Folarin Balogun’s case needs to be addressed By Sylvester Kwentua
Good day family. Last night’s game has been played and lost! Now Arsenal can move on and start preparing for their game against Everton on Monday. Meanwhile, as the game against Manchester United was going on last night, I took a long look at Arsenal’s bench and didn’t see a player I wish would be given more playing time. I didn’t see Folarin Balogun on Arsenal’s bench, and within me, I just said “Can this young player be given playing time opportunities to show his talents?
Scoring of goals has been Arsenal’s major undoing this season and even now after playing Manchester United, I expect it to still be a problem to give Arteta sleepless nights. Of course fans don’t expect the problem to just vanish after one game! So the question once again will be how to solve the lack of goals for Arsenal?
The truth is that Arsenal have good strikers who can actually score, but rotating them effectively has been Arsenal’s major problem. I don’t understand why Arsenal will have young strikers in the squad and be afraid to give them opportunities, while sticking to older strikers who are not scoring goals? Especially with the crowded Xmas/New Year fixture list upon us, with the need to rotate regularly. Fine, Nketiah may have made up his mind to leave Arsenal, what about Folarin Balogun? The young England international is talented and knows how to score; unfortunately, he has been left totally unutilized, and this is giving Folarin cause to think of a getting away from Arsenal to gain more playing time.
“I have played youth football for a little while, I have obviously scored a lot of goals at that level and improved at that level drastically from when I started,” Balogun told Football.London.
“I do feel like I am ready for a new challenge but I am not sure what that might be, it might be a loan or if I am needed at Arsenal then I am here and the gaffer knows that.
“I am definitely open to a new challenge but it is something that whatever that challenge is I will be ready.
“I know the potential I could have and that I need to achieve is massive. I haven’t achieved it yet. What I see now I would just describe as glimpses, things that need to be worked on and can be improved..” Folarin revealed.
The not-so-hidden message here from Folarin is “Arsenal show me how serious you are about me or let me go and seek better opportunities somewhere else.
Hopefully, the Arsenal management is listening, as they seek to solve a problem that is gradually derailing Arsenal’s progress.
We are Arsenal and proud.
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