Premier League giants Arsenal sold Folarin Balogun last summer and the jury is still out on Monaco’s £34 million striker as he misses a penalty for the fourth time this season already.
Now, first things first, the USA international did find the net during Sunday’s 3-2 win at RC Lens. And what a goal it was, Folarin Balogun lashing home at the near post.
That, however, was only his sixth in 21 games, the Arsenal academy graduate yet to live up to his 40 million euro price-tag on a consistent basis.
Balogun’s troubles from the penalty spot, meanwhile, are very much an ongoing concern. He might have got away with it this time – a fine stop from former Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba not enough to deny Monaco the win – but the striker could have few complaints if he is removed from penalty duty by Les Monegasques coach Adi Hutter.
Arsenal sold Folarin Balogun to AS Monaco
Balogun, after all, missed not once but twice from 12 yards in a narrow defeat to fellow Champions League chasers Nice before Christmas, and missed the mark again as Monaco were stunned in the Coupe de France by lower-league FC Rouen.
“He’s missed four penalties this season,” former Borussia Monchengladbach and Eintracht Frankfurt coach Hutter tells Get France Football News. “That’s a lot. I take responsibility for this. Maybe we’ll think about the order of shooters in the future.
“But, I’m otherwise, very satisfied with his performance.”
Balogun’s struggles from the spot are a rather new thing. The one-time Middlesbrough loanee took eight during a prolific loan spell at Reims in 2022/23, after all, and hit the back of the net on seven occasions.
A slow start for USA international
Hutter, meanwhile, believes that Balogun’s rather underwhelming return in Monaco colours can be explained by the fact he tends to come up against deep-lying defences these days. A different, more patient approach required from a man who was used to galloping into wide open spaces at Reims.
“Firstly, I think we play a different style of football (to Reims),” Hutter argues. “He was (Reims’) go-to striker. He received the ball in lots of space, he was on the back-line and attacking the space. Here, in Monaco, it is different for him. We have more possession of the ball, more in the opponent’s half.”
“He has to adapt. He’s a young player that I have spoken with a lot.
“In a career, you’re not always at your best peak, so we have to accept this. Everyone can see he can do better. I am happy with him. He’s a very professional player. He does everything in possession.
“This is football sometimes.”
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