Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal: 3 more Bundesliga players who impressed

By Andrew Dowdeswell

Moenchengladbach's French forward Alassane Plea (L) and Leverkusen's Burkinabe defender Edmond Tapsoba (R) vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match Borussia Moenchengladbach v Bayer 04 Leverkusen on May 23, 2020 in Moenchengladbach, western Germany. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / POOL / AFP) / DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Moenchengladbach's French forward Alassane Plea (L) and Leverkusen's Burkinabe defender Edmond Tapsoba (R) vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match Borussia Moenchengladbach v Bayer 04 Leverkusen on May 23, 2020 in Moenchengladbach, western Germany. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / POOL / AFP) / DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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MAINZ, GERMANY – MAY 24: Marcel Sabitzer of RB Leipzig in action with Robin Quaison of Mainz during the Bundesliga match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and RB Leipzig at Opel Arena on May 24, 2020 in Mainz, Germany. (Photo by Kai Pfaffenbach/Pool via Getty Images)
MAINZ, GERMANY – MAY 24: Marcel Sabitzer of RB Leipzig in action with Robin Quaison of Mainz during the Bundesliga match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and RB Leipzig at Opel Arena on May 24, 2020 in Mainz, Germany. (Photo by Kai Pfaffenbach/Pool via Getty Images) /

2. Marcel Sabitzer

RB Leipzig were sensational in their 5-0 devastation of Mainz. Timo Werner scored a hat-trick, Kevin Kampl produced one of the most complete midfield displays you will ever see, and Marcel Sabitzer was his consistent self at the heart of the team, withdrawn before the hour mark as Julian Nagelsmann looked to rest his key player.

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Sabitzer is more well-known than the other players on this list, but he often goes overlooked in the Leipzig set-up, with Werner, Dayot Upamecano and Christopher Nkunku grabbing the headlines. However, make no mistake, the Austrian international is central to Nagelsmann’s superb team, and that was again the case this weekend.

Sabitzer controlled the middle of the park sensationally. He provided a lovely assist for the second goal, working his best Kevin de Bruyne impression in that right half-space area that the Belgian masters so brilliantly. He then scored his own goal in a superb hour performance.

At 26, Sabitzer is entering the prime of his career. He is an all-action central midfielder who works intensely hard without the ball, is a lovely distributor in possession, and can drive past players with deceptive athleticism. He might not be cheap after a stellar season, but he could be the ideal candidate to restructure the midfield around.

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