Arsenal's Americans swap their loan star status
By Richard Clarke
Just as one American defender returns from a loan spell, another departs in the same manner.
The Arsenal careers of Frankie Simek and Danny Karbassiyoon are indelibly linked. They are the only two Americans ever to play for the Club, though it is a little-known fact that bearded centre back Alexei Lalas had a trial before starring for the host nation in the 1994 World Cup.
Simek became Arsenal’s first US player in the Carling Cup last year, Karbassiyoon scored the first goal by an American player in the same competition this season. Simek enjoyed a fruitful five-game loan at Championship promotion-chasers QPR in November, now Karbassiyoon has joined Ipswich, another side with Premiership ambitions.
The former spoke to Arsenal.com about his time with Ian Holloway’s side. You can be sure he has told his friend and compatriot what to expect.
“It was a jump,” admitted Simek, 20, “but it was a good challenge and I thought I coped well.
“I played five games in a very different environment. You are playing for points. In a Reserve game it is good but you are not playing for the same sort of points. QPR are looking to get promotion.
“It was a different kind of game as well,” he went on. “You get kicked a bit more!
“It is a lot more direct in the Championship. They are playing a lot more high balls compared to Reserve football where they tell us to get the ball down and pass around them. You still play the ball when you can but for the most part they want you to get the ball forward.
“But I expected that and I prepared for it. I played in the Wolves game [for Arsenal] last year so I knew a bit of what it would be like. And playing in front of packed houses was a good experience.”
Simek returned from his spell and was named on the bench for the Carling Cup game at Manchester United. He described himself as “pleased to be involved” and “a bit disappointed not to get on”.
The Missourian is also open-minded to another temporary transfer later in the current campaign.
“Maybe,” Simek shrugged. “We’ll see what the New Year holds. I didn't find out about the QPR loan until the day before I played so these things can happen pretty quickly.”
