The Arsenal Midfield Conundrum

It is a conundrum, but a nice conundrum to have. This season Fantasy managers are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking Arsenal midfield coverage, especially as many of their key assets  are similarly priced.  A mixed opening schedule sees Arsenal play four of last year’s top six over the first ten weeks (Everton, Manchester City, at home for the derby against Tottenham, and Chelsea), but also Crystal Palace (H), Leicester (A), Aston Villa (A), Hull (H), Sunderland (A) and Burnley (H). If Arsenal assets start well, we could see several early-season reshuffles to accommodate them.

Budget Options

Flamini (5.0) – Instantly endearing himself to the Gunners with a two-footed slide tackle against Tottenham in last year’s Derby, Flamini scored twice despite not being guaranteed a place in the starting 11. Brought in to shore up the midfield, rather than score goals, Flamini is a card magnet (8 yellow and a red in his 27 league appearances) and there are better options who are guaranteed more game time.

Arteta (5.5) – The Spaniard’s future is unsure, with a possible move back to Spain being mooted, meaning Mikel Arteta is a risky choice for any manager. Four attempts on target (two of them being converted spot-kicks) are all his last campaign has to offer in terms of attacking returns. Unless you expect Arsenal to win a barrage of penalties whilst he is on the pitch, he is best left off the team sheet.

Rosicky (5.0) – The aging playmaker is not the most prolific. Never guaranteed a spot in the first team, the arrival of new signings will have pushed him further and further down the pecking order. Two goals and an assist hardly highlight his overall contribution and attacking intent. That said, he may have to settle for sub and cup appearances for future game time.

Diaby (5.0) – Despite being a player with so much promise and talent, Diaby’s insistence to remain tied to the treatment room mean that he is significantly lacking in game time. Although Wenger has had a lot of faith in the midfielder’s capabilities, with so much seasoned competition, Diaby faces an uphill battle to gain a starting position.

Mid-priced Options

Wilshere (6.5) – Touted as a potential future England captain, Wilshere is a difficult player to analyse. His passion on the pitch is unquestionable, but his starting position is difficult to determine. Able to play anywhere in the midfield, Wilshere delivered three goals and four assists, including one of the goals of the season. Perhaps his role on the pitch will be dictated by the form of other players more so than that of himself. Where he fits in the grand scheme of things will be of interest.

Oxlade-Chaimberlain (6.5) – Wenger decided last season that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be ‘the next Steven Gerrard’ and whilst both of his goals came from a deep-lying midfield position similar to the current Liverpool player, the Ox is known more for his ability on the wing. With Walcott still nursing his knee injury, this could be the time for the Ox to make the wide attacking role his own. Limited game time and his own long-term injury last season cost him precious minutes and growth, something he may want to make amends for this season. Pre-season should dictate whether he is deemed good enough to take up a first team role.

Heavy Hitters

Cazorla (8.5) – An excellent first season for Arsenal has been somewhat forgotten due to his injury-ridden second season. Despite scoring 12 and assisting 13, a shift over to the left of the attacking three had an impact on his already limited game time, delivering four goals and eight assists (two of those goals against now relegated Fulham) in last year’s campaign. The arrival of Ӧzil proved detrimental, and with Cazorla now competing for a place out wide, his prospects look even less appetising. At best I would predict he may start the season, but with the return of Walcott, lose his spot in the attack.

Walcott (9.0) – The player that promised to deliver so much but ended up in the treatment room, the absence of a penetrating runner for Arsenal was evident in last season’s campaign. After an early-season injury caused a mass exodus, his return was welcomed by managers, delivering five goals and an assist once installed back in the first 11. A knee injury sustained against Tottenham derailed his season, ruling him out of the World Cup, and possibly the beginning of this campaign. Although the recovery is going well (in his own words), Walcott looks unlikely to start the season, but once he returns, should take his place on the right of the attacking midfield. A small drop in price looks likely before his return, which could bode well for those doubling up on Arsenal attackers.

A word of caution: the injury that Walcott sustained is a difficult one to recover from, particularly for those that are known sprinters. Only time will tell whether Walcott can turn, accelerate, and maintain speed as he used too. If not, he may have lost his most enticing trait.

Ramsey (9.0) – I myself ignored his early-season form last term, thinking Ramsey was some form of anomaly. An injury deprived us of four months of Ramsey time, with many thinking that his early-season form would just disappear. His last five games (including the FA cup-winning game against Hull) saw Ramsey produce three goals and two assists, taking his total to 12 goals and nine assists in all competitions. His runs from deep produced more shots on target, and in the box than Ӧzil, and with greater results. If he can continue his form, Ramsey could once again be a force to be reckoned with, and I for one will not be ignoring him should he do so.

Ӧzil (9.0) – In what can be considered as a ‘breaking-in’ season for Ӧzil, injury, confidence, and exhaustion all took effect on his performance. Five goals and 10 assists are reasonable, but for the price tag he arrived for, we expected more. This season may be different, however. The arrival of Sanchez will provide more options for Ӧzil to make cutting passes, whilst also taking the burden of being the only expensive player off his shoulder. With a fit attacking side, I for one will be keeping an eye on how the team gels. With Ӧzil as the playmaker, in a side striving for more than just fourth place again, we can expect a couple of assists to say the least.

The Marquee Signing

Sanchez (10.5) – A lot rests on the shoulders of the nimble Chilean. Whilst Sanchez scored and assisted in reasonable numbers before, last season’s 19 goals and 10 assists for Barcelona, and two goals and an assist for Chile in the World Cup, put him on many teams’ wishlists. Able to play both wide roles, and centrally, it remains to be seen where Wenger will use him. I fully expect Sanchez to be used out wide, as Giroud’s ability to hold up the ball and wait for the midfield support often goes unnoticed. At 10.5, his price-tag is hefty, so much so that if he fails to deliver returns, it could have a damaging effect on your sell-on price. Once again, if he beds in well with the rest of the Gunners, Sanchez could well and truly be a heavy hitter in the Bale or Lampard mould.

With a rested Giroud, Ӧzil now with a season behind him, the return of Walcott and the arrival of Sanchez, Arsenal attacking assets could be under prime investment from the start. I for one will be looking at Ӧzil, Giroud, and possibly a third attacker.