If Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Everton proved anything, it’s that their current defensive options just aren’t good enough. Per Mertesacker and Bacary Sagna aside, everybody’s just too tired, too rusty and they’re all seriously lacking in motivation and competitive spirit.
In particular, I’d like to highlight Arsenal’s two defensive midfielders. How do a team like Arsenal go into a game with two holding players and still manage to lose 3-0? That’s quite a feat.
The trouble, I’d argue, is due to Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini’s lack of pace. Good positional sense will only get you so far, but when you have a fired up team like Everton making multiple runs, remaining mobile and firing off killers balls at will, there’s very little you can do.
If you have pace, on the other hand, you can stick with your man, make up lost ground and put in an interception. Neither Arteta or Flamini are capable of this. It’s also worth noting that they’re physically slight players. In other words, they’re not all that imposing.
As such, they’re not a great fit for this Arsenal team. Both options strike me as second-choice at best.
Luckily, The Gunners are already picking up links to potential replacements. Take, for instance, The Mirror‘s claim that Arsenal are in the market for Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin.
Of course they are: he’s French, he’s relatively young and he’s got Premier League experience. All these qualities mean that he will have caught the eye of Arsene Wenger. The Professor will also appreciate the fact that Schneiderlin is capable on the ball and isn’t afraid to orchestrate attacks either.
The aforementioned source claims that Morgan Schneiderlin could cost Arsenal as much as £15m. If he really is available at this price, he’s sure to attract plenty of suitors this summer. Arsenal just need to barge their way to the front of the queue.
It will be a shame to see Mathieu Flamini and Mikel Arteta get squeezed out, but it may be a necessary step for the future of the club.
What’s your take? Is Morgan Schneiderlin the solution to Arsenal’s midfield issues?
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