One out, One in for Arsenal’s midfield

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Report are (and by the time I hit publish the deal might have gone through) that Ainsley Maitland-Niles will leave Arsenal on loan to join Roma.

It is a good deal for the Hale end graduate and one that I hope will leave to his permanent departure.

That is not because I do not like the kid (although at 24 he is now a man) but because I want to see him crack on with his career.

Like Eddie Nketiah, Maitland-Niles has had a couple of chance to leave on a permanent basis blocked.

In the last 18 months, he has had offers from Wolves, Leicester City and Everton. Each time he has been blocked in leaving by Mikel Arteta.

It is one of my biggest criticsms of Arteta; he only seems to fancy a player when they have one foot out the door – think Maitland-Niles, Nketiah and Calum Chambers.

Since the deal to join wolves collapsed at the last minute in the summer of 2020, Maitland-Niles has started just 7 Premier League games for the club. He started a further 14 whilst on loan at WBA.

It is getting to the point that we are messing him about. So I hope he sparkles on loan at Roma and that leaves to a move somewhere that will give him a better opportunity to add to his 5 England caps.

So working on the basis that Maitland-Niles is off, Arsenal will surely need to bring in a new midfielder in January.

Both Thomas Partey and Mo Elneny are expected to leave for the African Cup of Nations in the next couple of days. That will leave Arsenal with just Granit Xhaka and Albert Sambi Lokonga as the senior midfielders. The latter of which has now started a game in over a month.

Beyond those two, Arteta’s other options would be Charlie Patino, Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odergaard.

None of them have the defensive output that Partey has and all 3 will be a big risk playing deeper (the couple of times we played with either Smith Rowe or Odergaard deeper this season we got over run in the midfield).

All indicators are that we will bring someone in to reinforce that position in January. Likely to be a 6 month loan deal. But like with the Dani Cabellos move it could lead to something longer.

There is one obvious midfielder in European football currently sniffing for a move out of his club on temporary basis. He would have Premier League experience, and as both the defensive output, work rate and passing ability that Arteta demands.

Ladies and gentlemen; Georginio Wijnaldum.

Keenos

Should the January transfer window be scrapped?

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Morning all.

Today is a regular work day in case you did not realise. Christmas is over.

A quick hats off to all those that work in retail and hospitality. Whilst the rest of us are posting up pictures of our 4th day eating left overs, still on the booze or our Christmas bargains, they are dragging themselves into work. they are the true heroes of Christmas.

I should not have actually been writing a blog today. It should have been a match report. But yesterday’s game against Wolves was cancelled and it still rankles we me. Ruined my Christmas.

Arsenal have basically had a game cancelled because Wolves decided to not have enough senior players.

Not only have they only named a 21-man List A squad, they have only used 18 players this season – the least of any Premier League side.

They have sacrificed squad depth for quality; deciding to spend their wage budget on 18-21 players rather than 25-28.

They are happy to gain the advantages of having a smaller squad – IE the quality – but when they have players out injured their lack of squad should become a disadvantage. Instead they have the game cancelled.

It will be interesting to see what they do in the FA Cup against Sheffield United.

Will they put out their strongest 11? A side selected from that core of 18 they have used this season? Or will they look to their List B and play a load of youngers. Those same youngsters they claimed were not ready for first team football which resulted in their game against us being cancelled.

I think we all know what they are going to do…

There is also a debate to be had about the vaildity of the January transfer window.

Arsene Wenger once said that the summer transfer window should slam shut on the eve of the new season and there should be no January window.

That philosphy makes it “fair for all” as you have to play every side home and away picking from the same group of players.

Wolves will now be able to face Arsenal with potential new signings that were not available to them for the original game.

Likewise you look at someone like Tottenham who have had 3 games postponed, they will now be able to play those games with any new January signings.

Should they scrap the January window and you have to play with the cards you dealt yourself for the entire season? It is certainly a debate to be had.

Anyway, enjoy your Wednesday. Whether you are working or still digging into cheese and biscuits.

Keenos

Gabriel Sanchez Baby

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When Arsenal sold Alexis Sanchez to Man U, we lost that player who was a difference maker. That could create something for himself out of nothing.

In Gabriel Martinelli we have a player that reminds me a lot of the Chilean.

Martinelli is a high work rate player whose first thought is always about going forward. How can he beat a man, how can he score a goal.

Like Sanchez he scores all sorts of goals. Worldies a from the edge of the area. On his toes to grab a tap in. Lofting it over a keeper when clean through, or bending it round him.

They both have that burst of pace and a trick to beat a man. The ability to be surrounded by two or 3 players but somehow find a way out of trouble with the ball at their feet.

His game does have its flaws which are also eerily similar to Sanchez.

Sanchez was a poor passer. You would not really want him involved in slow and patient build up. He would take 2 or 3 touches when one is needed.

Martinelli is the same.

He is often bottom of pass completion in the team. You want him coming in on the left to finish the build up. Not involved in it.

With 4 goals and 2 assists in his last 5 games, Martinelli has finally returned to that form that made him one of the most exciting teenagers on the planet.

Still just 20, the competition on the left between him and Emile Smith Rowe will only push both further.

In Smith Rowe we have someone that reminds me of Robert Pires.

Martinelli is beginning to look like a Sanchez regen.

Keenos