Arsenal: Steven N’Zonzi ceiling makes him more valuable

Arsenal’s midfield is taking a beautiful shape, but Steven N’Zonzi doesn’t seem to fit. Not unless you realize the limitations that he has.

In case you haven’t been keeping up with my constant ranting and raving about the Arsenal midfield, let me summarize by saying ‘long live Granit Xhaka‘ and ‘who needs Steven N’Zonzi‘?

I say this because most people that want N’Zonzi see him as a replacement for Xhaka. They see N’Zonzi as a battering ram in the center of the pitch where they once hoped Xhaka would be just that. And for that reason, there is a very specific group that sees N’Zonzi as a very specific solution.

I may not like that idea, nor am I all that keen on seeing N’Zonzi come to the Emirates, but if we acquire him understanding what his ceiling is, that makes his value ten times better.

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What I mean is just that, if we acquire N’Zonzi, realistically we should be asking for no more than what Francis Coquelin gave us. A bruiser that can enforce the rule of law in the midfield if we need to protect a lead – or something similar.

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For that purpose, I don’t see why we sold Coquelin in the first place, but what is done is done, and now we don’t have anyone of that capacity. That being said, N’Zonzi can serve in that capacity, and if that is all that we are calling on him to do, then so be it, there’s no reason to be against it. We can utilize him in a bit-part role, and if there is upside, that’s great. But don’t expect it.

This midfield is becoming dynamic to the point that there aren’t any real missing pieces. That is, assuming Lucas Torreira is a done deal. Torreira and Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey is the perfect collection of effort, precision, safety and dynamism.

N’Zonzi doesn’t make an improvement on any of those three. Nor would the trio, when including N’Zonzi, be any better than the three we would be banking around.

He has his value in his limitations. There will be plenty of opportunity for him to do what he does best – knock people down. And we can revel in it and celebrate in what he is able to do for us. But we can’t go into it with higher expectations than that.

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If that’s all we want out of this, we can get it. But if anyone is holding out hope that he is this mysterious midfield solution, then get out of town.