Arsenal: Almiron Is Out Of Left Field, But Left Winger Needed

Arsenal’s links to Lanus midfielder Miguel Almiron doesn’t seem feasible, but Arsenal do need players in his position and role to have a more complete team.

Miguel Almiron.

Who is that, you might ask?

must read: 5 Late Bloomers Like Lucas Perez

According to most of the pundits who haven’t heard of him, he’s a “youtube player“: a player whose talent comes in short clips, backed by some cheesy dance music.

The Paraguayan international midfielder can dribble, but he only scored two goals and had zero assists in his 2016 campaign with Lanus, but stories such as the original from Tuttomercato indicated that both Fiorentina and Arsenal were after his services.

Arsene Wenger has already said that it’s unlikely there will be any more transfers in at the Emirates. Putting two and two together, it’s extremely unlikely this man Almiron will be joining the Gunners.

However, the link between the two brings up an interesting problem for Arsenal: the complete lack of an out-and-out left-footed winger.

Arsenal have such a plethora of attacking midfield players it’s astonishing that they are lacking in a certain spot on the field.

They can rotate their left attacking midfield position with three players at present. Once Lucas Perez joins from Deportivo La Coruna and Danny Welbeck returns from injury, it’s five players. However, all of those players, apart from Alexis Sanchez, aren’t natural in that position.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alex Iwobi are the two players who have started there thus far. Neither of them has ever settled into a position: they have been used as inside forwards on the left and wingers on the right.

Going forward, neither Alex can become the permanent left-sided inside forward while Alexis Sanchez is at the club. Ideas have been thrown around that Sanchez should play second striker when Olivier Giroud is fit, but Wenger has his system and doesn’t seem willing to make that change.

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

Incoming arrival Lucas Perez is a left-footed winger turned forward, but he isn’t the player who has touchline chalk on his boots. Danny Welbeck, another forward who has featured for Arsenal on the left side, is an off-the-ball runner – but he does his running in behind defenses.

Arsenal’s tactics utilize full-backs as the crossers of the ball for their striker Olivier Giroud. However, Bellerin and Monreal aren’t the best deliverers of a ball.

Players who aren’t named Mesut Ozil that can swing an accurate ball into the box are scarce at present. Replacing some of the unused “No. 10” players with some out and out wingers would give Arsenal some more tactical variety.

Someone like Jack Wilshere seems to have no place in the squad right now. If, for example, Nottingham Forest’s Oliver Burke had been identified as an English winger before he had been poached by RB Leipzig, he could have replaced Wilshere long-term.

There are reports indicating that Burke turned down the Gunners and Liverpool to join Leipzig – but who knows. Even still, he is not a left winger, he is a right winger.

The point is that Arsenal are lacking that left winger that can give them a crossing threat. They have too many players who insist on cutting inside, and those players have not enough end product as of yet.

Next: Arsenal's 15 Most Ridiculous Transfer Sagas

Perhaps Mr. Miguel Almiron is not the answer – but if he develops further, he could be.