Arsenal have had a summer tidy up by getting rid of several strikers that just weren’t regularly finding the back of the net. Marouane Chamakh has signed a one year deal with newly promoted Crystal Palace after failing to live up to expectations since arriving in England. What can Ian Holloway expect from the Moroccan forward?
Three years ago Arsene Wenger decided to take Chamakh from Bordeaux on a free transfer. He had unsuccessfully tried to sign the player the season before, after Bordeaux did the league and cup double, but Arsenal‘s offer was refused. Chamakh then decided to see out the remaining year of his contract, despite interest from other clubs, before agreeing to the move to the Emirates.
A player that is good in the air, has experience of winning trophies and Champions League football, has played for his country in numerous tournaments and has a goal record of about 1 in 4 during his eight years in French football. Arsenal fans were understandably pleased and optimistic, especially as he didn’t cost them a penny, and it all started well for him. By Christmas he had scored seven goals but he started to look jaded and his form began to suffer. He took a long time to fully recover and wouldn’t play a full ninety minutes for a couple of months. Unfortunately by this time he had already lost his place in the first team and the following season he was restricted to just 11 league appearances and one goal.
At the start of 2013 he was loaned to West Ham in an effort to give him some first team action and try to boost his confidence. In the end he only played in three league games and failed to score, but perhaps he will now be given the chance he needs to demonstrate what a good striker he was and perhaps still can be…