metro_weird (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif){kind=small} metro_weird) wrote,@ 2015-01-03 16:18:00 |
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Arsenal were outclassed at Saint Mary’s on New Year’s Day. Whilst defensive errors cost them dearly, the Gunners were outplayed in midfield.
Arsene Wenger lined up with Calum Chambers and Francis Coquelin in Arsenal’s midfield. Chambers, for the first time in his senior career was asked to play in the position and looked out of his depth. Whilst Coquelin was a lot better, he was recently on loan at Charlton – showing the lack of quality Arsenal have in that area. Even with Southampton missing Morgan Schneiderlin through suspension, they still had Victor Wanyama in the midfield whilst Arsenal have no player of that ilk in their entire squad.
Wanyama made a couple of mistimed tackles, but on the whole he out powered and out played the entire Arsenal midfield. His presence was enough to restrict the on-form duo of Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla from creating much at all. He showed Arsene Wenger exactly what they are missing in midfield. In contrast the Southampton midfield were allowed too much space and time on the ball. Although the two goals were self inflicted, the Gunners were opened up on numerous other occasions and were lucky not to concede more.
Many had concerns over Wanyama’s technical ability when he was at Celtic, but he has developed these attributes during his short time at Southampton. On several occasions against Arsenal, the Kenyan combined power and skill to make the Arsenal midfield look like amateurs and ease the pressure on the Saints defence. The Gunners lack any kind of commanding presence in midfield and that has been their downfall on several occasions already this season.
Arsenal need not one but two players in their squad that will add a physical bite to their midfield. Coquelin has shown he is capable of doing a decent job there as a squad player but nothing more. In my opinion we should release both Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini at the end of the season. Then either now or in the summer we need to sign an established defensive midfielder and a young player of a similar ilk who can act as his understudy whilst he develops.
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