Arsenal: Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be challenged to keep up

Arsenal are coming off the back of a brilliant attacking display and are adding another attacker. Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be pressed into his best form in no time.

Despite the massive inconsistencies this year, Arsenal have had a pretty reliable attack when the personnel as correct. They’re averaging over 2.0 goals a match when Mesut Ozil is on the pitch, as he has started to re-solidify himself as the heart of this attack.

As we saw against Crystal Palace, when the attack is clicking, it strikes fast and it strikes hard. Usually with quick flicks and telepathy.

Which is why Alexis Sanchez could be so problematic at times. He held the ball too long and didn’t fit into this Wengerball style of attacking. Had he been able to acclimate to this style, he would have gotten even better. But he opted not to.

Now we have Henrikh Mkhitaryan coming in, according to Sky Sports (and literally every other source) and the immediate question is how will he be different. Mkhitaryan is a creative player, his assist numbers were off the chart in the Bundesliga.

That didn’t translate at Manchester United and he was even supposedly falling out of shape. But when you look at United’s style of play, they didn’t play Wengerball. Obviously. I’m not criticizing them in saying this (they are higher in the table after all), but they play a very modest, slow game that is not exactly built on quick, incisive attacking like the Gunners. Why do you think they got Alexis and not Ozil?

In fact, it’s such a sore spot for United that Mkhitaryan is still tied for second in assists on the team, and he hasn’t had an assist since August.

This bodes incredibly well for Mkhitaryan because at Arsenal, he will be challenged to rediscover that incisive attacking play that he thrived in at Borussia Dortmund, who play a very similar style as the Gunners.

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Being pressed to play at his best is going to – obviously – make him better. Not every player is suited for every manager, but if there is one type of player that thrives under Arsene Wenger, it is the type of player that understands the brilliance of fancy flicks and tricks.

The incoming Armenian understands that perfectly well. It’s what makes him such an exciting addition, despite what they’re saying about him being nothing more than a “reject.”

Mkhitaryan is coming into a club where he will be paired with three other midfielders in Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere who will undoubtedly thrive with more like-minded midfielders alongside. But they have a head start on him, and he will be forced to keep up with an attack that can get really hot really fast.

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The trick will be what he can bring when the attack isn’t in it’s effective state. All that said, he will be bringing his five assists over, which, if he can keep up with the attack, enters him into the race with Ramsey and Ozil for top assister on the year.

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