Eddie Nketiah scored a couple of goals on international duty with the England u21s, but Mikel Arteta liked what he said afterwards.

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND: Eddie Nketiah of England scores their team's fifth goal during the UEFA Euro Under 21 Qualifier match between England U21 and Albania U21 at Molineux on November 17, 2020. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND: Eddie Nketiah of England scores their team’s fifth goal during the UEFA Euro Under 21 Qualifier match between England U21 and Albania U21 at Molineux on November 17, 2020. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Eddie Nketiah went away with the England u21s over the international break, as usual, this month. He made a substitute appearance against Andorra before scoring a brace against Albania to extend his record as the team’s all-time top scorer.

When he returned to training, however, Mikel Arteta suggests Nketiah wasn’t happy with just the two goals.

“He’s another one that is fighting and knocking on the door every day,” Arteta began. “I really like his mentality.

“He’s cultured, he comes into the training ground and he says ‘I should’ve scored four’ so that’s the type of ambition and hunger that you want from players.”

Nketiah scored two nice goals against Albania, so I don’t want to agree completely that he should’ve scored more, but he certainly had other chances.

The biggest one was his penalty, which the goalkeeper saved. Arsenal have a lot of good penalty takers at the club, including Nicolas Pepe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Alexandre Lacazette, so perhaps they need to give him some tips.

The striker also had a few more decent chances in the Albania match. But on another day he puts one or two of them away and misses the ones he scored. In general, you don’t expect to score every good chance you get.

All the same, it’s good for Nketiah to have the mentality that he can always do better. That’s how he came to be the England u21s’ all-time top scorer in the first place. Another goal this weekend would be nice.