theo don’t/didn’t have potential to be top class. Campbell looks happy and settled from what I’ve seen in the last couple of weeks, and I can feel a big season ahead… Read more »
He was piss poor at Hull . ‘ Arsenal minutes ‘ are not some charity when you have 3-4 far more creative players than him sitting in the bench , i hope he should be given one last loan move to prove himself as a ST before showing him the door if he failed again .
A poor loan spell doesn’t mean we should give up on him. Didn’t Kane have a shit loan for Norwich. Now look at him, failing for England…
I worship Chuba
I met Chuba at a petrol station the Friday before pre-season training started. Managed to have a chat with him about the new season and he said he was determined and prepared to fight for his place. Humble guy driving a Range Rover (no judgement). Would love it if he could make the step up, he has all the attributes to be a massive player for us
He will surely step up to Mercedes-Benz SLRs, Maserati MC Stradale etc…Cool guy with bright future, agree.
I wish to see Chubs do well, besides Iwobi. Was lucky to have watched Akpom play in last season’s pre-season. Good technique