Arsenal new boy Mohamed Elneny completed his full Premier League debut in the North London Derby last weekend against Tottenham Hotspur, a performance which demonstrated that the midfielder has the ability to thrive within the Arsenal midfield. Joel Campbell has shown his credentials over a number of months and with Arsenal’s current injuries he appears to be a first choice option for most.
Elneny’s energetic performance in the weekend trip to White Hart Lane proved to be a success as his capability in the box-to-box role was more than evident.
Partnering Francis Coquelin, he closed down the midfield space between the midfield and the defence to generally prevent Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela and Dele Alli from exposing the Arsenal backline. Whilst Arsenal pressed forward, he would arrive late into the box with Aaron Ramsey to overload the opposition in the final third.
The 23 year old was also comfortable in possession in the central midfielder role, a department in which Ramsey struggled before he reclaimed his role in the advanced right attacking midfield.
Elneny was able to keep the ball under control whilst distributing well for the entire match. It is clear to see that, in keeping with the Arsenal mould, he can both envisage and perform concise passing, which aided the team in their counterattacks on Saturday.
Being called into action against Hull City in FA Cup just days later, Elneny thrived as the open nature of the game allowed him to dominate the central midfield and control possession. He was competent in slowing down the game but remained able to quickly spread the ball around the pitch. With Ramsey suffering a serious injury which is likely to keep him out for a prolonged period of the closing months of the season, it appears that the duo of Elneny and Coquelin could prove to be a key partnership for the Gunners.
Whilst it is only early in his Arsenal career, the future looks bright for Elneny as he looks to assert himself in this Arsenal team.
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Joel Campbell of Arsenal celebrates scoring during the Emirates Cup match between Arsenal and Benfica at the Emirates Stadium on August 2, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
In the wider areas of the pitch, Joel Campbell has arguably been Arsenal’s most impressive player since the beginning of 2016, as he has started in 8 of 10 games dating back to 2nd January 2016 and has offered a fresh threat from the usual right-sided players.
Campbell combines well with teammate Alexis Sanchez to close down opposition and win the ball back which often results in his late substitution, yet whilst on the pitch Campbell has a great footballing brain and he is able to execute almost everything he attempts.
The Costa Rican is a brilliant defender with continuous tracking back to prevent any opposition from dominating the wide areas of the pitch and in doing so he has created a sublime right-sided partnership with Hector Bellerin. Going forward, Campbell loves creating chances by playing increasingly successful balls in between the midfield and defensive lines. When provided with a chance himself, he has the composure to take his chances really well and he has a multitude of excellent finishes to his name this season, the most recent of which was at Swansea.
It looks certain, therefore, that both Elneny and Campbell constitute more than merely rotational options and on current form they deserve their place in this Arsenal team just as much as any other player.
The vibrant duo offer something different and have proven themselves worthy additions to the offensive and defensive ranks of the team.
