Man Utd legend Sheringham claims Arsenal man is the PL’s biggest flop this season
Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has been the biggest flop in the Premier League this season, according to Manchester United legend Teddy Sheringham.
The 24-year-old has made 22 appearances in all competitions but only 12 of those have come in the starting XI with Mikel Arteta preferring other options.
Nketiah has contributed six goals and one assist in those matches, including a goal in their 1-1 draw against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
He lacked starts last term too but he was always a reliable back-up option for Arteta as Arsenal pushed Manchester City for the Premier League title.
Arsenal are again competing for the title this campaign with Arteta’s side one point behind leaders Liverpool – but Sheringham insists Nketiah has been the biggest disappointment in the league this season.
When asked the one player he expected more from in the Premier League, Sheringham told Gambling Zone: “Eddie Nketiah at Arsenal has been disappointing this season. I think he’s got something about him, I really do. He is a young Ian Wright that is ready to burst onto the scene but, again, we’ve spoken about how players can be affected by criticism.
READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp’s charisma affords Liverpool boss more leeway than Mikel Arteta…
“He would have heard all the noises from the Arsenal fans talking about needing something special up front. He will be aware of the rumours and the stories that keep being published about the club signing a striker in January. For me, he is a natural goal scorer.
“When you don’t get your goals, it can have an effect on your confidence, which I think has happened. He is still a very young lad, but I think he is a natural talent, and he will come good for Arsenal.
“Similarly, to the criticism that Trent faced, Nketiah is probably in the same place as Trent was last year. If you’re talented and you have the right desire and the right people around you, telling you the right things, then you come back.
“At the moment he is going through a lull. He’s in a good place at Arsenal, learning from Arteta and he can watch Jesus and learn more about becoming a complete centre forward and hold-up play. I know that he’s got the goal-scoring ability, but maybe he needs to tighten up his all-round game.”
On the summer signing he has been most impressed with in the Premier League, he added: “James Maddison has had the biggest impact on his new club so far this season. He epitomises what Ange Postecoglou wants from his attacking players. I think he has joined Tottenham at a very good time for him as a player and for the club as well.
“Tottenham have had a dull four years in terms of the brand of football the club has been playing. If Maddison joined the club under Mourinho or Conte, I don’t think he would have had anything like the impact that he’s had so far this season. Don’t get me wrong, he would have been playing with Harry Kane, so he would have done alright, but his role would have been very different because of the football that both of those managers played.
“With Ange, Maddison has a licence to create, and he operates in the top areas of the pitch where he is most effective. He has the freedom to move around the park and I think he has been absolutely fantastic since he joined the club. Ange is definitely the type of manager that will get the best out of a player like Maddison.”
