3. Kondogbia shows Arsenal what they are missing
When Monaco decided to loosen their purse strings in the summer of 2013, they signed plenty of world class players. The likes of Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez all moved to the principality. But often lost in the background amidst those signings is a player, who is showing just why the club decided to spend €20 million on a 20-year-old who was then relatively unknown.
Ever since he signed for Monaco, Geoffrey Kondogbia has been nothing short of phenomenal and on Wednesday, with the spotlight firmly fixed on Arsenal’s attacking players, the 22-year-old defensive midfielder sparkled. Sitting in front of the defense, mopping up any loose balls, the midfielder gave a masterclass in marshalling his midfield troops. Simple passing, tenacious tackling and sheer power and ability to muscle through opposition defenders, Kondogbia was everything Arsenal needed in the summer. Although Francis Coquelin didn’t have a particularly bad game, his compatriot’s performance was evidence that the Gunners still need a world-class defensive midfielder.