Former Arsenal striker urges Folarin Balogun to leave The Emirates Stadium and head "into the trenches"
Arsenal’s striking options
Arsenal have four main striking options for the upcoming Premier League season. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has led the line for five of the seven Premier League games so far this campaign, while backup striker Alexandre Lacazette has played just 49 top flight minutes, although he has scored in both of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup ties against Wimbledon and West Bromwich Albion.
A flying @Arsenal hit 5️⃣ #OnThisDay against Fulham 🔥
Lacazette ⚽ ⚽
Ramsey ⚽
Aubameyang ⚽ ⚽ pic.twitter.com/Zol8dCBYBg— Premier League (@premierleague) October 7, 2021
This has led to even less time for the pair of young strikers Arsenal have on their books, with Eddie Nketiah having played 83 minutes of EFL Cup football and Folarin Balogun having been afforded 77 minutes of first-team action. Neither will be happy with this situation.
Kevin Campbell urges Balogun to leave on loan
Speaking to Football Insider, former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell make his feelings on Balogun’s future clear. The 51-year-old made 165 appearances for the Gunners during his stint at the club, scoring on 41 occasions, and believes that Balogun needs a loan away to really kickstart his fledgling career.
The pundit revealed:
‘He needs to learn his trade. Balogun needs to go out on loan and get some football’
‘Under-23s football is just too easy for him at the moment. He needs to go into the trenches. That is the only way he will learn about his game”, Campbell continued.
‘When you play against the defenders in the lower leagues, they have mortgages and families to look after. It’s serious. Whereas it is all hunky-dory in the Under-23s.
‘I’m [sure] he will go out and get that experience next year. Then he will realise his standard.’
With Mikel Arteta seemingly opting for near full-strength sides in the Carabao Cup, and the Gunners having no Europa League to play this year, which saw the progression of Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, would Balogun benefit from a loan move to a lower league side as he looks to build up experience, or should he continue to work with the club in-house to hone his craft?
التعليقات على الموضوع