Sport
Emmanuel Petit Questions Why Arsenal Chose Watkins Over Isak or Osimhen
Emmanuel Petit, the former Arsenal midfielder, has raised eyebrows over the Gunners’ decision to focus on signing Ollie Watkins instead of pursuing more established strikers like Alexander Isak or Victor Osimhen this January.
Recent reports revealed that Arsenal made a £60million bid for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, but Villa swiftly rejected the offer. Petit, however, believes that the Gunners should have prioritized Isak or Osimhen over Watkins, who he described as more of a backup option.
Arsenal has been grappling with inconsistent finishing in the final third, a key area where they have struggled to find the back of the net. This has led to speculation about potential signings to boost their attacking options, with numerous strikers being linked to the club.
Petit, speaking to Metro, shared his thoughts on the club’s approach: “The pursuit of Ollie Watkins seems like a bit of a panic move. He wasn’t necessarily their first-choice target, and with the transfer window winding down, they were forced to act quickly.”
While he acknowledged Watkins’ attributes, Petit made it clear that Arsenal would likely have preferred a different striker. “I do like Watkins as a player. He has a competitive edge, a strong desire to score, and brings real energy to the attack. His pace and physicality would bring something fresh to the Arsenal frontline,” Petit said.
However, he emphasized that players like Isak and Osimhen would have likely been at the top of the Gunners’ list. “Isak has everything Arsenal would need in a striker: the right technical ability, intelligence, and composure. He’d be a great fit for their style of play,” he continued.
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has opened up about a difficult period in his career, revealing that he almost stepped away from football.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bassey shared that he once made a personal promise to himself to quit pursuing football professionally if he failed to secure a spot at a professional club.
“I remember being 15 and going into my final year, and I told myself that if I didn’t get into a professional club, I would quit football. It was that simple,” he said.
“I would just stop pursuing it seriously and only play for fun. Thank God I eventually got a club, because I honestly don’t know where I would be otherwise.”
It has been reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined Egypt $5,000 following their clash with Zimbabwe for failing to manage post-match media obligations.
It was noted that after the match, the Egyptian players ignored the media. This action was said to be a violation of CAF’s media regulations, which led to the fine being imposed.
Head of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, shared that the big-name players on the team are not happy about being benched.
He recalled when he took out Samuel Chukwueze during the match against Tanzania.
“Yes, of course, we’ve in this team a lot of big names. They are competitors; they aren’t happy when they go to the bench,” Chelle said at his post-match interview.”
“My job is to make choices, and we’re playing a 4-4-2 diamond, and at this moment I feel we have to protect the wing.”
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Super Eagles Star Calvin Bassey Opens Up on Nearly Walking Away from Football
