Arsenal: It’s time to find a reliable deputy for Granit Xhaka

Arsenal’s midfield has been a strong point all year, but with the limitations we saw against Everton, maybe we need to get real about something.

Perhaps the one thing that has worked all year for Arsenal has been the midfield. Chalked full of all kinds of talent and versatility (and youth), this midfield is equipped to take on all challengers, and you can find so many examples of how this collection of players has dominated top-tier opposition.

Look no further than Tottenham in the 4-2 win, if you consider Tottenham top-tier opposition. If you don’t, then look at the 1-1 draw with Liverpool. This midfield can hang with anyone…

…when they’re healthy. And isn’t that always the caveat between a team that is good and a team that’s great? You can have a fantastic starting XI, but without the right substitutions and the right injury coverage, what does it actually mean?

With Lucas Torreira suspended and Granit Xhaka hurt, Unai Emery was limited with his midfield choices. With Aaron Ramsey starting on the bench, he chose a dubious pairing in Matteo Guendouzi and Mohamed Elneny.

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It failed. In every way, it failed. And that’s because, right now, both Guendouzi and Elneny are signed on as sort of “deputies” for Granit Xhaka and, right now, neither is good enough. Elneny never will be. Guendouzi may yet be, but we still have yet to discover what kind of player he really is, and wants to be, and can thrive as. Because that can determine the decision making process of finding the next true deputy to Xhaka.

Which apparently is sorely needed, given the lack of control this team has without Xhaka in the starting XI.

We know Ramsey is leaving, we might as well count on Elneny leaving too. Neither Guendouzi nor Torreira is ready, nor do we even know if they are in the running to be that deputy, given the types of players that they are.

So what do you do? Do you turn to the transfer market when you already have so many things to think about, to look for, to buy? Probably not. Not when you can try to look internally and potentially find some solutions within the club.

Frankly, you don’t have to look further than Calum Chambers, who has that utility mantra of being able to play on the defense, which sorely needs help, as well as playing in the defensive midfield, which sorely needs help, apparently.

They aren’t the exact same type of player, Xhaka and Chambers, but at least Chambers has the size and the discipline to play the role of control tower better than anyone else we currently have.