Arsenal have let Alex Song depart for Barcelona. But what next for the Gunners?
When you consider some of the Arsenal central midfielders of recent times, you instantly recall names like Emmanuelle Petit, Gilberto Silva or even Mathieu Flamini. Each were combative yet cultured; players who now have illustrious CVs but began their careers as relative unknowns prior to Wenger signing them. Alex Song is yet another man who fits into that bracket.
Song is a player who goes about his business with professionalism, rarely occupying the column inches negatively. You don’t notice him on the pitch and, many would say, that’s a good quality to have because it means that you are sticking to your task, not becoming a part of the spectacle.
After six seasons at the club, last season was possibly his best in an Arsenal shirt. No surprise then that Barcelona – an organisation who seem to have targeted the Londoners as somewhat of a ‘feeder club’ – is now on the verge of signing the 25 year old Cameroonian as he approaches his prime.
For a player who is infrequently lauded amongst the larger personalities, Song’s departure could yield a detrimental effect on just what the Gunners can realistically hope to achieve for 2012/13.
Strength and Power
Arsenal have been considerably lightweight in the central position for some time – soft even, like the metaphorical éclair – and, even in stature, Song is not the most imposing of figures to square up against. Nevertheless, he has strength beyond his size, building a reputation as a hard man within a team that typically lacks the impression needed for a physical encounter.
Besides the defenders, he is the only player capable of putting his foot in where it hurts and exiting the challenge unscathed. It’s not merely his power but also his courage that allow him to mix it up with the teams determined to make Arsenal as uncomfortable as possible by roughing them up.
Composure
Like the names touted in the initial paragraph, it’s not enough for an Arsenal central midfielder to simply be a ‘destroyer’; he must also be capable of maintaining possession and being an integral element within Wenger’s passing philosophy.
Song continues to prove his credibility as a ballplayer with the ball at his feet. Hoofing is a last resort; don’t expect him to concede possession easily, even when surrounded by pressure that would daunt the average player.
He’s not extravagant – so refrain from any possible Xabi Alonso comparisons – but he plays the simple short passes well. Song acts as the link between the defence up to the attack when he drops deep to receive the ball then moves it quickly to the nearest player to him or the best available avenue.
Vision
Nobody really considered Song essential to the Arsenal’s attack until last season when he struck up an unlikely rapport with Robin van Persie with his passes from deep.
Song is significantly underrated as a long passer which allowed him more time to see the pass and execute. Many teams were caught off guard because of this including the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool late on in their encounter at Anfield.
All-in-all, he managed to provide a staggering 11 assists in the premiership – a simply incredible accomplishment for a defensive midfielder.
Conclusion
All the interest from Barcelona is understandable as Song appears to be an all-rounder in terms of ability. It is, however, debatable whether he will become an immediate starter within a team of such extraordinary ability.
Arsenal’s task now is to think long and hard in order to locate a readymade replacement to fill the substantial hole left by Song’s imminent departure. Whether Wenger does this or relies on his youth system to be able to cope is a quandary for the Arsenal faithful to ponder.
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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