UNTOLD ARSENAL » Blog Archive » This problem with the midfield

On Tuesday 21 October Arsenal Reserves played West Ham Reserves.   The Arsenal team included Bischoff and Merida, two midfielders looking to break into the first team.  Coquelin was there as well.

They couldn’t call on Jack Wilshere because he was playing for England in a tournament, with the … Under 16s.

On the same evening Arsenal played away in Turkey, and not only had their normal midfield of Nasri, Walcott, Denilson and Fabregas, they also had Diaby on the pitch.  Later on just for fun they brought on Ramsey.  Song also moved into midfield later on.

The desperation felt earlier with our midfield has gone.  (I don’t ask you to say, “yes you were right” and I know you can still make all sorts of arguments about the quality of the midfield at the moment, but allow me my evening of fun).

I know I am in a minority, but I have always felt Wenger was getting this right – and the midfield we have is very good.  And because it is a young midfield it will get better.

Certainly Ramsey looks a sensational buy – especially if you include that goal for Wales against England.  Not to mention tonight’s.   Song – derided beyond belief for his game against Fulham last season – is growing in confidence.  He’s not right yet, but he’s getting there.

And Denilson – as I said before, just because we had Flamini we didn’t need Flamini II.  Denilson is playing every game, just as Gilberto did, quietly, calmly, getting it right most of the time, influencing the game in a way that was often hard to see.  (Remember how he was disliked in the early days – and it wasn’t until his year out injured that we realised how brilliant the Invisible Wall actually was.

Of course we could have gone out and bought a whole load of players last summer.  We had the money (incidentally we have even more money now the apartments are being sold – and none of that money has been accounted for in the figures.)  But for me, personally, I would sooner see Song, Denilson, Wilshere, Ramsey, Theo, Cesc all coming through from their young days, and really turning it on.  Of course Nasri is brilliant, just as Pires was before him, but seeing the kids make it has a little bit extra in it.

Last time I changed channels to watch the Reserves game they were losing.  I am sorry about that – but I really did enjoy tonight.

Can we play them every week?