Saint Nicolas

Arsenal Sign French Wonder Kid! Paris Saint Germain Fury as Wenger Steals Prodigy.

Remember the excitement as Arsene Wenger pulled off the memorable transfer coup at the end of last season? Nicolas Anelka was the kid they all wanted. How satisfying it was that PSG were furious when we poached Nicolas. If they were that desperate to keep him, he must be a bit tasty. And if Arsene Wenger rated him that highly this boy must be something special, who could forget his previous mystery buy, a certain Patrick Vieira.

As we approach his first anniversary as an Arsenal player, it would appear on the surface that he has not lived up to his advance billing. Judging by the response of a large contingent of the Arsenal support, he has in fact been a massive disappointment. One fanzine has already labelled him as a 'dodgy signing' which is quite a put down for a player we paid virtually nothing for. At time he looks at best dis-interested, at worst downright moody. He doesn't compete and when he does get the ball he will hang on to it for too long, ignoring better positioned players. In short, Arsene got it wrong.

Well if you are one of these impatient fans, who groan out loud every time Anelka gets the ball, then you could well be undermining one of our greatest ever prospects. Anelka will be a phenomenal player. Of that I have absolutely no doubt. The only doubt I have, is whether it will be in an Arsenal shirt.

This is an eighteen year old we should nurture, cherish and support. The payback will come before he reaches his twentieth birthday. He will set the Premiership alight, and neutrals will marvel at his skill. Just make sure he wants to stay at our club.

So why am I so confident in Nicolas's ability? Firstly, I do have faith in Wenger's judgement. If he's alright by Arsene, he's alright by me. Secondly, the reports filtering out of the Arsenal training camp suggest we have yet to see the full extent of Anelka's current abilities. Thirdly there is the evidence of what I have already seen in the first team. He is making mistakes in his judgement, but the natural ability, the ball control and the speed are all qualities that cannot be taught. Cast your mind back to when he turned four Chelsea players inside out in the middle of the park in the Semi-Final at Highbury. His first touch takes him away from his marker, and he seems able to turn a player at ease. All he needs to learn is how to apply this in the Premiership.

The pressure on his broad, but young shoulders is immense. He is standing in for our greatest ever goal scorer, whose trademark is to chase lost causes and rough up defenders in the process. To ask an experienced striker to follow Wrighty is a tall order, let alone a teenager. But this experience will stand him in good stead for the future. He wasn't ready to take on the responsiblility at Stamford Bridge, but then again Bergkamp didn't exactly terrorise their defence.

Anelka is already getting the message that English supporters expect their players to battle and fight for the cause. He will learn when to release the ball. He is, quite simply, learning his trade. At eighteen, he will make mistakes. But we, as fans, should not forget how young he is, and the fact that he has had to adjust to a new country and language.

For his age, he is extremely advanced. Most players would be looking to establish a place in the Combination side. Comparisons with Michael Owen are unfair, because Owen is the brightest young striking prospect this country has produced for years. He is a one off, but then again so is Anelka. It's just going to take a little bit longer than Owen.