Mikel Arteta’s alternatives in midfield are evaluated by the most recent Arsenal news, as the manager of the Gunners may soon face a difficult decision when choosing his starting lineup.
If there is one department in Arsenal’s first team that has the most depth when everyone is fit and available, it is certainly midfield – especially the left 8 and #039; role Of course, this is a position where Granit Xhaka excelled last season and was not sufficiently replaced in his £21.5m move from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer window, with the jury still out. Kai Havertz started life in North London after leaving Chelsea. That said, Mikel Arteta was not afraid to walk away from a £65m contract or throw him out at the start of games. For example, the Germany international was a substitute against Manchester City and at Stamford Bridge, Declan Rice stepped up slightly as Jorginho provided additional cover.
Although the record acquisition for Arsenal can play as the “left 8,” he freely admits that he feels more at ease in the defensive midfield role. With captain Martin Odegaard serving as the right-sided “8,” this means that one slot in Arteta’s ideal lineup is up for grabs.
Should the ‘left 8’ position be designated for an inherently left-footed player, Havertz’s replacement would be Fabio Vieira. The playmaker made vital contributions in his substitute appearances against Fulham and Manchester United earlier in the season, establishing his claim for consistent starts.
Though he hasn’t started a Premier League game since, it’s interesting that his selection in the North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur in September seemed to suggest he was the first-choice option.
Brazilian test andquot;The best place for Emile is in those poses,andquot; Arteta said earlier in the season, confirming that he sees Smith Rowe as a midfielder. andquot;It is not meant to be played as a pure winger. I think it suits him, I think the relationship suits him. Now he needs the documents and he has to prove that he can do what he can do.andquot; The Hale End graduate has been plagued by injuries over the past 18 months and is currently sidelined with a knee injury picked up in last month’s 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United – a game in which he played ironically at left-back and #039. ;8and#039; Next to Havertz. Oleksandr Zinchenko has been tipped for a move to midfield – a role he plays for the Ukraine national team – but he may not move at Arsenal until Jurrien Timber is fully fit to provide depth at left-back, but that is another possibility. and#039;left 8and#039; is Leandro Trossard. The Belgium international has scored 19 consecutive goals in all competitions (seven goals and 12 assists) since joining Arsenal from Brighton and Hove Albion last January, but his header has often been used from wide or through the middle, which has been a big success. late
However, Trossard threw his hat in the net about the role of the midfielder: andquot;That’s a difficult question,andquot; he told the club and official website when asked in which position he feels most comfortable. And to be honest, I’m not really interested in playing all those charts. If it’s on the left, as a false nine, even as an attacking midfielder, I don’t really have a straight answer. andquot;[I played as a kid] as a number ten, as a proper attacking midfielder in the old days, or as a striker. I always try to be in the box and in good positions to score and with the quality we have I know I have to be there, especially if I play on the left, I have to be there when Bukayo Saka is on the ball for example. . right so yeah I follow my instincts there honestly to get to the right places to win.andquot; It remains to be seen if Trossardi is considered for a midfield role as he is doing well as a centre-forward at the moment, but Arteta will certainly have a nice selection headache as all his options are fit and selectable.