Jamie Redknapp believes Mikel Arteta has brought the best our of Alex Song.
The former Liverpool and Spurs midfielder was quoted in the Daily Mail today saying:
‘Mikel Arteta has been a good signing for Arsenal and his arrival has brought the best out of Alex Song.’
The 38-year-old Sky Sports pundit went on to compare the Spaniard to Manchester United’s Paul Scholes, due to his superb vision and execution, and reckons Arteta does not get enough credit for what he does for Arsene Wenger’s side:
‘Arteta has been sitting deep and that has given Song the licence to play further up the field.
‘It’s easy to pass it simply, but he has been hitting match-winning passes. Terrific vision and execution, almost like Paul Scholes in his heyday. He’s not getting enough credit for it.’
I think many, if not all, Arsenal fans expected Arteta to instantly replace Cesc Fabregas in the ‘hole’ position behind Robin van Persie when he arrived from Everton for £10 million last summer.
However, to my surprise anyway, Wenger decided to place the 29-year-old Spaniard deeper in midfield, which has allowed Song too venture more forward this season.
I agree with Redknapp though, Arteta does not get enough credit for what he actually does for the team. He doesn’t get a lot of goals for us, but that’s because he has been deployed in a different role, one which he has excelled at in my opinion. In addition, he has also brought out the best in Song as Redknapp claims. The Cameroon international has certainly stepped up his game and looks a threat going forward; his assists this season can back up this claim.
Arteta has excellent vision and is a great passer of the ball and shouldn’t be overlooked as a possible Player of the Year candidate for AFC, although RVP has simply been sensational and will most likely win this award.
In any case, Arteta has been an astute signing for us this season and has brought back that calmness and experience to our midfield that we have been lacking in recent seasons.
So, has Arteta brought out the best in Song as Redknapp suggest?
Give us you thoughts on the matter
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Mr Wenger had to turn for 30 year olds to get his young team into form. He could have done this with Veira and the former Brazilian Capt.
Anyway the lesson has been an eye opener and we have Roscisky and Arteta.In my opinion Diaby is a bad passer of the ball and Song thinks that he is the kingpin of the team by way of keeping the ball in a tight position when he has ample time to pass the ball. If I am not mistaken the saying was”show me your H/Back Line and I will tell you what a team you have. Arsenal have ball players who could really dictate the game, the ony thing footbal is a team and game one could not be a showman. Arteta and Roscisky have shown what team play is all about. As I said time and time again Arsenal need a top central defender and a top scorer tp help RVP as Hidgibuti and Palatos did for that famous Hungerian Team of the 50’s era.
Song plays like Iniesta and Xavi. Keep the ball, draw the opposition to you and release it at the right time. Rosicky also plays well but his game is effective when he moves forward at pace like Messi. Arteta is good with marking the space and playing one touch football.
I don’t think Arteta brought the best out of Song. If Song doesn’t keep the ball and starts making bad passes we lose games. Period.
For me Alex Song is Arsenal’s unsung hero, whether Arteta is playing or not. He not only has the vision as he has demonstrated on a number of accasions, but there is no one better in his position in the world!
who agrees with me? that next season is the only season in a long time that we realistically only need to sign one player “podolski” and be challenging for titles. why we need podolski? that is incase vpersie gets injured. looking at our midfield with jack and diaby being out injured and young players coming in good,i think next season we will have the strongest squad in a long time, in defence verminator, kos , djo,met, gibbs,santos,sagna and jen we are set. for the 1st even if wenger fails to sign the squad we have will win us something nxt season.moses
Agreed. 100%
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Arteta one of the “panic buys” that the Arsene out brigade went on and on about?
Then there was Mertesacker and Santos who we bought just to keep the fans quite!!!
So you Arsene out brigade…what next???
I know, lets make Adam Kemp manager, after all he’s so full of shite in his white shirt with his cock sitting on his balls he should replace the Prof!!” How times change my fellow gooners.
There is absolutely no dount Song has increased his value.You look at his assists allied to his defending and attack.I don’t know.
If the gunners had not been so seriously depleted earlier in the season and with the change from one hundred passes to direct football,the gunners could have been challengeing for the epl.
However my friend,a neutral,says its easier said than
done.You look at the penalty denied to Fulham.
That shows the high odds the gunners have to win the title.And it further confirms my belief one rf can’t win /dominate the cl because there are no English ref to help.
Song has always had this abilities even though he was playing with wilshere who can also assist the attack and has the speed to track back and defend, song would still b what he his. There are but a few DM in the world with such visions. You don’t get such abilities cause you are along side any body, it just inbuilt.
Arteta has inadvetently became Wilshire’s replacement in midfield, rather than Fab. Strange. It would be difficult to play Song/Arteta/Wilshire in the same team. Too defensive, lack in penetrative skills. I think still Rosicky/Gotze will be the attacking pair, alternating.
Next season our midfield hopefully will be Song/Coquelin; Arteta/Wilshire; Rosicky/Gotze. WOW.
The wings Walcott/Ryo; Ox/Gervinho.
Strikers RVP/Podolski
All thru the team there will be quality “backups”
Lets cement our CL place and build on for next season.
Thomas Eisfield will replace Rosicky/Goetze. We also have AOC and Ryo. That Japanese kid!!!! i can’t wait
I think wenger should önly by Gotse n’ podolsky.
All of you are making sound points, great fans and lovers of the game. We in Nigeria can’t wait for the KING JACK WILSHERE.
pliz wenger just add hazard/Gotze,,then apfront we need poldosk