Bernd Leno has claimed that Arsenal need that tough tackling midfielder that they have lacked since Patrick Vieira left the club in 2005.
The Gunners have struggled with consistency this season, so much so we currently sit in tenth place in the Premier League with only five matches remaining.
We do have a chance of reaching the Europa League final however, as we trail Villarreal by a 2-1 scoreline with the second-leg at the Emirates come Thursday.
Leno has now been discussing his side’s troubles this season with German publication Bild, where he insists that the team is ‘too nice’, and that they could do with a real tough tackling midfielder to have a go at our rivals.
“We have to be a nastier team,” Leno told SportBild(via the Metro).
“We all get on well, but we are often too nice on the pitch.
“Perhaps we are missing a proper ankle biter, someone who can take out opponents in games.”
I feel like football no longer accommodates this sort of player however, with referees quick to punish this sort of on-pitch aggression, but there is no doubt that we would welcome some.
Has the game moved on from players like Patrick Vieira? Are there any midfielders in the Premier League who meet the description?
Patrick