Arsenal Face Tough Decision For Mohamed Elneny’s Future

Arsenal witnessed a strong performance from Mohamed Elneny but one issue came to mind, and that is where Elneny’s future at the club lies.

One of the top performers for Arsenal against Hull City was Mohamed Elneny. It has now been two starts for Elneny and both times out, it was clear the guy does a lot of things well. He advances play well. He passes well. He defends well. He is that all-around guy that Bob Bradley said he was.

Related Story: Theo Walcott Has A Doppelganger

Which brings us to the situation at hand. As it stands, Elneny does a lot of things well, but nothing great. He is the perfect utility man that can plug into midfield roles all across the formation. Wenger has said that he will not be used as a defensive midfielder, but Wenger also despises defensive midfielders, so take it with a grain of salt. He could end up playing a defensive role and just not strictly ‘defending’.

So where does Elneny’s future at the club lie? If he stays on the path of mastering little but delving into much, he is always going to be a journeyman, jumping about across positions without ever finding a position that he can excel at. That is what was happening to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and it is also a situation that Calum Chambers is in.

However, both of them are younger than Elneny, so time is a bit more imperative in the Egyptian’s scenario.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

Elneny could definitely find a career being a rotational option at a top club like Arsenal, but it seems a bit counter-intuitive to set a ceiling already. There are very few midfielders out there who contribute to as many facets as Elneny does, but in a much higher regard. Yaya Toure comes to mind as one potential guy. But it is a rare case.

As such, expecting Elneny’s all-around wellness to turn into an elite talent may be a bit of a long shot, though not impossible. The only drawback is if it doesn’t necessarily pan out, but even then, you still have a good utility man.

The other option is to start molding Elneny into a certain role. Whether that be a CDM, CAM or a wide midfielder. He has shown that he can potentially be prolific at these roles, but without specific training, he would have no reason to excel at any individual asset. As long as the 4-2-3-1 formation is being used by Arsenal, there is really only one spot for an all-around CM, and that is where Ramsey and Cazorla duel it out.

And there-in lies the scenario. Do Arsenal stick with the current path and let Elneny rotate around the squad, learning bit by bit how to become a better all-around midfielder, while never giving him a position to call his own? While he could end up being a supreme all-around midfielder, he could also end up just a rotation player.

Or, do Arsenal stick him at a position and stay the course, letting him develop in one of his many strong areas?

Next: Arsenal vs Hull City: 5 Things We Learned

It’s not like any decision will make or break his career, but it is important to understand his role at the club and get what is best for both Arsenal and Elneny.