The Anglo-Ghanaian wonderkid has shown impressive consistency in front of goal for the Gunners
Eddie Nketiah opened the scoring in Arsenal’s Premier League match against Southampton on Thursday, extending his impressive scoring record this season.
The Anglo-Ghana striker pounced on a Saints stopper error Alex McCarthy to push home from close range, after chasing a goalkeeper clearance attempt.
It was a miserable time for McCarthy, but it was a time to further highlight Nketiah’s burgeoning talent as he demonstrated genuine hunger and tenacity to pursue a lost cause and put pressure on the goalkeeper.
He also extended his excellent scoring career this season, with the striker demonstrating admirable consistency against the goal.
This was just his eleventh start to the season in all competitions, but he scored six goals in those appearances, with four of those goals for Arsenal and two for Leeds United.
Despite spending only half the season at @Arsenal, @ EddieNketiah9 has already scored more away goals this quarter for the Gunners than @LacazetteAlex.
However, all the Wonderkid strikers have come to the south coast … # SOUARS pic.twitter.com/rgW1GIMWkP
– Ed Dove (@EddyDove) June 25, 2020
The young attacker was on loan from Marcelo Bielsa in Leeds during the first half of the campaign, but was called by Mikel Arteta for having drawn attention on several occasions in the Championship.
However, Bielsa rarely used him as a starter, with 15 of Nketiah’s 17 appearances in the second tier coming from the bench.
The 21-year-old started with the Gunners against Manchester City in his first game after the restart, looking strong despite one-sided competition and a 3-0 victory for Pep Guardiola’s team.
The weekend, he was featured off the bench when Brighton & Hove Albion defeated Arsenal, and was preferred to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the midweek trip to St Mary’s Stadium.
Nketiah’s goal against Southampton was his third of the calendar year, with some Gunners supporters shamelessly noting that he scored more than Harry Kane and Tammy Abraham together since early 2020.
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The youngster also scored away from home against Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton for Arsenal in this period, a return that dwarfs Alexandre Lacazette’s goal mark away from the Emirates Stadium.
Despite being at the club all season, the France international has only scored twice away from home since the start of the season.
Lewisham-born Nketiah has represented England from levels U18 to U21, but is eligible to represent the Black Stars of Ghana through his ancestry.
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