There have been many questions this week as to where new signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan will play, and Arsene Wenger says that the Armenian is versatile enough to play wide but also more centrally.
The Arsenal manager is even considering using him deeper in the midfield, perhaps in a similar to way to the way he deployed Santi Cazorla, but it’s likely his initial role will be to replace Alexis Sanchez on the left.
“Personally I see him first wide,” he said, but I’m thinking about as well that for him it’s a possibility to play through the middle.”
He has been played as number 10, something that was put to Wenger, who said he saw him there, “or even deeper.”
With plenty of competition for those places behind the striker, the Frenchman admits it will mean disappointment for some, but the amount of games plus the fact some players tend to miss more games than others will allow him to shuffle his pack without to much problem.
“Some will have to be in and out,” he said. “But on the other hand, we have seen that Ramsey has been out many times, Wilshere as well. We play in many competitions. You have a number you can fit in.
“In football teams there is a number that pushes you, a number that makes you asleep and a number that paralyses you. So you have to find the right number in each squad to have a fair competition.”
As for the 29 year old rebuilding his confidence after a difficult time at Manchester United, Wenger was hopeful.
“Yes of course, you worry about how much it as affected him,” he said, “but as well it’s a new chance for him.
“What you want in life is a new chance, he gets a new chance to show his quality and I’m sure he will take it. I might have to analyse with him how it went, and how we can help him.”
Off topic : But doesn’t it seem that henry has being an ass ever since coach Vs punditry fiasco ?
NO!
Maybe he’s simply jumped off the fence pulled the splinters out of his ass and decided to call it as he sees it.
Agree. Henry is not a good pundit. And before the cabal jumps all over me, no one is questioning Henry was a great, great player for Arsenal (who left, ahem … to go to the cunts at Barca to chase glory, money, and the Catalan sun) and surely devoted to the club and AW for resurrecting his career. A rational person can love the former player but dislike/disagree with the current suit-clad punditry. These ideas are not mutually exclusive. And because Henry was great for Arsenal, that does not also mean that the man can do no wrong. (Anybody recall… Read more »
I saw a Premier League legends programme the other day on sky about Henry where he categorically states 1. that he was more than happy at Juventus and wasn’t struggling and 2. that he had always been a striker and Wenger didn’t convert him at Arsenal at all.
We have to stop with these false narratives.
Perhaps you can write “It’s all Wenger’s fault” once, then paste it into every comment you want to post, no matter the subject. Save you the effort of wording it differently each time.
Well, I remember Henry using his hand (maybe twice) to control the ball down to his feet and then making a legal pass to Gallas. Not sure this changes your point, but it is a bit different. Check the video and let me know if I am mistaken.
Have to agree, I think Henry is a bit of a prick, albeit a brilliant brilliant prick.
Not an ass, but I think it’s necessary for him to distance himself from Arsenal if he going to be a good pundit. If I remember correctly, Utd fans got mad at Gary Neville at first as well, because he took prehaps uncalled for digs att them to show that he wasn’t a mindless ex player turned pundits, like loads of them. That being said, Neville is a far better pundit than Henry.
Wenger also said Xhaka is a box-to-box midfielder.
He’s a number 8 same as Wilshere and Ramsey. Currently he’s paying for being a poor DM.
He looks class for the swiss in 8 but unfortunately Arsene has him playing a wrong position for us.
Still curious to see what he does with Jack and Ramsey both fit.
Will he sell us the “I see Jack as suited to the front three” again? Remember that includes where Lacazette plays .
I’m sure Xhaka plays as a no.10 for the Swiss.
Puts on the number 10. And plays CM.
Would agree with this, actually ANM is probably the only “true” DM at the club and he’s probably never played their for the first team. That’s insane
I would love to see dm, Xhaka and one of Ramsey/wilshere in a 3. All honesty, I just struggle to see how we can play with both Wilshere and Ramsey in midfield unless one is pushed further up the pitch
Says the best manager in the world https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/robin-van-persie-arsene-wenger-11902132 according to RVP.
Shows you how much RVP hates Arsenal if he wants to inflict more Wenger on us doesn’t it?
You will wish you had Wenger when Conte walks out on you. And you are £2bn in debt to your owner.
What does that even mean?
Write it in your native language and i’ll try and get it translated to make sense in English
Deeper role? Why not just buy a DM. I see that Seri might be available again….or whilst in Dortmund, nab Ginter too.
Wenger won’t do it. He isn’t a fan of the position anymore, possibly because if it causes us to click people will ask why he took so long to buy a proper DM. We haven’t had one since we had Song.
Seri is not a DM, he is a short, attack-minded CM something like Cazorla actually. Ginter now plays for Gladbach.
I think Xhaka is improving & more disciplined now in his DM role.
No. He’s out of position and it shows. He’s a CM not a DM.
And I believe Arsene meant playing deeper in CM not DM for the Mkh Italian lad.
Then how will we be the Arsenal if we suddenly get a natural DM and start becoming a sturdy team ?
There is a pretty decent defensive midfielder who is young, fast, strong and out of contact at Liverpool: Emre Can. Additionally he can play as CM and RB too. There is no reason why Arsenal shouldn’t at least try for him.
So, so happy that we now have a replacement for our Coq. Well played, blogs.
Classic Arsene!
Because style never goes out of fashion.
Were I an Irish subeditor I would have titled this one “Where Wenger plans to stick his Mikhi”.
The title about how Wenger plans to slot in his Miki somewhat disturbing because he just sold his Coq.
Hope our Mikhi isn’t as limp as he was in Manchester.
I was expecting this to be honest. Well he does have the workrate and isn’t bad defensively so this doesn’t sound too ridiculous. He can also drop deep and cover for Ramsey when he goes on those runs of his.
We get a confident Mkhitaryan back, this might turn out to be a great signing.
Could this mean Ramsey isn’t resigning?
We’ve sold Coquelin and lost Cazorla
Coq out Mkhi in.
Thanks for keeping the puns going Arsene.
We lost our coq and then found our mikhi.
Have Sanchez and Mikhi also swapped houses?
I actually heard part of the delay was in fact to do with Sanchez’ house. He wanted to keep it, Mikhi wanted it
Exactly for me the problem has been a DM i dont know when we can get someone who is good in that position i mean above average.
“In football teams there is a number that pushes you, a number that makes you asleep and a number that paralyses you”’
The one thing that Arsene has remained consistent at over his tenure…Wengerisms that don’t make sense but are perfectly understandable.
Why doesn’t it make sense? It makes perfect sense to me, but English is my second language so I really don’t get what you mean.
“possibility to play through the middle.” Well of course. Wouldn’t be an Arsenal team if we didn’t have everyone playing in the middle. Our DM is a no. 10 (Xhaka) Our Box2Box CM is no.10s (Rambo) Our CM/AM is a no.10 (Jack) Currently our RW/RF is arguably the best no.10 in the world (Ozil) Our previous LW was a no.10 (Sanchez), now replaced by a new no.10 (Mikhi), and our back up is a no.10 (Iwobi). Heck even our now 1st choice CB plays like a no. 10 (Mustafi) sometimes. Quite frankly, would be weird if anyone wanted to play… Read more »
Monreal is scoring and assisting like a No.10!
Standing next to Arsene, I’m I the only surprised by Mihki’s height. Thought he was much shorter
At 1.78m, he’s an upgrade on Sanchez’s 1.69m. That’s a 0.09m profit. We got d better deal
ye, a hybrid
So we replace our coq with a mihki not bad
typical wenger , he gets these players in , and then don’t have a clue what he is going to do with them
If he doesn’t mess about with Ozil that’s fine (unless he’s out of form or something). IMO id prefer if he drops Ramsey for mkhitaryan. I quite like Ozil and wilshere’s combination play supported by elneny, rather than Ramsey and xhaka with Ozil.
put him on left side as LMF beside Ozil.
probably on the right. i see aubamayang on the left of laca for sure assuming he comes.
Hopefully he can fill the Santi void. We still need a proper upgrade on Coq
so technically, we need a new coq
“or even deeper.”
pace and control to replace santi?
interesting
4-2-3-1
This is the most intriguing prospect–can HK replace Santi, perhaps with Elnenny or Maitland-Niles in the Coquelin role?
We are at our best in the attack when players are flexible and interchanging positions, but it’s making sure that everyone understands their defensive responsibilities that is the challenge after that interchanging.
Mkhi has joined to replace Ozil (in the long run) not Sanchez. Sanchez is being replaced by Auba.
Both Mkhi and Auba are 29 or will be soon so they’re at that peak age.
We have to compliment our attack over the summer. Defense and a dominant midfielder. It’s Arsene’s last season he should focus on that.
As I thought. I think we are playing a diamond in midfield. Initially he will slot on right of diamond. He can also cover Ozil (if anything this is a hedge more against Ozil leaving and to back up Ramsey should he gain the slot behind the CF) But he will also consider if Mhikitaryan with his experience can follow in arteta and Santi’s foot steps in the tranquista role. Wenger has had great success transforming BOTH Arteta (originally a playmaker for Everton) and Santi (a wide player) into a deeper midfield role to control the game for us. Granit… Read more »