Can Chuba Akpom be the #9?

[fabo]

I think there isn't a youngster in our whole squad that you think that could make it.

Most of them don't, that's reality. You get the odd incredible player like Fabregas, Bellerin combined with some luck but most aren't good enough.

 

[cloista]

That's not what Im saying. Im saying Owen was a top class striker, and would tear this league up regardless, because that's how good he was. Simple. Hence the Ballon D'or. You don't find those next to the recycle bin on a council estate. Some of you might need to acknowledge that.

I misunderstood then. And I disagree. Owen was a pace merchant, when that went with the injuries, so did his performance level, dramatically, and he was generally up against slower defenders, and teams didnt defend as deep against Pool as they do us.

 

[cloista]

Most of them don't, that's reality. You get the odd incredible player like Fabregas, Bellerin combined with some luck but most aren't good enough.

We've a few who have a chance, Akpom, Crowley, Zelalem and Maitland-Niles are the closest. None are even close to ready to do it yet though.

 

[ArsenesNO1Fan]

He needs to prove himself at a decent level, which he is way off. He got a few sub appearances here and played a bit for Forrest and hasn't done anything of note. He desperately needs a loan to build a case for himself.

 

[Impact]

Most of them don't, that's reality. You get the odd incredible player like Fabregas, Bellerin combined with some luck but most aren't good enough.

Agree with Fabo. Realism is not synonymous with pessimism. Akpom will need to be absolutely amazing to make it here.

 

[Bigbludfire]

Would you consider Owen or Rooney utter top tier world class strikers? I could make more of a case with Rooney, but Owen was very good when he was young, and then fizzled out quickly, so I dont consider him in the top tier of strikers

Not a doubt in my mind. Hitting 20 goals every season as a teenager isn't a fluke. Owen's a dickhead but he banged in 158 goals before he turned 24. Most strikers don't even make it to that number in their whole career.

 

[fabo]

With a name like Maitland-Niles, we can assume that's another one for the scrapheap too.

 

[Artisan]

He's not your typical English striker, he is surprisingly very skillful on the ball. His physical qualities are also superb, as a result he is pretty good at hold up play. But that's about it as far as his positive qualities go. His finishing is poor, very one footed, poor link up play and decision making.
All those can be improved though, so even if unlikely he has a chance of making it. Can see why Wenger would be interested by him.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

With a name like Maitland-Niles, we can assume that's another one for the scrapheap too.

lmao.

 

[Trilly]

He might still become a good player but I don't see him making it as a top premier league player.

You only have to look at what most of the top players in the league were doing at Akpom's age. Even players in our squad such as Ramsey, Wilshere and Ox were playing regularly in the premier league at his age.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Before last year nobody would have thought that Coq would become best DMC in the league. All these guys need is a faith and huge amount of games.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

He might still become a good player but I don't see him making it as a top premier league player.

You only have to look at what most of the top players in the league were doing at Akpom's age. Even players in our squad such as Ramsey, Wilshere and Ox were playing regularly in the premier league at his age.

Wilshere and Ox were injured a lot at his age.

What were Coquelin doing at that age?

 

[Salieri]

@fabo lol. Can Jay Emmanuel-Thomas be our next #9?

Wenger - There's only one Tom Cruise for me!

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-ar...nly-one-tom-cruise-for-me#k0hXtCBKCJlSKCZA.99

 

[Jury]

I thin its unfair to compare to the likes of Rooney and Owen etc. Chuba is at Arsenal and has been for a few years now. Theres no way he will be able to play in the first team even with the talent he has. If he was at a crap club in the prem he would already have been having regular cameos for his side. Rooney was allowed to flourish at Everton with his young age. Chuba currently wont be allowed to do that here.

Owen and Rooney were racking up numbers for Liverpool and Man Utd at the same age. I'm a fan of Chuba, but it's not unfair at all to compare him to those two. That he can't force his way past Giroud or Welbeck at Arsenal yet, tells you what I think is pretty clear at this stage.

 

[Jury]

Owen was a pace merchant, when that went with the injuries, so did his performance level, dramatically, and he was generally up against slower defenders, and teams didnt defend as deep against Pool as they do us.

lol What would Henry, or any other player that relied on pace for his numbers, have been without pace? Anothe rposter that doesnt think anything through. That argument always cracks me up. Owen was a Ballon D'or winning 'pace merchant'... I look forward to Danny Welbeck winning it in that case. Yawn.

 

[cloista]

Henry was a far far more well rounded player than Owen, who had a very specific skill set. A highly tuned skill set, granted, but far narrower in focus, and when he lost his pace he lost a huge part of that. Walcott will suffer the same when his pace eventually goes. Welbeck is quick, but not pace merchant quick, so your argument is invalid.

I'm not saying Owen wasn't brilliant at what he did, he was. But he was never Henry level brilliant.

Back on topic, I think Akpom could get close in style to someone like Henry or Owen, but he's not fit to lace their boots currently. Only time will tell if he develops to the point he is.

 

[MutableEarth]

Owen and Rooney were racking up numbers for Liverpool and Man Utd at the same age. I'm a fan of Chuba, but it's not unfair at all to compare him to those two. That he can't force his way past Giroud or Welbeck at Arsenal yet, tells you what I think is pretty clear at this stage.

I said in my earlier post on this thread that Sturridge was much further along - how did Rooney and Owen (both players who peaked much earlier and were stars at 18) enter this discussion?! looool

I like Akpom but come on lol. He should be looking at strikers who didn't peak early - not all of them do. He should be looking at regular football first and getting used to scoring in the first team. Having said that, I do believe that he will make it.

And as for Owen being a "pace merchant" - pace was a massive part of his game, sure. But he was too good a poacher and finisher overall to be just a "pace merchant". He was the very essence of a natural goalscorer. Even after he lost his pace, he could still score important goals (the Manchester derby goal springs to mind).

 

[Danskin]

Remember Drogba, lads. The fact that he hasn't set the world alight at 19 years of age doesn't mean a lot.

 

[Rex Stone]

@fabo lol. Can Jay Emmanuel-Thomas be our next #9?

Wenger - There's only one Tom Cruise for me!

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-ar...nly-one-tom-cruise-for-me#k0hXtCBKCJlSKCZA.99

JET was and still is class. Gonna make us pay down the line for not giving him a chance imo.

 

[Jury]

Henry was a far far more well rounded player than Owen, who had a very specific skill set. A highly tuned skill set, granted, but far narrower in focus, and when he lost his pace he lost a huge part of that. Walcott will suffer the same when his pace eventually goes. Welbeck is quick, but not pace merchant quick, so your argument is invalid.

You're right actually--Henry was so good that he didn't rely on his pace. Proof of this can be seen in his 45 goal a season average for New York Red Bulls... Please. Please don't tell me Henry's physical speed played no part in his dominance of defenders--that would be very naive at best.

Owen was 5ft8 and 10 stone soaking wet... he must have had something else ffs!

And Welbeck is savagely quick for the record. Quicker than any defender in the league and then some. Just because he doesn't know how to use his pace doesnt mean he's not a 'speed merchant'. And you talk about me having an 'invalid' argument?