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Arsenal currently have a number of players out on loan, so one of the features I’m going to start and gradually build on over the next few months is looking at how those players are getting on by talking to supporters of those football clubs.
I’m going to get the ball rolling by looking at how Brooke Norton-Cuffy (Millwall) and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji (Cheltenham Town) are getting on. Thank you to Stephen Jones (That Millwall Podcast) and Jon Palmer (Gloucestershire Live) for providing some feedback.
Brooke Norton-Cuffy:
So far, it’s been a relatively quiet but impactful start for BNC at Millwall. When the signing was announced, it gave much-needed competition to the established RB/RWB Danny McNamara and an injection of pace to our back line. In the games he’s played, he’s been confident on the ball, keen to be on the front foot and take on the opposing full back, something which McNamara struggles to provide (which is likely why BNC) was signed. There are however, some defensive issues with his positioning and doesn’t always manage to get back to help out the covering CB when the opposition attack and holds on to the ball a little too much at times but think that may be a willingness to show what he can do. As I said earlier, so far it’s been a relatively quiet but improving loan spell and after recent games, think we’ll be seeing a lot more of him in the RWB spot.
Nathan Butler-Oyedeji:
He’s not started a game yet, but gone on from the bench in four.
On his debut, he beat a Barnsley defender and delivered a low ball which was cut out, so he lifted the crowd a bit and looked an exciting talent.
In his third appearance, he went on at Peterborough United in the 76th minute and was shown two quick yellow cards, so was dismissed in the 88th minute when Cheltenham had already had James Olayinka (ex-Arsenal midfielder) sent off in the fourth minute. So that was a night to forget for him and the team in what proved to be Wade Elliott’s last game as manager (3-0 defeat).
He served a one-match ban and returned with another outing from the bench of just over half an hour at Lincoln City on Saturday, but he couldn’t help Cheltenham find their first goal of the League One campaign.
It’s hard to make a fair judgement on him at this early stage, but he clearly has ability. He’s now in the middle of a huge battle against relegation, so it’ll be a real test for him so early in his career, but Darrell Clarke’s arrival as manager this week may give him and everyone else a much-needed lift.
