Arsenal’s right-back Carl Jenkinson got a rare chance to start a game when he was selected to play at the Vasil Levski National Stadium on Tuesday for the tie against Ludogorets. In the game, the Gunners scripted a stunning comeback from 2 goals behind to win the game 3-2 with Mesut Ozil scoring a brilliant winner in the 87th minute.
While the team was on a high after such a performance, Carl Jenkinson failed to take his chance yet again as he put in yet another below-par performance which included him getting caught out of position numerous times.
Since his arrival from Charlton Athletic, the fullback has been the part of some of the worst defensive displays by Arsenal in recent times, never being able to impart the confidence to his backline by virtue of his gameplay.
One of the strong points of the player, when he signed for Arsenal, was his overall fitness and crossing, in his five seasons of top flight football since 2011, playing for Arsenal and West Ham. However, the 24-year old never could get into the category of a defender who can put in quality deliveries into the box after an overlap as the fullback could only 6 assists so far in all competitions he has played since 2011.
With the performances not being worthy of warranting a starting berth at Arsenal Arsene Wenger sent the player out on loan to get the required playing time he needed. West Ham United was his destination in 2014 and the defender performed comparatively better at Upton Park at the start of the season playing 32 times in the Premier League out of which only 3 were as a substitute.
However, despite the defender getting much needed game time, his performances gradually became poor as the season progressed and in the very next season he remained at the same venue but found himself out of the first team.
Making 20 appearances in 2015/16, 13 of which were starts, Jenkinson’s poor performances incurred the wrath of the West Ham supporters with many voicing their concerns over his inclusion in the team even as a sub!
At the moment, it appears that Jenkinson will be another of those players who can never reach the ability to perform for a top club. Arsenal have the likes of Hector Bellerin who is the first choice and Mathieu Debuchy as the backup who is a far better player than the English fullback.
With reports of West Ham interested in re-signing Jenkinson once again, this is the perfect opportunity for Arsene Wenger to cash in on the player while he still can.
