BENIK Afobe knows there are times when he needs to be more selfish – even though it goes against his Arsenal “DNA”.
Afobe scored both goals in the 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town on Wednesday night. For the first, he took one touch after Mason Bennett’s shot had been blocked to him and with his second touch he curled the ball past goalkeeper Lee Nicholls.
Afobe’s second was a first-time finish from the edge of the box as he drove home a bouncing ball, again giving Nicholls little chance.
It could have been an even better night for Afobe, but he hit the crossbar and the post and was also denied by Nicholls.
Afobe was asked if he was disappointed not to have claimed the match-ball after his first goals in seven games.
“Very. I’m always someone that’s never shied away from problems or missing chances, not playing well,” Afobe said. “Even when I missed or the keeper made a brilliant save, I thought, ‘I’m going to keep coming’.
“To be honest, I was just happy that we created more. We’ve been very solid over the last eight games when we’ve not conceded or we’ve won, but we weren’t creating much. [Huddersfield] was more a game where I thought to myself if I get half a chance try to drive with the ball, try to create chances yourself and get shots off.
“Thankfully for me and the team two of them went in but it could have been four or five, not just for me but from other players as well which is very positive.
“It’s hunger, just being on it [trying to get the next chance]. We started the game pretty well. As a centre-forward I’m facing the game, and seeing my team-mates moving the ball really quickly, being confident on the ball, I thought, ‘yes, the lads are on it today’.
“I knew that a chance was going to come. The first one was a block that came back to me. We were creating those chances, we deserved to win, we deserved to create that much.”
Afobe has scored nine goals this season. Current Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has six goals this campaign as his role also involves lots of link-up play from deeper positions.
Afobe explained his thought processes against the Terriers.
“After the first goal, confidence comes into it,” he said. “A couple of weeks ago maybe I would have taken a touch and brought it on to my left foot and then get blocked. In my head I thought you’ve got yourself a goal, you’re on the edge of the box so why not get shots off. Thankfully for me it went in but then after that the goalkeeper turned into Peter Schmeichel! So I didn’t get my hat-trick.
“This was probably the perfect game for me in the sense of how I want to play. It’s not always like that, I’m always putting the team first. I’ve always been like that, maybe I need to be a bit more selfish. Even Jed [Wallace] tells me to shoot more or the gaffer tells me to create my own chances.
“But I’ve come from Arsenal. Even around the box early in the first half, Billy [Mitchell] has given me the ball on the edge of the box and I played it out wide. My dad gets on to me all the time but it’s just in my DNA to play the Arsenal way.
“This was a game where I was a little bit more selfish, I thought about getting on the scoresheet, for the team, not for myself but for the team. It worked out well so maybe it’s the new me!”
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