The attacking midfield against Man U included Cazorla, Ramsey, and Özil, but this trio proved unable to finally unlock Man U’s defense or test de Gea even after the departure of Vidić softened them up, at least theoretically. While Cazorla, Ramsey, and Özil are tricky and creative with the ball, none of them presents the direct, aggressive pace that Gnabry can bring. While he may not be as fleet as Walcott or Ox, he adds strength to the mix. Among the three, he may just possess the most technical ability, not that he’d make anyone forget, say, Özil with the ball at his feet. However, his bag of tricks is deep, and he’s not afraid to go at or around defenders. And if finesse or speed aren’t quite enough, he has the strength to overpower them. Arsène pointed out that “we have some other boys who have the technical quality to play in the Premier League but are not resistant enough yet to compete physically, but Gnabry has that.” At 1.73m and 73 kg, he may not have much weight to throw around, but he’s solid enough to more than hold his own. While we’ve worried about Theo’s finishing, Gnabry has shown in the past that he does possess a Podolski-esque cannon, as he showed against France’s u18s (see video above).
For as much as we’ve fretted about depth, there’s a scintillating plethora of options we have for the attacking midfield, even with Podolski, Ox, and Walcott unavailable. With Wilshere, Özil, Cazorla, and Ramsey, it can get a bit crowded in there. However, Gnabry has some tantalizing talents that should be enough to earn him some playing time, whether it’s as a starter or subbing on to take advantage of weary defenses.
The early signs suggest that, when given the chance, he’ll make a convincing case for featuring more regularly. If he can deliver more goals like the one against Swansea (which made him the second-youngest player to score a Prem goal for Arsenal), he could show that it’s not just blockbuster German transfers who can offer exhilarating football. In 2011, aged 14, he joined the Academy after leaving Stuttgart for £84k. He signed a new contract in October, good through 2018, and had this to say :
Arsenal is a great football club and I’m so happy to be here and sign a new contract. For me, now it’s all about working hard and developing my game. I’ve had some good opportunities recently in the first team, which has given me extra confidence, and this will only improve my game. I’m looking forward to giving my best for this club in the years to come.
Having made the leap to the first team, Serge is looking to make good on his promise and potential; I hope he gets a chance when Southampton comes to the Emirates on Saturday.
‘Til next time…
He could be a great winger! Hopefully he grabs his chance and gives Wenger a really tough decision on the wings when (if ever) everybody is fit.
Walcott better watch it or he's gonna be watching Gnabry from a spot on the bench. Gnabry is almost as fast as him but much better with the ball at his feet, if you take away the thru balls for Walcott to run onto he can't create his shot too very well. Gnabry can dribble a defender AND finish strong, which Theo can't always do.
agreed. hard to believe he's only 18. He can play from the left as well…
Anyone who might instinctively create and actually shoot when open, rather than just being fastest down the side i.e., Walcott, presents a potential threat to Theo as a starter or sub.I suspect Gnabry is benefiting, at the moment, from the absence of The and Ox, but, as is typical, Arsene is so conservative that his development may only be occurring on the training ground and not the game pitch.At some point, hopefully before Giroud and the others collapse from fatigue or, worse yet, injuries, Serge and others may see the light of day.