2 Goals, 10 Chances Created – Is This Midfield Target A Surplus For Arsenal Now?

Well it’s no denying that the Gunners have had a sublime start to the season winning eight of their first ten games, steamrolling past sides they have met barring the opening weekend’s blushes against Aston Villa. Throughout the summer Arsene Wenger was criticized for not spending on that player who would make the difference. The annual French acquisition saw youngster Yaya Sanogo join the Gunners while Matthew Flamini on a free being the only transfer on his way in at the Emirates. However the real moment of the summer for the Gunners faithful came late on the Transfer Deadline day, when Arsenal managed to secure Real Madrid’s playmaker and German Mesut Ozil for a record £42.4m breaking the bank and securing his services.

Since then there has been no looking back, How times change! The chorus of boos on the opening day have been replaced by a new sense of optimism and all over London, the Emirates faithful are cheering on the names of their beloved whom they believe will end their long wait of eight barren years in the search for silverware. There is no denying that the Gunners have the best ‘Arsenal’ in all over England albeit in midfield with their dazzling talent. The brand of football they are playing is pleasant to the eye and seem running like a well oiled machine much to the sheer of Arsene Wenger, whose frowns on the forehead are not quite as visible as they were in the opening two weeks of the Campaign.

Should Arsenal continue their pursuit of Yohan Cabaye?

Given the plethora of talent at his disposal, Wenger can ill afford to make a mistake presently, today however we will analyze Arsenal’s options in the January and whether they should pursue their chase of their initial summer target in Newcastle’s Yohan Cabaye. The Frenchman was very close to sign on the dotted lines for Arsenal before the deal went completely out of head.

Would Cabaye be the ideal player for Arsenal:

If I had to make an honest choice I would say no, albeit the attacking flair the Gunners have in midfield at this current moment. The likes of Ozil, Cazorla, Ramsey or Rosicky can lock any defence on their day and with the likes of Walcott and Podolski yet to join, Cabaye would more be a liability and an abundance on the growing midfield, rather than the one who would be picked regularly, thus making him frustrated, if he doesn’t get enough game time.

Moreover, I personally feel Arsenal need a striker who can lead the line along with Olivier Giroud. While the Frenchman has significantly improved over last season, holding the ball up front bringing others into play more often than not. His finishing too, has been exquisite, much credit goes to the midfield support he has behind him. Still the Gunners need a striker apart from Giroud who can unlock games with his sheer ability of finding the net and changing the games on its head, whenever called into action. While Arsenal certainly don’t need another midfielder, I would stick out my neck to say that they a striker short form reclaiming their lost glory in lifting the Premiership Title once again and rolling back the years.

 Let’s compare the stats of Cabaye with Arsenal midfielders. (Stats courtesy of squawka)

From the 8 appearances Cabaye has made this season, the French International has managed to score twice and create an additional ten chances for New Castle, while his shot accuracy remains at a meager 45% and pass accuracy at 76%.

When you consider Arsenal’s man of the season Ramsey into the picture, he has scored 6 and has further created 13 chances. His shot and passing accuracy stands at 72% and 86% respectively.

 

When you have Ramsey with all these stats, there is no need to talk about Mesut Ozil and the impact he has had in the Gunners season so far. And moreover, Cabaye can be considered as a future target to replace Mikel Arteta in the heart of the Arsenal engine, but at the moment the former Evertonian is doing a great job.