One Arsenal player has now hinted that he is not happy at Emirates Stadium as Mikel Arteta is no longer offering what ‘I’d like’ following a ‘quick’ change of circumstances.
The Gunners have enjoyed a largely successful season so far this term as they hunt for a first Premier League title in two decades. Arsenal even made the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2010 in their return to UEFA’s elite competition after six years.
Arteta has largely relied on a small group of players to carry out Arsenal’s pursuit of trophies this term. The Spaniard has only used 25 players in the Premier League, with only 10 playing at least half of their 3,060 minutes. Arteta even only relied on 17 players regularly in Europe.
Eddie Nketiah admits he is not starting for Arsenal as much as ‘I’d like’
Striker Eddie Nketiah is one of the 17 Arsenal players Arteta regularly used in the Champions League. But he only featured for 136 of a potential 930 minutes in Europe with outings in six of their 10 ties. Arteta even only started the 24-year-old once against PSV Eindhoven, too.
Arteta gifted Nketiah his only start in Europe in Arsenal’s dead-rubber 1-1 draw in the group stage. He also saw the striker score at the Philips Stadion to break the deadlock. But it is his most recent goal across all competitions having not scored in a league game since October.
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Nketiah has scored five goals through his 27 appearances in the Premier League this season, totalling 1,071 minutes. But he last hit the back of any net to bag a hat-trick against Sheffield United, following his only other goals against Nottingham Forest and Fulham back in August.
Eddie Nketiah hints he is not happy amid his lack of opportunities
Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United’s visits to Emirates Stadium further returned two of Nketiah’s 10 starts in the Premier League. Arteta has given the Hale Ender 17 of his outings from their bench, including each of his eight since the turn of the year from their 14 games.
Nketiah has not started in a Premier League match since Arsenal lost 2-1 at Fulham on New Year’s Eve. Now, the one-cap England international – who made his debut in October – hints he is not happy in north London as Arteta is not giving Nketiah the starting roles he desires.
“I think I’ve hit some really good highs,” Nketiah has told the Arsenal club website. “When I was playing regularly, I was really happy with my performances.
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“Going to two England camps, making my debut, getting my first Premier League hat-trick and Champions League goal, I’ve achieved quite a few landmarks which I’ve set out. Of course, in the second half of the season, I haven’t started as many games as I’d like.
“But these things happen and the team has been doing well, so I’ve had to play a different role. That’s football and things change really quickly. But I think it’s a season to still be proud of and I’m only going to get better.”
