Arsenal: The one thing no one can deny about Marouane Fellaini

The response to the possible addition of Marouane Fellaini has not been all that positive. However, there is one undeniable asset that he will bring to Arsenal: Height.

There are some players that must always deal with a public image, even if their performances or behaviour or character do not merit it. Mesut Ozil and his languid style, often misunderstood as laziness; John Terry and his lack of speed, even though his positioning often negated its debilitation; Titus Bramble and his inability to play, where he managed to play just short of 300 Premier League appearances.

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These are stigmas that will follow these players no matter where they go or what they do; they are false narratives that are incredibly difficult to shake off. And so, when it was first reported that Arsenal were interesting in signing Marouane Fellaini, it was somewhat inevitable what the reaction would be.

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The Manchester United midfielder is emblematic, for many fans, of the doomed David Moyes era at Old Trafford. He was the Scot’s first signing, he toiled through great misery during those early years, suffering from great dips in confidence and form, and was a symbol for the end of the sweeping football of Sir Alex Ferguson signalling the beginning of an era that few fans were ready to welcome in. And even as his performances have improved and he has been able to carve out his niche, especially under Jose Mourinho, that label has always stuck with him.

Many fans are dismayed at the idea of Fellaini of being an Arsenal player. Perhaps they have a point. Certainly, many of the criticisms that are attributed to him are accurate ones. But there is one trait that the Belgian offers that even his biggest detractors cannot deny: Height.

It may seem like an overly simple point — Fellaini stands at 6-foot-6. Of course he brings height. But it is something that Arsenal have lacked greatly for many years, often struggling against the more physical teams of the Premier League, unable to battle them and grind out victories, falling foul of the overly-aggressive and combative play that English football unabashedly offers.

Fellaini will provide an element of size and stature that this team needs. From set pieces, both defensive and attacking ones, late in games when chasing a goal, against the bigger sides that the Premier League has to offer on a muddy pitch in the middle of winter. These are the type of scenarios that Fellaini is invaluable in. Ray Parlour states that that is enough to deem him a good signing.

Does that mean that he is suddenly a wonderful signing who deserves paying whatever it costs to lure him in? No. Obviously, not. There are issues with his game that are sometimes difficult to see past. There is a narrative to ignore, one that does possess elements of truth.

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But it does mean that he is useful, and even his harshest critics cannot deny that.