From SweetScienceN5 : Sorry Norrie, but it is intense.
Hi Myles,
I stand by what I wrote in my letter about Theo and Oxlade-Chamberlain, and reply to Norrie’s criticism here.
The competition is intense at Arsenal for places in attacking midfield.
There are three starting places….a number 10, plus two wider men.
But we have fifteen players competing for them.
I did not want my original letter to be a football yearbook, but in reply here is the list of those in contention. Noted that some can also play in other positions:
Ozil, Sanchez, Iwobi, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Maitland-Niles, Reine-Adelaide, Willock, Zelalem, Wilshere, Campbell, Gnabry, Cazorla, Welbeck.
Might rise to sixteen, if we buy Draxler.
Youth appears to be less impediment to inclusion than in other less fluid positions; a positive, fast teen can break through in the space of a few games. The proof is Iwobi.
Looking at the squad, that is the area of most intense competition.
The squad is out of balance; far less competition at striker where Giroud is default starter, or full back where Monreal and Bellerin as good as pick themselves.
Myles says:
Julian Draxler is a very gifted and unusual footballer who might allow Alexis Sanchez to become Arsenal’s Aguero, although the Chilean wants to roam and create rather than wait for a pass.
Draxler could be as creative as Robbie Pires.
But I can understand why Wolfsburg don’t want to sell him.
With about 3 weeks left in the transfer window, I’m not stressing about which striker Wenger will buy.