3 Answers to Arsenal’s Midfield Conundrum

#3 Steven N’Zonzi

Leicester City v Sevilla FC - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg

Steven N’Zonzi was part of the World Cup winning French squad. Though he did not get a look in, he impressed whenever he was brought on as a substitute. He started off his career at Amiens before moving to England with Blackburn Rovers. He continued to impress after his move to Stoke City in 2012. In 2015, Sevilla came calling and he has been plying his trade at Sevilla ever since.

N’Zonzi is a powerful and robust midfielder. He is a strong physical presence in the middle of the park and provides the ‘screen’ in front of the back four. At 1.97m, he is also a threat from set-pieces and does his fair share of work defending set-pieces as well.

In addition to this, he is a very elegant passer of the ball and always keeps the team ticking. In the 2017-18 season, he averaged 65 passes per game with an astounding accuracy of 89%. With his physicality and ball playing ability, he would fit like a glove at Arsenal.

Emery has also worked with N’Zonzi and the two combined to win the Europa League in 2016. N’Zonzi would relish the opportunity to work under Emery again. Arsenal, on the other hand, have been crying out for a midfielder like N’Zonzi and should pull out all the stops to make him a Gunner.

If N’Zonzi arrives at Arsenal, the Gunners wouldn’t have to worry about getting overpowered in midfield. Power in midfield seems to be the last piece in Arsenal’s jigsaw. In N’Zonzi, they might just have stumbled upon the missing piece.