The last trophy for the Gunners came on May 21st 2005, that day also holds extra significance to Arsenal fans because it was Patrick Vieira’s last competitive game for Arsenal. A game where he had just added to his long list of honours with a hard fought F.A Cup victory over Manchester United. As Patrick Vieira paraded the trophy around the Millennium stadium many people could’ve guessed that Vieira may seek pastures new. He had unfinished business in Italy and eventually got his move and opted to join Italian champions Juventus in 2005. It was the end of a glorious eight year tenure with the former AC Milan midfielder the catalyst for many of Arsenal’s success. He brought power, tenacity and leadership to an Arsenal side famed for their fluid, attacking football. Arsenal haven’t won a trophy without him, that’s a fact and many of the Arsenal faithful felt that manager Arsène Wenger failed to acquire and adequate replacement for their departed captain. It’s been well documented that Arsenal have lacked a leader to guide a fragile but talented team through the strenuous Premier League campaign as well as European commitments and onto glory. Especially when Arsenal have been against it over the past eight years. Players have tried to fill the void but haven’t lived up to the lofty expectations that Vieira set. Alex Song at times looked like he could replace Vieira but he didn’t possess the same fiery mentality that Vieira had and he eventually departed for Barcelona in 2012. Another touted replacement was Abou Diaby, who Vieira himself hailed as his successor, but he has struggled for fitness ever since his move from Auxerre in 2004 and it doesn’t look like his injury record will improve anytime soon.
Now we can fast forward to the summer of 2013, an air of excitement and anticipation amongst Arsenal fans amidst reports that Arsène Wenger is finally willing to open the cheque book, the priority is surely the need for a midfield enforcer that Arsenal have been crying out for. In this early stage of the summer, tons of speculation have seen Arsenal linked with a move for Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini (some media outlets going as far to say that his £22mil release clause has been activated). Other targets mentioned in the media are Lars Bender the Bayer Leverkusen player and Asier Illaramendi the Real Sociedad starlet. With these moves coming at significant costs, an alternative could be Geoffrey Kondogbia, a raw but coveted holding midfielder that plies his trade for Sevilla in La Liga. Here’s some information on him to help you decide if you think he could be that man Arsenal so desperately need in midfield.
[highlight]Biography.[/highlight]
He made his debut for Lens in Ligue 1 at just 18-years-old after progressing through the clubs youth teams. An academy which is garnering a reputation for producing promising young talent (Raphaël Varane and Adel Taarbt are other notable graduates). It wasn’t long after his debut he was made a regular starter for Lens and after 32 appearances in Ligue 2 the following season, Kondogbia’s progress wasn’t going unnoticed in European football. Interest from clubs in France, Italy and Spain were reported by the French Media, the race for the Frenchman’s much desired signature was heating up. After reviewing his options it was Sevilla who Kondogbia chose to continue his progress with. He packed his bags and made the move to south of Spain for a reported €4mil fee at the tender age of 19-years-old. It didn’t take long for the France Under-20 international to make his mark in Spain. After a promising pre-season occupying various defensive positions, Kondogbia soon enough found himself an undisputed starter for his new club forming a partnership in the centre of midfield with fiery Chilean international Gary Medel. However, a poor start for the club as a whole and a change in leadership mid-season meant Sevilla had under-achieved and finished a dismal 9th place in La Liga despite boasting a team of established international such as Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas. Geoffrey Kondogbia’s rise to prominence in the 2012/13 season is one of the few highlights for the Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán based outfit. The same story for many of the smaller clubs in Spain, financial constraints are preventing them to compete with the big guns and Sevilla may decide to sell their starlet as early as this summer. There’s no doubt he will have plenty of suitors with Chelsea, Arsenal and even Real Madrid all being linked with his signature.
[highlight]Playing Style & Personality[/highlight]
Geoffrey Kondogbia’s playing style is that of a typical defensive midfielder to progress through the youth ranks in France. Tall, strong and tenacious. He is never shy to use his bustiling frame to win and protect the ball. Ironically, he has drawn many comparisons with Patrick Vieira. Obviously that would make him a favourable candidate at the Emirates especially if he can emulate what Vieira achieved during his time with the Gunners. There is a contrast between what Kondogbia offers and what other targets like Fellaini can offer. Kondogbia’s positional habits tend to be a lot deeper than his Everton counterpart with the young Frenchman rarely venturing forward with the ball. Kondogbia’s best attribute is intercepting opposition attacks and patrolling the area in front of the back four combining his athleticism and maturity while doing so He is also more inclined to play simple passes to attack-minded team-mates such as Ivan Rakitić and Jesus Navas. He is certainly not in the team to dribble with the ball or attempt raking 30-yard passes – something suited to Arsenal’s style of play. With the likes of Cazorla, Rosicky and Wilshere in the Arsenal midfield, the need for a playmaker is hardly a priority, so someone who can keep things ticking as well as add some extra steel would be ideal for Arsenal.
Although at Arsenal we are more accustomed to attacking technicians under the philosophy of Wenger, even the defensive players exhibit attacking prowess at Arsenal and Kondogbia is certainly not found wanting in that sense. Although he plays quite deep for Sevilla his passing stats bode well for potential suitors.
Another asset Kondogbia would provide is it would allow more freedom for attack minded players who have been forced to fill the void in midfield. Mikel Arteta could re-discover his playmaking skills that we familiarized him with at Everton rather than his deep-lying positioning he does at Arsenal. Another player suffering because of the lack of a recognised defensive midfielder is golden boy Jack Wilshere, who will be given the license to flourish in a more advanced role should a defensive midfielder arrive. The lack of a defensive presence in midfield has meant that Wilshere is found deeper in his own third of the pitch whereas many Arsenal fans would prefer to see Wilshere closer to the goal, thus allowing him to utilise his dribbling ability, close control and intricate passing skills in the attacking third. He flourished as a number 10 for the under-21’s and is well endowed to do the same for Arsenal which would provide another lethal attacking outlet at the club.
[highlight]Criticisms.[/highlight]
Kondogbia’s temperament has been something that has been called into question already in his young career, particularly in his Lens days. He gained a reputation for arrogance and sometimes an overly aggressive style of play advertised by his poor disciplinary record in France. Additionally, he had a run in with the law getting caught driving with a fake license. Such behaviour could scupper any deal to a big club. In particular to Arsenal with Arsène Wenger a manager that prefers a harmonious dressing room, and is an advocate of strong discipline. In fairness to Kondogbia he appears to have forsaken his troublesome persona having a much cleaner disciplinary record during his debut season in Spain. He now portrays a much more composed figure in the heart of midfield and is less rash with his tackles despite his formidable 188cm frame. His growing maturity a bonus that came with his move to Spain. His attitude could continue to develop with a move to the Premier League and under the guidance of Wenger.
[highlight]Verdict?[/highlight]
Whilst the makings for a potentially world class player are all there and people who watch La Liga will know how quickly he burst onto the scene. I still feel as though Arsenal fans would prefer a more high profile signing like Fellaini, an established Premier League player who could hit the ground running without having time to settle, which maybe the case if Kondogbia were to be on the move. I am also of that opinion. But Fellaini is a desired player for many. A reunion with former manager David Moyes is plausible. It’s also note-worthy that Wenger has always maintained the tradition of grooming younger players and transforming them into world class players when he has had money to spend and when he hasn’t. It’s something that many Arsenal fans pride themselves in as a club. However, should Arsenal miss out on a more high profile target there is no doubt in my mind that Kondogbia could be that missing piece of the jigsaw in the Arsenal midfield that can add some much needed steel to an Arsenal midfield deemed too lightweight in the past. I’m confident that Kondogbia’s arrival could help turn notorious bottlers into genuine title contenders next season and in years to come.
What’s your verdict?