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| Coquelin has been the revealation of the season |
The midweek BPL clash against Leicester City ended with mixed fortunes for the gunners. They grabbed all the points with some unwanted and avoidable drama but lost Aaron Ramsey to the recurring hamstring injury for the third time this season. No team ever likes injuries but the bug has bitten an already wounded midfield of Arsenal. What makes it even worse is that all casualties have been for the particular position of central midfield area.
Already facing long term absence of Arteta, Diaby and Wilshere, now they'll have to bear the absence of the Welshman as well. Because of this, Wenger only has Flamini and Coquelin at disposal and Chambers to some extent who has only played once in this role in the match against his former employers Southampton which was not decent enough. [Counting on not-yet-ready Bielik and academy prospects Zelalem & Maitland-Niles won't be wise as all of them lack experience at their age. They can only feature as 80+ mins subs at the most.]
All the available options are overly defensive and Arsene hardly places two DMs in a same lineup. It's been evident throughout the season except for the match against the hammers away from home. The Frenchman plays a DM, a CM with balance of attack-defence and an AM in the newly adapted 4-1-4-1 formation but due to injuries, he has used his both the diminutive playmakers Rosicky and Cazorla in that place where one of the mentioned absentee features.
Both of them seemed to struggle with the physical and muscular presence of Leicester midfield so clearly it didn't worked out well. And both of them driven by their natural attacking instincts likes to be with or around the ball which leaves Coquelin alone in the area to guard the back-four.
Though their is a glimmer of hope to this problem with Jack back in training but when will he be back on pitch now remains to be seen as the boss has not yet set a timeline on his return. Until then, hope is the only thing we have!
Already facing long term absence of Arteta, Diaby and Wilshere, now they'll have to bear the absence of the Welshman as well. Because of this, Wenger only has Flamini and Coquelin at disposal and Chambers to some extent who has only played once in this role in the match against his former employers Southampton which was not decent enough. [Counting on not-yet-ready Bielik and academy prospects Zelalem & Maitland-Niles won't be wise as all of them lack experience at their age. They can only feature as 80+ mins subs at the most.]
All the available options are overly defensive and Arsene hardly places two DMs in a same lineup. It's been evident throughout the season except for the match against the hammers away from home. The Frenchman plays a DM, a CM with balance of attack-defence and an AM in the newly adapted 4-1-4-1 formation but due to injuries, he has used his both the diminutive playmakers Rosicky and Cazorla in that place where one of the mentioned absentee features.
Both of them seemed to struggle with the physical and muscular presence of Leicester midfield so clearly it didn't worked out well. And both of them driven by their natural attacking instincts likes to be with or around the ball which leaves Coquelin alone in the area to guard the back-four.
Though their is a glimmer of hope to this problem with Jack back in training but when will he be back on pitch now remains to be seen as the boss has not yet set a timeline on his return. Until then, hope is the only thing we have!
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