Arsenal: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain The Zeus To Yacine Brahimi’s Apollo

Arsenal are reportedly lining up Yacine Brahimi to replace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but let’s get real, that isn’t even close to and even switch.

Arsenal do not want to run the risk of losing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, not as he is on the brink of truly and fully blossoming once and for all. Even for the £35m that the Englishman is rumored to be going for, the priority has to be maintaining his services.

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Of course, there is always the possibility of quality replacement. Again, not exactly something we want to go after, but moreso a last ditch option.

One possible replacement that is being linked to the Emirates is FC Porto’s Yacine Brahimi.

Now, before I launch into my scolding tirade of this swap, let me state that Brahimi is a talented midfielder who is called a wizard for a reason. he is crafty, slick on the ball and has a finesse shot that can make men weep.

But if you want to talk about replacing the Ox, that shouldn’t be the top target. Not even close.

Brahimi is not known for his ability to ward off challenges with his strength. He loses possession 5.2 times on average per appearance. Compare that to the Ox, who loses the ball just twice per appearance.

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The Ox is able to fend off opposing challenges because he is a tough dude. He was born and raised in the rough and tumble Premier League and has adjusted to it masterfully. Here he is, just 23 years of age, and all he needs is a little fine-tuning.

Barhimi would have to acclimate to a Premier League that made Mesut Ozil look like a rag doll. Which means that, for awhile, this “Ox replacement” would be getting tossed around, having the ball stolen from him, and the whole time we would be fantasizing about how that kind of thing never happened to the Ox. He may grow into it, but in the mean time, we’d be losing out.

On top of all of that, Brahimi doesn’t even create any more than the Ox does. They are dead even in two very different leagues and two very different styles.

Plus, Brahimi is 27.

This is a terrible idea and one that should absolutely not be explored. Priority No. 1 should be maintaining the Ox. If that cannot, for whatever reason, be accomplished, priority No. 2 should be finding a suitable replacement. Someone who can either do what the Ox does, or compensate by doing what the Ox cannot do.

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Brahimi doesn’t have that. Even in terms of goal production, the two are nearly identical. The Ox does everything that Brahimi does and more. He is the superior athlete. The one thing Brahimi has on Ox is a slight edge in technical ability, but that is hardly enough to justify the entire ordeal.