Arsenal’s problem to have a reputed holding midfielder continues after sale of Francis Coquelin to Valencia.
It was a time when Coquelin dominated the defensive midfielder role at Arsenal and was generally one of the first names on team sheet. Many Arsenal supporters tagged him as ‘the next Patrick Vieira’.
For Arsenal style of play – it is necessary to have someone in-front of the defence who could take charge of oppositions counterattacks and preventing them before they get too dangerous.
Arsenal have ‘the Egyptian fuel tank’ Mohammed Elneny to feature as a defensive midfielder. Yes, he is someone who can stand tall with hard feet. But Is he good enough to stand tall for a club as big as Arsenal?
Over the last couple of years Granit Xhaka has established himself as the lead defensive midfielder and to be honest he is doing the job extremely well. He is someone who would not fear to get kicked in the face, someone physical who takes charge, who gets the job done. But quite sometimes Xhaka have failed to keep up with oppositions in intense situations. That is ‘Where’ Arsenal needs someone and that is what Coquelin provided.
So Arsenal are tweaking the weakness they already possess? — Yes and reinforcements have to arrive at-least in the summer to cover the mole in the hole.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles is someone who Arsenal can try to establish at CDM but this issue needs to be resolved soon.
