I have to say, I feel a little sorry for Arsenal’s Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh. He joined the club last summer and began the season well, contributing with valuable goals throughout Robin Van Persie’s extended absence. With the turn of the year, however, came a turn in form and with that a change in the attitude of the fans towards the 27-year-old. Whilst fans have generally been quite supportive of Chamakh, his last couple of ineffective substitute appearances have made him a bone of contention at the club.
To the fans who take to Twitter and Message boards only to spout ill-informed abuse and illegible diatribes against the Moroccan: shame on you. Though their title-tilt did eventually fall apart regardless, it’s thanks to Chamakh that Arsenal were able to maintain a challenge for such a long time. When Robin Van Persie was injured in the first half of the season, the Gunners were forced to rely heavily on Chamakh, who repaid the faith with interest.
Nicklas Bendtner was also injured, so it’s a good job that Arsenal had Marouane Chamkh to produce the goods. Chamakh has racked up 11 goals and 4 assists in all competitions this season – not a bad tally at all, considering he’s mostly been absent for the second half of the season, beside from the odd substitute appearance.
Things changed at the end of Van Persie’s convalescence and Chamakh’s confidence took a huge knock. It’s not too surprising that he doesn’t look to be the same clinical striker that he was in the first half of the season. Without regular game time and the confidence of his manager and the fans around him, he just isn’t the same player.
He’s still capable of doing two key jobs however: Acting as a target man and linking up well with the midfield. He’s capable of holding the ball up well and he can get on the end of crosses. Whilst his goal-scoring form has dried up, he’s still has something to offer this Arsenal team.
In time, with more opportunities, he’ll recover his form. It’s his reluctance to shoot that is his biggest problem and that’s something that can be addressed by giving him more confidence through offering him more playing time. Those who claim that Chamakh has no ‘goalscoring instinct’ are much mistaken: he’s a quality finisher when he’s given an adequate chance.
When you further consider that this is his first season in the Premier League, he hasn’t had a bad year. I for one hope that he’s offered more opportunities at the club.
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Nah, sell him, the guy is completely useless.
He got lucky at the start of the season, finished a few tap ins, but even then his quality looked pretty dubious. There are 20 strikers in the league better than he is – at least 20 who could have done what he did in the first few months of the season considering the chances he had, at least 20 who would have not fallen apart so badly.
The sooner we sack Wenger and a new manager puts a stop to this crazy transfer policy, the better.
if only we could have gone with a strike force of both chamakh up top and van persie supporting perhaps it would have taken a bit of pressure away from oue weak defence.Attack being the best form of defence agree completely he did not get a fair crack of the whip.
His form went down the toilet.
His own fault he lost his place, his own fault he can’t get it back.
Crap player.
Poor finisher + Back passer = Chamakh