Arsenal: Denis Suarez doesn’t require as much faith as you’d think

Arsenal have their man in Denis Suarez, and if you buy the stats, he can be the clear-cut solution to a clear-cut problem, if only we allow him to be.

It’s amazing how often it gets forgotten that Unai Emery is new to this job, and he is going to take some time to settle in. Arsenal fans are not ones for patience, and they are crowing for more of a result than what we are currently seeing.

Thus, the Denis Suarez signing is also under heavy scrutiny, with some talking heads out there bashing the signing and criticizing it as being inadequate. Because of course they are, it’s so much easier to just be angry all the time than it is to actually think about something.

But even for those that want to be angry, the evidence is outstanding that Suarez may be just what the Gunners need. SkySports put out a fantastic article lauding the signing and showing how he fits two of the surprising gaps in this Arsenal squad – creating chances, and dribbling.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, these two things were supposed to be the least of our concerns, but the stats are overwhelmingly negative. The club is averaging the fewest shots taken since the stat started being tracked. And it’s not even close.

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They are creating less chances and less dribbles than any year in recent memory and Denis Suarez has a track record of doing both of those things well while at Barcelona, despite his declining stock there.

While there is a lot of faith required to trust in someone like Suarez, who is primarily steeped in potential, there is also a lot of indisputable proof that Suarez is the right man for the job. The numbers back him up, and what this really comes down to is what other options we actually have.

It’s been a year of creative talents failing for the Gunners, and here comes Suarez with a proven creative resume. What more could we actually want? Which is, of course, a silly question, because every fool with a voice can think of a convoluted reason to doubt Suarez, the same way they doubt Guendouzi.

The point is, Suarez is far more proven than he gets credit for, and he fits a massive need at this club much better than you’d think he does. Yes, some faith is required, but not as much as was initially reported.