Chesterfield coach says young Arsenal loanee has similarities to top Chelsea midfielder

Tim Akinola has been backed to be a ‘great addition’ for Chesterfield.
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The 21-year-old joined the Spireites on a season-long loan from Arsenal last week.

He made his debut in the second-half of Saturday’s win against Oldham Athletic, playing the last 25 minutes.

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The Nigerian has had previous spells at Lincoln City, Huddersfield Town and Dundee United.

Tim Akinola has joined Chesterfield on loan for the season.Tim Akinola has joined Chesterfield on loan for the season.
Tim Akinola has joined Chesterfield on loan for the season.

Akinola is a defensive midfielder by trade, and Spireites assistant manager Danny Webb believes he has some similarities to a top Chelsea midfielder who also plays that position.

“What is great is that Arsenal, first and foremost, very rarely produce a bad player at that age,” Webb told the DT.

"What I am pleased with is that he has had time at other clubs in maybe less glamorous situations. He was at Lincoln and with Dundee United so he is used to coming into an environment that is not under-23s football which sadly is ‘pass, pass, pass’ and it does not matter about the result nowadays.

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"He understands that what he brings to the table is crucial to us getting three points. The gaffer brought him on a little bit higher (against Oldham) than he usually plays but he did it brilliantly.”

On what qualities he will bring to Town, Webb added: "He is fit, he breaks things up and I think he is going to be a great addition. He is athletic, I think he is maybe a bit of a throwback to midfielders...people talk about (N’Golo) Kante at Chelsea and what a career he has had through breaking play up. What is good with Tim is that he doesn’t break it up and give it away. He makes sensible decisions and when you are thrown into a bit of a corner, like coming on against Oldham with not many minutes left and you are 2-0 up, it is important that you don’t do your own thing and I think he, Jez (Uchegbulam) and Michael (Gyasi) helped maintain a steadiness to the performance.”