Arsenal have struggled against the big teams this season, and much of that has come down to their inability to compete at the base of midfield. Whilst Chelsea and Manchester City boast the likes of Nemanja Matic, Yaya Toure and Fernandinho, the Gunners only naturally defensive midfielders are Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini, who both lack energy at times. Aaron Ramsey showed the quality that Arsenal need in that position, but a players such Lars Bender and Morgan Schneiderlin could be a good option to boost the Gunners’ options, and here is three reasons why the Gunners should target them.
One of the main downfalls of Arsenal’s current crop of defensive midfielders is their lack of energy. Ramsey has it is abundance, but when he is injured they lack that bite in the middle of the park. Schneiderlin could solve that problem. He has won 77 tackles this season, which is more than Arteta and Flamini combined. He has also completed 18 successful take-ons this season, the same as Arteta and Flamini combined. It’s no secret that the big teams put Arsenal under pressure high up the field and it often sees them make mistakes. Arteta has four and Flamini two this season, whereas Schneiderlin is yet to make a defensive error. He has also won 39 aerial duels this season, ten more than Arteta and 18 more than Flamini, it is clear he exerts plenty of energy and determination.
You could argue it is not a defensive midfielders job to be creative, but the likes of Fernandinho, Ramsey and Toure have shown how much of a difference being creative from deep can make to a team. Arteta and Flamini have created just 23 chances in the Premier League this season, Schneiderlin alone has managed 26. This tally is just six short of the best box-to-box midfielder in the league, Yaya Toure.
Whilst Schneiderlin is more creative, Arsenal are clearly missing that bite and dominance in midfield, and that is increasingly evident when Aaron Ramsey is not in the side. Bayer Leverkusen’s Lars Bender would transform the Gunners midfield and add several ingredients that are currently missing from a faltering side.
The German would add plenty of energy to a midfield and this is illustrated with his 42 successful take-ons, more than double Flamini and Arteta’s combined amount. He stands at just over 6ft and is very strong in the air, winning 68 aerial duels this season, which is more than Ramsey, Arteta, Wilshere and Flamini. At just 24 years old he has plenty of time to improve further, but has already established himself in a top European league. Wenger has failed with two bids in the past according to the German press and the stats show he would be wise to go back with a third bid in the summer.
Arsenal need to add to their squad in this area, and whilst my first choice would be Lars Bender –Â Schneiderlin would provide a quality option and has already adapted to the English style. What are your thoughts on this area of Arsenal’s squad? Comment using our MatchChat feature below to share your thoughts.
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Statistics thanks to Squawka.com
Photo via KBE