Arsenal have chopped and changed quite a bit this season.
Indeed, while the Gunners had a very settled XI last season, Mikel Arteta has made a fair few changes this term.
Gabriel Magalhaes had a spell on the bench at the start of the season, Kai Havertz and Fabio Vieira are jostling for position in the midfield right now, while Arteta can’t even settle on a goalkeeper at the moment.
There’s also been a fair bit of rotation up front. Eddie Nketiah started the season due to an injury to Gabriel Jesus, but even after Jesus’s return to injury, Nketiah has had his chances – including a start in a massive game against Manchester United.
However, Jesus has now reclaimed his starting berth, and he has been brilliant lately.
Speaking on the Wrighty’s House Podcast, Ian Wright has been full of praise for Jesus, claiming that the conversation about whether or not he or Nketiah will soon be over if the Brazilian keeps playing this way.
Undisputed starter
Wright spoke about Jesus becoming undroppable.
“If I’m Eddie and I’m in Eddie’s shoes. I make sure that when I’m on there whatever half chance I get I take it and I’m ruthless with it. Because if this guy is fit, he must play. He brings it to another place. I’m not saying this as a knock to Eddie, but he has to do something like that so people aren’t so worried when Jesus isn’t around,’ Wright said.
“Jesus is an entity on his own with the way he’s playing. His workrate, his finishing, everything he does, that is his main strength, Eddie’s is taking chances. He could’ve had a couple more at the start of the season to put him into that, and he has to do that, because if Jesus continues like he is there is no conversation, he’s so good.”
Nketiah has to step up
Wright is spot on, the striker debate at Arsenal will soon be well and truly over if Jesus keeps playing the way he is.
However, Eddie Nketiah does have the power to change that.
As Wright says, Nketiah has to take every half chance that comes to him from now on in order to keep this debate alive, and, if he does, maybe he could usurp Jesus at some point.
There is certainly a healthy competition ongoing between Nketiah and Jesus right now.
