Arsenal: Too many number 10’s diminishing non-existent width

Since the days of Arsene Wenger began, Arsenal have never had any shortage of number 10s. It has now got to the point where they have too many.

Arsenal are a club known for playing attractive, attacking and, dare I say, ‘sexy’ football. Whether it be ‘Wenger-ball’ or the new high-pressing system currently being implemented, there is one thing that is virtually guaranteed: the football should be fun to watch.

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However, since this current season has started and Arsenal’s relatively successful summer transfer window has passed, there is one blatantly obvious thing missing from the current squad: width.

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With players such as Mesut Ozil, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Aaron Ramsey all fighting for a starting spot under Unai Emery, the new Spanish manager is burdened with a selection headache that will not be alleviated by merely forcing two of the three number 10 preferring players out wide and out of position.

After Jack Wilshere’s departure from the Emirates, Ozil was awarded the much-coveted number 10 jersey. Players such as Dennis Bergkamp have made the shirt a legendary one to pull over one’s shoulders and Ozil is determined to show he is worthy of wearing it. With the German’s new contract making him the highest paid player at the club, there comes the expectation from the board, as well as the fans, that he will be a mainstay in the starting Xl.

If he does start, therefore, it should be in his preferred position. Ozil has been forced out wide and his Welsh teammate, Ramsey, has taken over the central attacking-midfield role. Playing two players who prefer the same position brings issues and a lack of balance. When the pair plays on the same side, there is a lack of protection in front of Hector Bellerin and the team often gets exposed down the right side. The unfortunate truth is that Emery will have to decide between one or the other. Neither of the two wants to be playing on the wing.

That brings me to Ramsey. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Ramsey is a fantastic player. He has been crying out for the number 10 role for years and he finally has managed to slot himself into it. But is he actually an attacking midfielder? Ramsey is known for his ability to make late runs into the box and add another player into the mix for trying to find a goal. Despite this asset being very useful, is it as useful as a player like Ozil or Mkhitaryan, who will pull the strings and control everything going forward? Only time will tell, but Ramsey has not been anything special so far this season. Notwithstanding the two assists against Everton in the Gunners’ 2-0 victory, he has not notched a goal or assist all year. And even in the Everton match, he wasn’t exactly the Man of the Match and did not have much impact on the game aside from those brief moments.

When Mkhitaryan was brought in from Manchester United and Alexis Sanchez went the other way, fans were under the impression that the Armenian international would provide width. However, since his arrival, it has become ever more apparent every single game he’s played that he also prefers a central role. Like, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan has not really done anything notable that leads anyone to believe that he should take over the creative midfield role.

Mkhitaryan is currently third in the three horse race for the number 10 position. That being said, the Armenian international could easily take over the position due to the fact that the other horses in the race have not exactly left him in their dust.

Arsenal’s narrowness going forward is something that needs to be addressed. Whether it is by a player such as Alex Iwobi coming into the side or possibly a new signing in the January transfer window, the issue needs fixed.

The Gunners overabundance of number 10’s is not necessarily an issue if managed correctly, but it is if the players that prefer that role are forced into a position they are not able to play in. And that is what is happening right now.