If there's one thing Arsenal's season so far has shown us, it's that tactically Emery is short of a natural winger or two, and at times, has craved an out-and-out winger that's keen to play wide and really go at a full back. The need for a chalk-on-boots winger is slowly drying up especially in the Premier League, with 'modern day forwards', 'continental forwards' and 'wide forwards' now very popular. However, the need is still there, especially for clubs pushing for trophies on multiple fronts. In every team across the league, there will be at least a handful of occasions in any given season where the man in charge needs another option. Arsenal's squad lacks this natural winger option and although the likes of Mkhitaryan and Iwobi are doing a decent job out wide, a pacey and direct winger who wants to stay wide should be high on the club's summer shopping list. Having an option for all occasions and a better equipped squad will only help Emery and his team be successful. With Reiss Nelson currently enjoying a fantastic breakthrough season in Germany, the club may be a little reluctant to dive into the transfer market but with Mkhitaryan at thirty years of age and Iwobi being the embodiment of inconsistency across a season, Emery could do with a consistent wide option for the long term. One name being linked of late is Roma's Cengiz Ünder, the right footed winger.
Who is Cengiz Ünder?
Born in Sindirgi, a town and district of the Balikesir Province in northwest Turkey, Cengiz Ünder started his youth career at Turkish Third Division (fourth tier) side Bucaspor located in Buca, western Turkey. Starting at the age of ten, he played over five seasons before moving on to Altinordu, a bigger club in the same region of Turkey. It is here where he got his break as a professional as, after a few seasons as a youth player, he soon progressed into the first team where he finished with fifty-eight appearances scoring eleven goals and bagging nine assists. This fantastic start to a blossoming career meant that a bigger fish came knocking and in July 2016 the eighteen year old moved to Istanbul Basaksehir for a fee of €4.8m. He played forty-three times in the 2016/17 season for Basaksehir scoring nine goals and assisting a further seven but more importantly, it is here that he announced himself on the European stage in Europa League qualifying. Although the club failed to qualify, he was a stand out player and before long he was on his way to an even bigger fish, Italian giants AS Roma.
In mid-July 2017, after only one season in Istanbul, Ünder was bought by AS Roma for an estimated €15m. Still at the ripe age of twenty, the youngster penned a five year deal and has since gone on to establish himself as an integral part of Roma's set up. Now in his second season in Rome, he has so far logged fifty-seven appearances, finding the net fourteen times and setting up eleven more, before picking up a muscular injury in late January. He's featured all across the front line in his short career so far but has impressed most as a wide man. With a slender build, quick feet and a direct nature, he's a natural winger that can actually deliver. His crosses, through balls and end product are good now but will only continue to get better as he progresses as a footballer. With a talent of making things happen, even at twenty-one years of age, he's often one of the go-to guys to get Roma going.
Ünder's Strengths
Explosive and skillful, the young winger has exceptional feet and with his natural instinct to stay wide, he is the full proposition even at twenty-one. He's not as pacey as the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Jadon Sancho but he is at their levels of explosivity and direct dribbling. He can travel at pace with and without the ball, enabling him to grow into a winger capable of both sides of attack; in front of the defence and running in behind. His ability to take the ball on either foot means he can go either way and with his enthusiasm for football and his willingness to take players on, he's a dangerous customer. He'd fit right in at Arsenal with Lacazette's link up play and Ozil's creative vision providing an option for feet and an option for a through ball. His top speed may not be as blistering as England's two young wingers above but very rarely do we see any player at full tilt with the ball at his feet, and certainly not for long periods. He's at the top level for ball carrying just without lightning speed, however his initial explosive acceleration and skillful nature means he's still quite the wide package, for any team, in any league.
His productivity, for someone so young, is outstanding. He's still developing as is any twenty-one year old but to chalk up numbers like he does is a really attractive trait and one that will hold him in good stead wherever he plies his trade. Six goals and nine assists so far this season, one marred by injury now, as well as eight goals and two assists in 2017/18, nine goals and seven assists in 2016/17, and six goals and four assists in 2015/16 show his developing prowess. He is by no means a thirty-goal a season guy but for a winger who's teams so far haven't haven't been the best in their leagues, he can certainly mix it and deliver a very healthy return. His contributions will only increase the more he plays, and the higher the level he plays at. And although still only young, the Premier League is an attractive proposition for any player, anywhere, and he'll be no different as he's already proved he can cope in a foreign league that's better than his own back home.
His style also incorporates a love for long range, with both long range passing and long range shooting coming to fruition fairly often. He loves a long distance shot from range and has generally seen good results. His accuracy in long passing is worth noting and being stuck out wide for long periods, his ability to pick out a cross field ball comes in more than handy. A switch of play, ideally to an unmarked winger or full back in open space can create a number of benefits going forward. The football knowledge he already possesses for a young professional is very good and added to his actual ability, traits and other strengths, it makes him a really exciting player and one Arsenal should certainly keep an eye on.
Ünder's Weaknesses
Often flawed for holding onto the ball too long, and then running out of room or being tackled, the young winger needs to develop a little more in this area. He gets caught out and is guilty of this a fair amount in the Italian league where Roma are better than most teams so for him to do the same in the Premier League, where the average ability is probably better, it could be an issue. Arsenal's play is still fundamentally built on passing, and if he's to dribble and run right down a blind alley and isolate himself in the process, he'll get caught out no end. Work to do for sure but he's more than capable.
Aerially, Ünder isn't overly great. He's slender and quick and not really built for physicality and aerial dueling. Much to his joy though, there isn't much required in the air for a winger but it's still worth noting as, much like Mesut Ozil, he's very unlikely to engage in anything in the air. Fortunately, Emery's style of play is still emerging but its clear that whenever the ball is at Leno's feet, it's pass pass pass. Passing out first and foremost means that long hoof-balls are less likely and even when they do occur, they are likely to be aimed at Aubameyang and Lacazette, not the wingers. Ünder could get away with it at Arsenal, much like he does at Roma but a weakness to his game no less.
Much like any attack-minded player, his defensive contributions are little to none. Usually so far forward he doesn't offer much in the way of getting back and mucking in. In his defence though, the Italian league has harder-nose defenders, more defensively minded so naturally their forwards are required to do less. Even more so, in an Arsenal team where often two (or three) centre backs are shielded by one and or even two protective midfielders, the attacking wide players do very little the other way. For Ünder in North London, it would be much of the same.
How would Ünder fit in at Arsenal?
3-4-3
In Emery's seemingly go-to formation for the big games, Ünder would fit in as the wide right or wide left option in attack. He's more comfortable on the right having played there far more often but he's capable of taking the ball on either foot which suggests that he could adopt a place on the left if need be. He's confident and quick and will isolate any full back, regardless of foot and regardless of flank. Dangerous and happy to stay wide, he'll get involved with Lacazette and Aubameyang well, and would truly thrive of Ozil's through balls and exceptional vision.
4-2-3-1
More responsible shape but less in attack means Ünder would be required to do a little more both ways in this formation. He is capable but it's potentially a huge waste having wingers track back time after time and consuming valuable energy in the process. He could however, provide an even more dangerous presence out wide with his full back bombing past him on the inside, as well as out. He can then carry the ball more freely to the byline and delivery a cross with ease. A little more control in midfield with three men in there usually means that Arsenal have more ball and manage the game well, meaning he could see more ball and be more of a threat.
4-2-2-2
A new addition of late, where we've seen Ozil and Ramsey start in behind Lacazette and Aubameyang. Ünder would be an option for either of the attacking midfield roles, and although he likes to stay wide naturally, he is more likely to be encouraged to step inside in this shape far more. With two defensively minded holding midfielders in the engine room, the attacks are left to the front four with support from the two full backs, meaning Ünder would be entrusted to carry the ball for longer periods and link up far more with his fellow attackers.
Conclusion
In summary, Ünder would be a great addition to the Arsenal squad. He's still young, hungry and keen to develop. He's proved he can cut it at a big club, and at one outside of his home nation, showing a maturity many young players lack. His output is outstanding for one still in his early twenties and it'll only get better. A naturally orthodox winger who loves to stay wide and go at defenders one-on-one is something Emery's squad currently lacks, and even under Mislintat a year or so ago, names like Pavon and Malcom were being linked to North London. These links aren't for no reason - clearly the club are aware of the squad's lack of a true winger, and Ünder is the perfect package; he's ambitious, productive, exciting and raw. Arsenal could develop him how they see fit whilst benefiting from his natural attacking football and keen eye for goal. He'll fit in to a number of systems, generally from the right but from the left too, and has shown that even at his age he can take on the responsibility of a team (or nation) with Turkish football having pinned many a hope on him already. The only real issue would be the price and the impact his arrival may have on someone like Reiss Nelson. An English youngster who's doing the business out on loan and deserves a chance next season, regardless of circumstances. We know Wenger should shirk away from such a deal but Emery, in the almost desperate position of chasing a top four return for Arsenal, would he go for it? Should he earn a Champions League spot, would the club sanction his wish? £30-£45 million may be enough to get a deal over the line but is he worth that sort of cash right now? That remains to be seen but it's certainly a situation to keep an eye on over the next four to five months.
@craigbennett10
Comments
Post a Comment