If Arsenal’s recent performances have told us anything, it is they desperately need some midfield nous in their ranks. Losses to Swansea, Olympiacos and the humbling to Bradford City in the League Cup could all have been avoided had a strong body sat in the centre of midfield.
Boss Arsene Wenger has failed to deliver in bringing up a defensive midfielder through the ranks. The perpetually injured Abou Diaby has never risen to the standard needed for a title-challenging side while Francis Coquelin is too inexperienced for that role.
Not since Gilberto Silva have Arsenal had a proper holding midfielder that can retain the ball, instruct the midfield and break down attacks simply with his positional play. Rarely do we see the crunching tackles Patrick Vieira and Gilberto used to combat opponents, Wenger instead opting for quieter players who, although gifted on the ball, have no idea how to structure a midfield.
When Vieira left, Gilberto filled the hole before it was time for Mathieu Flamini to step up with Cesc Fabregas alongside. Arsenal’s inability to secure Flamini’s services effectively ruined Wenger’s plans for a side ready to win trophies back in 2007/08.
Since then the squad has mentally weakened and, heading into the January transfer window, something must be done to strengthen the midfield. One man who Wenger should look to bring in is Kevin Strootman, PSV’s 22-year-old midfielder, who has all the qualities of a hardened DM having learned from the best in the business: Dutch team-mate Mark van Bommel.
With 15 international caps to his name Strootman has perfected the driving midfielder role that has made Yaya Toure and Xavi Alonso such great successors in the Premier League.
Wenger must sign in January and Strootman is the man to fill a desperately needed gap in their midfield. If the bossfails to spend Arsenal may fall outside the top four this season, meaning he ability to attract world-class players would be lost.
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