The making of a complete Arsenal midfielder By SK
Arsenal is a great club with the potential to win games while playing beautiful and attractive football in the process. Over the years, the club has been known for producing extremely creative and exciting midfielders. Players like Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Viera, Cesc Fabregas and Marc Overmars, have at one time or the other, played for the club, and they held the midfield strong! When you look at the midfielder we parade in Arsenal now, can you say they belong to the same class as the ones I mentioned earlier? I doubt it.
With the exception of Mesut Ozil, can one point to another world class midfielder in Arsenal at the moment? No! Aaron Ramsey, Francis Coquelin, Xhaka and others are good midfielders but they are a far cry from what Arsenal needs. So, who is a typical Arsenal midfielder? What are the qualities to look out for in a typical Arsenal midfielder? Well, let me try my best to analyze the qualities of a typical Arsenal midfielder.
1: Creativity: A typical Arsenal midfielder must be highly creative and skillful. He must be able to control and enhance the free flowing game Arsenal is known for. When things are not going on fine for the club, he should be able to grab the bull by the horn and turn around the game for Arsenal. These qualities were specifically found in players like Dennis Bergkamp and Cesc Fabregas. These players had the skills to change and win games for Arsenal.
2: Protect the defenders: This particular function is for the defensive and box to box midfielder. A defensive midfielder is the first player to try and break down the attacking forays of the opposition. A team like Arsenal that likes taking possession of the ball and constantly attacking its opponents, needs a midfielder who can easily win back balls from the opponents and initiate an attack. He should be the first player the opposition team should try to beat before the real defenders. A midfielder who is easily beaten, will expose his defenders and this may lead to serious defensive crisis that may result in goals. Patrick Vera is s typical example of this type of midfielder! When Coquelin came back to Arsenal three seasons back, I thought we had found a new Vera but his recent games is not encouraging, as we are conceding silly goals.
3: Ability to score: The duty of scoring mainly rests with the attackers but in situations whereby the strikers are finding it hard to score, the Arsenal midfielder should be willing and able to contribute with goals. Dennis Bergkamp was a regular scorer while at Arsenal and this was because he was ready to join and lead the attack when it was becoming hard for the strikers to score. Santi Cazorla is another midfielder who performs this duty at Arsenal but he is hardly fit to play a full season. Who else can perform this duty at Arsenal? Ramsey can but he is currently out of form.
These are just some of the qualities needed to be a complete Arsenal midfielder. Sadly, we can’t find these qualities in any of our current midfielders, can we?
Sylvester kwentua
1. Creativity : A playmaker or midfield general that can dictate the tempo, control the game and create chances. Ozil can create chances, but he cannot dictate the tempo and control the game. The only Arsenal player that is able to do that is Cazorla, but he is always injured. I think if Sanchez is given the chance to play as a playmaker in the central attacking midfielder position, he can be our midfield general, because he is technically gifted, has high work rate, good vision to create chances, passing ability and exceptional ball control.
2. Protect the defenders : A defensive midfielder that can act as an extra defender, pressurizes the opponent’s attackers to make the defenders’ job easier and do interceptions. In the previous season, we have Coquelin, but now Xhaka acts as the defensive midifelder. I think Xhaka needs another season to show whether he is able to perform in that position or not. I wish Wenger trusted Coquelin again to play in that position, because Xhaka sucks in this season.
3. Ability to score : Ozil is a good finisher from the central attacking midfielder position, but that position needs more than the finishing and creating chances abilities. He should be our playmaker or midfield general as well, that requires him to have the abilities I mentioned in point number one above. I wish Wenger would be willing to try Sanchez in that position. Wenger should do some experiments in this season because the Premiere League title is already gone.
Nice article Sylvester….you write well, keep it up