Arsenal: 5 key players to see us through Bournemouth in FA Cup
By Josh Sippie
3. Matteo Guendouzi
Arsenal’s elite superstar prospect exile. That’s a mouthful, but it’s safe to say they all describe Matteo Guendouzi, who saw his international acclaim and value jack up exponentially before Mikel Arteta promptly pushed him aside for the Torreira/Xhaka duo.
More from Pain in the Arsenal
- 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
- 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
- Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
- 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
- Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win
Hard to argue with the results yet, but it just means that Guendouzi is going to have to fight harder for each and every minute, and matches like these are going to be his proving grounds. Which makes him a defacto key player.
The other thing that makes him an obvious key player is that, by my estimation, he will be in a trio with Joe Willock and Dani Ceballos, meaning that the primary defensive help is going to have to come from the young Frenchman himself. Making his part in this fixture an even bigger one.
Guendouzi has the ability to run a Premier League defense, so it shouldn’t be a problem for him to be the center of attention in the midfield. He’s just got a to keep a clear head and get about doing the work that’s required of him.
Moving on to No. 2.