Arsenal News: Kevin Campbell, a former player for Arsenal, says that Albert Sambi Lokonga’s improvement has slowed down at the Emirates Stadium and that the midfielder needs to play more often to get better.
Lokonga joined the Gunners from Anderlecht last summer for £17 million. Since then, he has been a back-up for Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka, two experienced midfielders. Due to an injury to Partey, Lokonga has started the last three games for Arsenal and has done a good job.
Arsenal News: What did Kenin Campbell say?
Campbell, who scored 52 goals in 193 games for the Gunners in all competitions, was asked about the development of the young midfielder, who is highly rated. He said that there was a problem with Lokonga’s development, but that it could be fixed in regular game time. Campbell said (via HITC) to the Highbury Squad:
“He has only played three games this season. He’s probably not where he needs to be in his development because he probably needs more game time. If Partey is healthy, he will not be on the team, and he will probably only play in the Europa League. So, it’s likely that Sambi isn’t where he should be.”
The Englishman went on by saying: “Do you remember in the documentary how he complained about not being able to play and other things? Then Eddie (Nketiah) turned around and said, “Well, I’m not playing you, so shut up and don’t complain. But it’s because he wants to play. He is a young man who wants to play a lot. Is he at the right place in his growth? Most likely not, because he needs to play more. Even though he doesn’t play, I think he has done pretty well in that area of the field. He is more forward-thinking than Elneny.”
Lokonga has played 29 games for Arsenal so far, in all tournaments. He hasn’t scored or helped his team score yet.
What’s next?
Marquinhos got a chance to show what he could do in the Gunners’ first Europa League game against FC Zurich on Thursday (September 8). In his first game for the Londoners, he helped Arteta’s team win 2-1 in Zurich by scoring a goal and setting up another one.
Marquinhos tormented the other team with his speed, strength, and ability to dribble. He also scored and helped Edward Nketiah score the second goal. If Marquinhos can show his boss how good he is every time he gets a chance, he might soon be a regular in the first team.
