The Arsenal legend Ray Parlour makes a very good point about Arsenal’s need to get in a new top class attacking midfielder this summer. We all know that Aubameyang scores a massive proportion of all Arsenal’s goals, and if you look at the stats on Arsenal.com for all our midfielders and wingers in the Premier League this season, this is what we find…..
Appearances + subs…Goals
Saka (11 + 6) …… 0
Ceballos (10+4)….. 0
Martinelli (6+8) … 3
Xhaka (22+0) …… 0
Willock (6+13) ….. 0
Torreira (15+9)….. 1
Guendouzi (17+5)…. 0
Mesut Ozil (18+0)… 1
Pepe (17+7) …….. 4
Nelson (5+5) ……. 0
That makes for grim reading if you are looking for goalscorers from midfield when you discount Aubameyang, who has scored all his 17 goals despite spending a lot of time on the wing.
These stats are telling Ray Parlour that we are seriously lacking in that department. “The goals are not really spread around the team are they, with Arsenal,” Parlour told talkSPORT.
“You get [Alexandre] Lacazette chip in with a few, Ozil probably doesn’t score enough for the position he plays, the midfield are very much more defensive minded.
“Xhaka’s not going to score you goals, Torreira’s not going to score you goals, they’ve lost [Aaron] Ramsey who was the goalscorer from midfield.
“So I look at an attacking midfielder really who’s probably going to try and score you 10 goals a season but you’re talking big money then to spend.”
Obviously there are caveats, for example Arsenal have already spent “big money” last summer on bringing Pepe into the side, and we can be hopeful that he will improve drastically in his second season. And of course, young Martinelli has been a big hope as well, but it is a danger to overplay him at such an early stage of his career. He scored lots of goals in the Europa League and the Cups against inferior opposition, but he hasn’t yet cut it in the Premier League.
So, do you agree with Parlour? Are we in desperate need of a new top class attacking midfielder?
We have top class attacking midfielders it was just a shame that Emery didn’t know how to use them ,now Arteta is having to pick the up pieces left behind by him .
He needs to be given time because most of us can see that he might be something special ,we have Ozil for 12 more months like it or not and his experience is crucial and we have some young talents who I believe Arteta will get the best out of .if anywhere I would say it’s the defensive side if our midfield that needs work
I may be wearing rose tinted glasses but have been harping on about when we had Overmars, Pires, Ljungburg, Parlour all chipping in and if they didn’t finish it creates an imbalance in defence always being that threat.
We defiantly need the rest of the team chipping in.
We definitely need a new AM, ozils return of 1 goal and 2 assists is appalling especially when measure against someone like Pepe who everyone says is a flop. None of the kids are ready so we need to spend on someone that’ll displace Ozil and take on the mantle of teams creative hub
It has finally sunk into my stubborn brain that “Ozil does not have the quality around him” and if Auba is not his quality then who?I have been saying this time and again we need goal scoring midfielders. In fact our midfield needs revamp even before the defense. Midfield is the first line of defense, unfortunately it is not Ozil’s duty to defend, so he wont.It is not his duty to score, so he wont. He does not have the quality around him to assist, so he wont, then what is he doing on the pitch? Nelson, Willock need experience in EPL/Championship before they make it to match day,Guendozi has lost it, he does not know his position, Xhaka is too slow to be a CDM or box-box player, I really don’t know why he keeps playing. Torrera keeps falling down every-time he is touched and disrupts the flow of the play, needs to be shipped out sooner rather than later.Midfield needs a revamp with exits of Torrera and Xhaka, loans for Willock and Nelson and let us enjoy Ozil one final season doing his vanishing tricks. Good that Cabellos is returning back to Spain, a big money loan deal flushed down the drain.There is potential for AMN, hope the lad finds his composure back again and makes its to the team sheet. Looking forward to the Thomas Partey transfer and one ball playing / dribbling midfielder.
Ya whats ozil doing on the pitch.Should ask that question from MA,a very good question😂
So you think if Arteta has Opportunity of Kai Havertz or Hakim Ziyech, he will sit him down and use Ozil?
Ozil was only better than what we have presently not what is out there.
I know who I will chose when I have the option to chose between Ozil and one of Kai, KDB, Arthur, Pjanic, Ziyech the list goes on.
Keeping Ozil and not getting one of this players out there is a sign of mediocrity.
And this is coming from an Ozil fan, but been his fan don’t make me blind to what my first priority is AND that is Arsenal having a great squad.
I don’t support people saying if he is surrounded with a world class player that he will perform better.
Tell me a player who won’t perform better around world-class player in Arsenal squad.
Anderson, Fletcher, Pedro, S. Roberto, D. Costa etc are all players who are not good enough but still performs around world-class. Bring them into Arsenal squad and see how mediocre they are. Even Pique, Boateng etc will be exposed.
A world class will always stand out among others no matter what.
Cazorla, Auba, Van Persie stood out among our players.
Even Ramsey who is not a world-class stood out among his pairs in Arsenal.
So saying a player should be surrounded with world-class is not an excuse 4 a player.
Loose Cannon
Certainly not mincing your words there!
It actually depends on the style we are working on.Liverpool is a good example.
The freedoms we have were paid for with the lives lost June 6,1944.
Arsenal need David Jonathan from Gent. He has 11 assist and 17 goals. He is central forward and very creative in breaking opponent defence with his fast dribbling skills and eye for goal. He can as well play attacking mildfield.
Arsenal need to buy Garlish or Maddison. Only quality players can take arsenal to top four & championship league. Games are won from mildfield. An average striker will flourish and score more goal if he has a good creative attacking mildfielder. A good coordinate mildfield will protect the defence line