Having had a torrid end to last season in which he didn’t score in over five hours of football, Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh has rebuffed suggestions is set to leave Arsenal in January by pledging his allegiance to the club – he had previously been linked to clubs such as Sevilla, Anzhi Makachkala, Marseille, Borussia Dortmund and former team Bordeaux, whose President Jean Louis Triaud was trying to take him back:
“I’ve left four or five messages with him [Chamakh] in two months. Also tried [Arsenal manager Arsene] Wenger. No response.”
Many have slated Chamakh for his observed lack of desire and this seems justified on one level given that he has a sole goal to his name this term – that said, it looks as if he is totally bereft of confidence on the pitch and it’s interesting to see how players like Jenkinson have matured and players like Chamakh have dwindled. However, despite only scoring once in four starts this season, the centre forward is happy to continue in North London:
“I haven’t played as much, what with (Robin) Van Persie coming back from injury, but for me, it’s been a settling in period. It’s been good to play for a club like Arsenal and get used to the league, but I’m trying to learn, enjoy it and long may it continue.”
In regard to ‘long may it continue’, lets hope this doesn’t happen in his current form, but given that Park Ju-Young is due for military service in two years and that Nicklas Bendtner has voiced his desire to leave permanently, an in form Chamakh could be an invaluable tool as a second striker, especially when you consider how he played when he first joined.
