Everybody who jumped off the Kanu bandwagon, don't even think about jumping back on now. Everybody loved him when he banged in three on Chelsea in the final 15 minutes. Everybody loved him when he backheeled the ball in from 15 yards out. Then, the goals don't come and it's "Let's get rid of Kanu!" Well, he tallied two more today, five now for the season. So between Kanu and Wiltord, the other favorite target for the Playa Haters, it's 11 goals so far.
Hey I never said the man couldn't still score, just that he didn't seem bothered about trying to score any more. Which there is no excuse for. If this good run of his continues for a little longer I'll start to credit him for it and say "well done" but it's still too early for me. He was lethargic and unmotivated for too long for me to start loving him again immediately. Just like Wiltord he's got to earn the admiration through hard work and scoring some title winning goals!!! Still it's always nice to have a person come back into goal scoring form, especially after nearly two years in the proverbial wilderness!
playa hater Got to agree with Senor Askew. Kanu always had the talent but not always the desire. When he first arrived at Highbury he set the team alight, especially with his goal against Spurs - remember the reverse chip over his own head, the swivel, shot, then goal? Brilliant! But his great displays have been few and far between. Kanu was typical of a lot of Arsenal players at the start of last season. He lacked belief. Now that the team is doing really well, he believes there are trophies to be won. This is good up to a point, but I would much rather have players in the squad who have hunger and belief come-what-may, players who make it happen, rather than only perform when things are going well. He's got five goals in three League games now and we should all be happy about that, but I still think he loses the ball more often than he used to and slows our play down. The Trezeguet rumours haven't gone away, and I can see why.
Are you a mind reader? How in the world do you know what Kanu or other Arsenal players think? Fans in general, and Arsenal fans in particular, seem to have to have someone as their whipping boy. Once Wiltord shut a few mouths, it was on to Kanu. Now that he's shutting mouths, who's next?
Here here Dwink. How can anyone question Kanu's desire unless you're at practice and in the dressing room? Here's one thing I know about Arsene Wenger, he's loyal to those have earned his respect. When everyone was shouting that Wiltord was worthless he stuck with him. Wenger has likewise always stuck up for Kanu. Wenger decided Wright wasn't going to get it done so he let him go, he would ship Kanu out as well if he thought Kanu wasn't worth it. Kanu is one of those unique athletes that move so effortlessly that it APPEARS they aren't even trying at times. Darryl Strawberry (in his prime) was similar. So long and graceful they look as if they are going at half-speed. Criticise Kanu for not getting the results last season if you like, but don't question his effort unless you were there firsthand.
I was VERY down on him in the Bolton game, and, outside of scoring the winner, he had a pretty rough go of it on that day. These last few weeks he has come on like gangbusters. Perhaps he realizes that Begkamp is Wenger's first choice up front now and he wants to make it a more difficult decision when DB10 is healthy again. Whatever we think about Kanu, he is currently the ONLY player at Highbury to have won the Champions League, so he does now what kind of effort is required to do it. I may bitch and moan about certain players during the season, but my personal opinion counts for zilch. If Wenger believes the man worthy of a starting spot, then I'll have to agree.
When Bergkamp and Pires are fit, they should be in the team, end of story. Kanu has these phases where he gets a couple of goals, but then goes to sleep for a season. His propensity to hold the ball when a simple one-touch pass could put someone away (a la Bergkamp) is annoying and leads to the play being disjointed as opposed to the flowing pacy football when Dennis is doing the business. Wiltord is just not as good as Ljungberg or Pires and therefore shouldn't be in the team when they are fit. This is my opinion and I didn't see anything in yesterday's game against Sunderland to change it. The real test will be in a couple of weeks when Dennis and Bob are both fit and Wenger has to make the hard decisions.
Kanu or not to So fine, I am a huge Bergkamp fan, after living in Holland, he is the reason I started to support Arsenal when Rioch made the one important decision of his tenure. That said, I also was a loud opponent of all things Kanu. I don't question his heart or desire, anyone that comes back from a life threatening heart disease to compete at a top flight level again is a warrior in my book. However, his style of play is not as suited to the flowing football we have all grown to love out of our boys. He can hold the ball up well, but in the premiership, where you get nearly no time on the ball before being challenged, he loses possesion far too much. His loping, jinky style is better suited to the Italian game or even international scene than it is to the Premiership. Granted he has been an admirable fill-in at times, but scoring a few goals while part of this rampant offensive powerhouse that is Arsenal is not going to change my mind about him. Bergkamp is among the best link-up players in the world and my theory that he is good for at least one goal a game, be it assist or himself - is usually proved correct. Furthermore, we all know how petulant Dennis can be when he stews on the bench, so I hope all this Kanu hoopla dies down when he returns so we can continue to see him put Henry, Pires, Ljundberg, etc. through on goal day in and day out. Kanu is an able third striker and that is that. PS. I am an official Wiltord believer now. He has earned his place in the team and I think a three man rotation with Bob and Freddie is a perfect way to keep them all fresh with Sylvia also spelling the strikers when Kanu is ineffective.
Kane, Solid post. Kanu is in a tough position. In about 15 clubs in the Premiership he would be worshipped like a God. At Arsenal he's maybe the third best striker. All we can ask for is what he has given us these last couple of weeks.
Wiltord was crap until he moved to the Right wing. Now he can use his positives(work ethic, speed) and not his negatives(no left foot, poor instinct). Kanu on the other hand had to quit playing for himself and get back to team football. He has scored more in front of goal mopping up rebounds and getting into position for a teammate to get him the ball and doesnt score by the creating by himself. Now he's either realized it or Wenger sat him down and made him realize it but He's another footballer than he was last month.
I can't help but equate Kanu's utter lack of form in the second half of last with his one month as Captain of the Nigeria squad in the African Nations Cup. Didn't he come back something like 15 lbs lighter? I mean come on, he's already built like a beanpole. I can't help thinking that he and Lauren, who is like a freaking brick ***************house at right back these days have benefitted from a return to full fitness.