Gooner Daily

When Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri departed in the summer, the panic button was pressed so hard, it sprang out of it’s remote control. The subsequent games following their departure didn’t help matters at all as the Gunners slumped at home to Liverpool before suffering a humiliating 8-2 defeat to Manchester United.

The burden of creativity fell on the shoulders of Aaron Ramsey and Tomas Rosicky but it seemed like a burden to big to bear before Alex Song stepped into the picture. While at 21, he is showing promise beyond his years, but this season has proven that Aaron Ramsey is not yet ready to be the top playmaker at a big club such as Arsenal.

With the likes of Yossi Benayoun, Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky all struggling to find that killer through pass to the in-form Van Persie and the rest of the forward line, it’s surprisingly our defensive midfielder Alex Song who has stepped up his game and become the club’s chief midfield playmaker while also performing his defensive duties to his usual high standard.

Alex Song is one of the finest defensive midfielders in the business and he has added a new ‘trick’ to the magic box that already contains an amazing technique, deft first touch, high work rate, the stamina of an Ox (not Oxlade-Chamberlain), superb marking skills and brilliant positional play.

Alex Song is now a potent force in Arsenal’s attack and he has created 13 assists this season, with a considerable chunk of them for Robin van Persie.

His defense-splitting pass to van Persie against Norwich was sumptuous to say the least. Van Persie finished it off with a cheeky lob over the Norwich goalie. He invoked the spirit of Lionel Messi when Arsenal hosted Dortmund by taking on some defenders before crossing the ball for RVP that sent his header goalwards.

When the chips were down against the Merseysiders (Everton at Emirates and Liverpool at Anfield), Alex Song supplied two similar perfect projectiles for van Persie and Arsenal’s captain finished both efforts in the same magnificent similar fashion.

Van Persie hasn’t been the only player that has benefited from Song’s attacking verve on the final third. In the FA Cup third Round clash against Leeds United, Song played a wonderful through ball past four Leeds United players to the returning legend, Thierry Henry and the rest was history. Song has also supplied two sublime assists for Theo Walcott against Tottenham and more recently, Aston Villa.

Statistics have shown the class apart Alex Song is from the rest of his peers in Arsenal’s midfield.

In his last season at Arsenal, Fabregas made 36 apps, scored nine goals and created 17 assists making him a standout performer. $amir Na$ri on the other hand, made 46 apps, scored 15 goals and supplied 5 assists.

This season, Yossi Benayoun has made 19 apps, scored three goals and has handed only one assist to Gervinho against Wolves. Tomas Rosicky has made 30 apps, scored two goals and despite his ability, he has supplied a meager amount of two assists.

Mikel Arteta has made 34 apps, smashed in five goals and has created three assists. Aaron Ramsey has notched up 35 apps, scored three goals and has created seven assists.

Alex Song leads the charts with a goal (Bolton) and 13 assists in 37 games for Arsenal this season. It’s also worth noting that Alex Song is the most creative defensive midfielder in Europe this season with more assists than Xabi Alonso, Sergi Busquets, Scotty Parker, Mark van Bommel and Felipe Melo put together.

These stats prove that Song isn’t your average defensive midfielder and it’s fair to say that more or less a deep-lying playmaker, a role manned by the great Andrea Pirlo.

Alex Song’s effectiveness in the attacking third has become a key part of Arsenal’s style of play and goal scoring verve. His over-the-top projectiles have become his registered trademark and we can only expect more in the foreseeable future.

The most shocking thing about Alex Song is that he’s still in his early 20s so he’ll rule as Arsenal’s enforcer for the best part of the next decade or so, provided he continues to work hard without adding complacency to his game.

A lot of credit must go to Le Professeur for unearthing such a rare gem to the delight of Gooners worldwide. If he had buckled under the intense pressure and cleaned off the dust to open Arsenal’s cheque book to buy a new defensive midfielder after the departures of Gilberto, Mathieu Flamini and Lassana Diarra, the world could have been denied the viewing pleasure of Arsenal’s African diamond, Alex Song.

I’ll end today’s post with a hilarious piece from Soni Akoji:

And a voıce from above said unto Wenger,

Behold I have heard your cry and indeed I have seen the works of the Mancites, the Manuzites, the Chelshites and the Tottenites. I have seen how the Mancites have put their trust in filthy mammon…. I will permit them for this season. I have also seen how the Manuzites lean on the arm of Ferguson… I will pity them also for a season more.

However the sin of the Chelshites and the Tottenites are beyond pardon. The Chelshites have made gods of their old prophets and have not allowed my young prophets to prosper… Europa league is their due. But the Tottenites have vexed me most of all. They have made proud boasts of their skill and their pacy wingers. They have taunted their better rivals and kicked them even as they lay on the floor, as if they did not know that Fabregas had returned to the land of his birth and Nasri had moved on to the land of oil and gold.

For this sin, I have instructed mighty angels to seal up the goal post of all their opponents on every pitch of play. In vain will Chimpanzee Bale shoot, for nought will Lennon sprint. Their midfield will wallow in confusion, even as their defence swims in goals. Their lot shall be with those who lie behind those who qualify for Europa. When these things happen, Arsene my professor child, be aware and know that I am the source of your success, but also endeavour to buy Podolski, Goetze and Vertoghen. And endeavor to re-sign Igwe Robın Van Persie. Why would you need a Batman when you’ve got Robın? If you do this, then next season the drought of trophies that has assailed you will end. I have spoken and So shall it be.”

GUNNERS REJOICE, FOR THIS IS THE VOICE OF THE MOST HIGH, WHOSE FOOT STOOL IS THE EARTH ITSELF!

Kudos to Da Viruz for sharing this piece with the rest of the crazy lot in my Arsenal BlackBerry Group, Team Gooner Daily. Check out his blog, Movie Reviews.

Sayonara.

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