Ask an Arsenal fan what they think has been one of the biggest problems with the team in recent years and a large number will point straight to the lack of a proper defensive midfielder. But it seems clear that Arsene Wenger does not want a player that will just break up play.
The Fre4nchman has experimented with a certain amount of success by converting Mikel Arteta into a deep lying playmaker, operating a bit like Xabi Alonso and using his passing ability to control the game rather than energy and tackling. But the Spaniard is getting older and slower and is often exposed in the bigger games when he is put under serious pressure.
Wenger has also used the double pivot at times, with Flamini alongside our captain and I wonder if this could be the template that Arsenal use in the future, but with Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere as the deeper lying central midfielders.
There are potential benefits to this system. Both players are young and full of talent and energy and they would grow into the role. Also both have the ability to get forward and link up with the attackers, so as long as the other one stayed back it would be very hard to pick them up. Mark one and the other bursts forward.
Wilshere would need to be a lot more disciplined than he has been in recent years but his form is really coming back now and he has started playing that role for England, with two Man of the Match performances suggesting that he is getting pretty good at it too.
What do you think of the Wilshere/Ramsey combo for Arsenal?