The Truth about the Defensive Midfield Position

I was a fond lover of a certain Mathieu Flamini.  Like most other Arsenal players, his career since leaving us has been quite woeful.  It became blatantly obvious earlier in the season that we were missing him and Gilberto in our midfield.  Five losses in 14 games…Not title chasing quality, not Champions League quality, I don’t believe that is even Europa League Quality (Everton and Aston Villa have each had nine losses this season overall.)

But then some remarkable transformation happened.  And it was Alex Song.  Why do people still criticise Wenger because he won’t buy a defensive midfielder and Song because he’s “quite frankly crap”?  I don’t see the point because Arsene knew that not buying a replacement would see Song, Denilson, Diaby, and even Ramsey flourish.  Think about it: Would Song be the same sort of player he is today if we had bought Yaya Toure?  He would most likely be playing playing at Birmingham or some lower reputation club ala Sebastian Larrson.

Denilson has been an ever-present this season, playing all but one game in the Premier League season.  Same applies for the Champions League season.  The player nicknamed “Denils***” has actually been our most consistant player and best passer this season, whether you agree with it or not.  He hasn’t had any real standout games but (aside from one or two poor performances, such as against M’Boro away) his ability to find a player with his passes and not make two many errors (like with Almunia) has seen Denilson quitely go under the radar.  Those who do appreciate his talents have even mentioned him as a candidate for Arsenal player of the season.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  In my opinion, Denilson was exposed to this all too early.  I don’t think he’ll become world class or good enough for us in the long term but he will certainly become a good player.

And then there’s Diaby.  Can he play defensive midfield?  I don’t think so.  But with a defense minded midfielder to partner like a Petit (I would pick Song), he could flourish in the shared role and they could form a good parnership.  But then where’s Fabregas?  He would either have to leave, not play, or play as a support striker if that came to effect.  Hmm…

And then there’s all our youth players who can profit off of not having a new defensive mid:

Francis Coequelin is certainly a talent in the Flamini mold.  The 17 year old was on the bench last weekend against Portsmouth, and was tipped by popular Arsenal youth blog Young Guns to be Arsenal’s biggest young player of 2009.

Can Jay Emmanuel Thomas, the Under 18s captain, play there?  I don’t think so…I’ve only once seen him play but he looks too attack minded based on him amazing scoring stats, despite having left fullback as a backup position.

Could Emmanuel Frimpong become the man to star in the defensive midfield position for Arsenal?  He certainly has played well in our FA Youth Cup run to the final, including a “beastly” performances against hated rivals Spurs.

Mark Randall will not become good enough for Arsenal, nor any top 10 team.  I wish he did, but I forsee his future to be in the Championship.

Could we convert Kolo Toure or Johan Djourou to defensive mid and promote a young center back to the first team?  We have some good young center halfs: former Arsenal Reserves captain Havard Nordtveit, 19, and Kyle Bartley, 17, who has starred in our FA Youth Cup run to the final, are two major prospects.

Personally, I’d rather we brought in no one than a new defensive midfielder.  There, I said it.

But if there was one place in the team I’d strength, I’d bring in a new center half.  I’d bring in Jolean Lescott.  He and Jagielka is my favourite partnership in the league and, based on my time watching Everton (they’re my favourite non-big 4 team), the best in the league, better than Ferdinand/Vidic even (who get it lucky with having a better midfield).  Unfortunately, Lescott might be too costly so it might be better to leave the squad as it is, unless Gallas or Toure leaves.

Also, before someone mentions it: We do NOT need a new goalkeeper.  ‘Nuff said.

Also for anyone who says Veloso would be good, listen up.  He is no longer first choice for his club in Portugal and has been linked with teams such as Bolton.  Do you think we need someone who cannot get in the starting XI of a Portugese club, rather than Song, Diaby, Denilson, or Toure even?

Feel free to leave your responses!

Wigan vs Arsenal Match Preview

Barclays Premier League Round 32, April 11, 2009, Wigan Athletic vs Arsenal FC, 15:00

Arsenal Squad: Fabianski, Sagna, Toure, Djourou, Silvestre, Arshavin, Denilson, Fabregas, Nasri, Walcott, Adebayor, Mannone, Song, Vela, Bendtner, Gibbs, Ramsey, Wilshere, Diaby.

Manuel Almunia and William Gallas are not in the squad after picking up injuries against Villareal, with the latter of the two being ruled out for the rest of the season.  Gael Clichy is also ruled out of the squad with a back problem.

Robin Van Persie and Eduardo Da Silva face late fitness tests in an effort to recover from injuries that stopped them from featuring against Villareal.

Andrei Arshavin, meanwhile, returns to the squad after being cup-tied against Villareal.  Abou Diaby also may return to the squad after recovering from an injury picked up playing with France, but is a doubtful starter.

Predicted Starting XI:

————–Fabianski————-

Sagna Toure Djourou Gibbs

———-Song Denilson————

Walcott——-Fabregas (c)—-Nasri

—————Adebayor—————

What would your line up be?  Feel free to leave your comment on who we should play.

Wigan, meanwhile, are still without Amr Zaki, who is yet to return to the club after playing for Egypt last month.  Star midfielder Lee Cattermole will miss the game through suspension.

Wigan Squad:  Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble, Boyce, Figueroa, Watson, Brown, Koumas, Scharner, Kapo, N’Zogbia, De Ridder, Rodallega, Valencia, Sibierski, Mido, Kingson, Edman.

FORM GUIDE

Wigan

05 Apr (Premier League) v Everton (A) LOST 0-4
22 Mar (Premier League) v Hull City (H) WON 1-0
14 Mar (Premier League) v Sunderland (A) WON 2-1
04 Mar (Premier League) v West Ham (H) LOST 0-1
28 Feb (Premier League) v Chelsea (A) LOST 1-2

Arsenal

07 Apr (Champions League) v Villarreal (A) DREW 1-1
04 Apr (Premier League) v Man City (H) WON 2-0
21 Mar (Premier League) v Newcastle (A) WON 3-1
17 Mar (FA Cup) v Hull City (H) WON 2-1
14 Mar (Premier League) v Blackburn (H) WON 4-0

Prediction: Wigan 0-2 Arsenal

Stunning Adebayor Strike Gives Away Goal

After a blazing shot by Marcos Senna beat Manuel Almunia in the 10th minute, Emmanuel Adebayor produced an amazing bicycle kick to silence the Villareal crowd.  This gives Arsenal a crucial away goal going into the home leg next week and the squad knows that a clean sheet will guarentee passage into the Champions League semi-finals.

Arsenal 4-5-1: Almunia, Clichy, Toure, Gallas, Sagna, Denilson, Song, Nasri, Fabregas (c), Walcott, Adebayor–Subs: Fabianski for Almunia 27th minute, Djourou for Gallas 42nd minute, Eboue for Walcott 77th minute

Villarreal 4-4-2: Lopez, Rodriguez, Godin, Capdevilla, Eguren, Cani, Ibagaza, Senna (c), Angel, Llorente, Rossi–Subs: Fernandes for Cani 46th minute, Pires for Llorente 70th minute, Franco for Ibagaza 77th minute

Villareal 1-1 Arsenal

Senna 10th minute—-Adebayor 66th minute

—————————————————

PLAYER RATINGS

Almunia-6.0: The Spanish goalkeeper could do nothing to stop Senna’s long shot and did not really have to do much else during his 27 minutes on the pitch.

Clichy-7.5: He did okay defensively and was very disciplined down the left.  He did not bomb forward as frequent as he has done in the past, but he did come forward several times to help create some delightful attacks.

Gallas-6.5: William was probably one of the best of our backline before he was subbed in the 42nd minute.  It’s unfourtunate that he may now miss the rest of the season.

Toure-7.5: This was a tale of two halves.  True, he was very poor in the 1st half but he was vastly improved in the 2nd, making some crucial challenges.  He also went on a couple attacking runs out of his center back position.

Sagna-6.5: Bakary was solid without being spectacular for most of the game, but was found napping several times during both halves.

Denilson-5.5: Denilson was quiet like usual.  He didn’t do much wrong, but yet he didn’t do much right.

Song-7.0: Like Toure, it was a tale of two halves.  In the 1st, he made some big mistakes: He took too long to close down Senna and Rossi before the goal and he even managed to injure Gallas!  But in the 2nd, he was vastly improved.  He started to dominate the defensive midfield and while still not really nullifying the threat of Senna and company, he was one of our best players in the 2nd half.  I have heard calls of him being our weakest link and talk of him playing terribly in this game but I thought he showed in the 2nd half that he might have the potential to be the next Gilberto Silva…He must not create a repeat performance of the 1st though.

Nasri-5.5: Quiet and uneffective.

Fabregas-7.5: He looked rusty for large periods of the game but looked a threat and set up many of our chances, including the goal.

Walcott-6.0: He was a threat but had no end product.

Adebayor-8.0: Scored a spectacular goal being hailed as one of the best CL goals of the season.  He looked isolated during large periods of the game but for scoring when he did and in the manner he did, he has earned an 8.

Subs: Fabianski 7.5, Djourou 6.5, Eboue 6.0

Villareal vs Arsenal Line-Ups

TEAMS Villarreal v Arsenal

Villarreal 4-4-2: Diego Lopez, Angel, Godin, Rodriguez, Capdevilla, Cani, Senna (c), Eguren, Ibagaza, Rossi, Llorente.

Subs: Viera, Pires, Franco, Fernandez, Nihat, Javi Venta, Fuentes.

Injured Stars: Santi Carzola

Arsenal 4-5-1: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Denilson, Song Billong, Walcott, Fabregas, Nasri, Adebayor.

Subs: Fabianski, Vela, Silvestre, Djourou, Bendtner, Eboue, Gibbs.

Injured Players: Tomas Rosicky, Robin Van Persie, Eduardo Da Silva, and Abou Diaby

The Beginning of a New Era

It’s a beginning of a new era for the club with youngsters Abou Diaby, Denilson, Song, Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott, and more coming through as we are slowly building a young second coming of the Invincibles.  But not only is it so that we are recreating our title-winning team, but there is a new blog in town.  Its name is Hat Trick Central dedicated to the Arsenal fans of today and tomorrow.

The purpose of the blog is simple: To blog about the English Premier League.  What else?

This blog is set to have everything the Arsenal fan would want: from trivia to match reports to youth reports to classic features and so on…You’ll see.

Just hang in there with me and you’ll be able to share your comments on Arsenal quite easily just by writing something in the box below the blog and simply clicking submit comment.  Your support would be appreciated, as it is vital to keep the blog going.

Until next time, in Arsene we trust.