We Shouldn’t Be Playing Elneny At Home To Aston Villa! By Dan Smith
When writing about an article based on Joe Willock, I felt the need to reference Elneny as an example how a section of our fanbase tend to overreact. I wanted to write it before the Aston Villa game so I wouldn’t be accused of being wise after the event.
It was predictable after the win at Old Trafford that Arteta would make the mistake of carrying on with the Egyptian starting in the League. Let me clarify, he was very good in Manchester but United away is a different scenario compared to Villa at home. They are two fixtures which require different qualities.
Away at a ‘top six’ side, maybe you need that extra hard-working player in midfield, but do you need that at the Emirates against opponents who had just conceded 3 and 4 goals in their two previous games?
If Leeds and Southampton can make lots of chances against Aston Villa, then so should we. Yet creativity is proving a real issue and that’s not something you usually associate with Arsenal.
Most seasons you would count on us to at least score in a game, especially at our own ground. It’s now though been 4 games since we last scored in open play.
Our manager has over complicated things because Xhaka and Ceballos were not doing anything wrong to warrant both being dropped. You could trust one to start deep with Partey as both have a range of passing that can unlock a defence.
You don’t need an Elneny/Partey partnership at home, it’s way too negative. It’s not Elneny’s fault. He always gives 100 percent but that’s never been questioned. Nothing has changed from now to before he went to Turkey. He will run round, win back possession and pass the ball sideways. Qualities you don’t need when you are Arsenal at home.
It’s almost patronising to the player to be patting him on the back for not being rubbish. This is a professional footballer who earns a reported a 50,000 pound a week so let’s not act shocked that he can kick a football.
I promised that I wouldn’t mention a certain individual every time we lose a game, but I’m sorry I think losing 3-0 at home is fairly extreme and deserves questioning. I think our joint heaviest defeat at home in the Premier League allows me to question the balance of the squad?
Elneny, Partey, Xhaka, Ceballos can all play as your holding midfielder. Do you need 4 options while claiming your only creative player couldn’t make the list of 23. Bear in mind that Maitland Niles, Chambers and Luiz could also play DM.
When readers ask me where I get the theory that it’s non-footballing reasons why Ozil has been frozen out it’s nights like Sunday. Because for footballing reasons, you don’t select Elneny and not Ozil.
When you need a goal, you don’t choose a Pepe or Nketiah as being any more likely to change a game.
When he was first hired, Arteta spoke about certain standards and not accepting when they are not met.
4 defeats in 8 games.
2 home defeats in 4.
Our joint heaviest defeat at home in the Prem era.
We cannot accept those standards.
If Elneny can make the squad but Ozil can’t, we should ask ourselves why.
If Elneny is the answer, then the question is worse than I thought.
Be kind in the comments…
Dan Smith