Why Arsenal should have re-signed Ismael Bennacer

Big things were expected of Arsenal when they signed some very exciting players in the summer transfer window. The newbies could end up living upto the hype as the season plays itself out but for the time being, they haven’t hit the ground running.

One big question regarding Arsenal’s recruitment was whether they prioritized the right areas. Their backline continues to look shaky and they’ll have to outscore the opposition in most games to make it to that top-four spot – which should make for some very exciting matches.

Another concern has been Granit Xhaka. Despite being the captain, the Swiss international’s lapses of concentration are simply not good enough for Arsenal. He’s mainly been used for his long-range distribution but with David Luiz in the side, he doesn’t offer much.

One player who would have been perfect was Ismael Bennacer, who Arsenal could’ve re-signed in the summer. However, he ended up going to AC Milan. The 21-year-old also plays in a holding midfield role and was one of the stars for Algeria in the African cup of nations.

He is a good short-passer, which is important while playing a high-press. He also has the long-range distribution and defensive attributes to play in that holding midfield role. He’s a far better dribbler and defender when compared to Xhaka and re-signing him was an absolute no-brainer.

These are all the qualities one needs in a holding midfielder and Arsenal had a lottery on their hands but simply wasted it. Xhaka has been erratic for far too long and there have been no indications of change.

Read More Arsenal News

Bennacer hardly ever commits any mistake as is expected of a holding midfielder. A mistake in that side of the park is most likely to cost your team a goal since it can disorganize the entire side. Hence, the young Algerian would’ve been perfect for Unai Emery to play out from the back.