I agree with you. I don't like to judge players with their National team, but I have to say, I'm not convinced. I hope he starts against Portugal/Spain to see how he does against better players. I've heard people call him a Santi-Kanté hybrid, but I saw neither one of those player's attributes today. Perhaps I missed it, but I don't recall him winning a tackle. Players got past him quite easily.I'm not impressed.
Not sure what he offers over say Elneny. He very rarely drives forward with the ball. His passing seemed average most of the game and mostly sideways and backward.
His main assets seem to be positional sense and plugging holes but surely Arsenal need players with a wider set of assets to play in midfield.
But he’s short tho.....
Hope this deal falls through, too short.
People forgot City dominated the league last season with a 5'10 Fernandinho anchoring the midfield?
Height is hardly an important factor anymore for a defensive midfielder, football isn't kick and rush anymore. Even the crappy teams try to play it from the back these days and crossing has been found out as an ineffective attacking approach.
I'd rather have a quick, agile ankle biter in midfield than a big lumbering oaf who can't play with a lot of space in behind him.
I'm not impressed.
Not sure what he offers over say Elneny. He very rarely drives forward with the ball. His passing seemed average most of the game and mostly sideways and backward.
His main assets seem to be positional sense and plugging holes but surely Arsenal need players with a wider set of assets to play in midfield.
And it makes little sense because Elneny doesn't always have the most consistent positioning and he's quite an average ballwinner also.Elneny wtf
That joke footballer literally dropped a 1/10 performance against the worst team in the word cup today.