Arsene Wenger on Samir Nasri, “He can play defensive midfield, attacking midfield and on the flank”
With Cesc Fabregas ruled out of tonight’s game against Porto at the Emirates, French midfielder Samir Nasri could be the one to play in central midfield, just as he did against Burnley at one stage during the game. Speaking about the 22-year, manager Arsene Wenger told the club’s official website how versatile the player is as he can play in a large number of positions.
After recovering from fibula fracture which kept him on the sidelines for months, Nasri returned and has been in imperious form for the Gunners, who will try to overcome a 2-1 deficit this evening and move on to the next stage of the Champions League.
Speaking of the player, Wenger said:
He is the same as Cesc, 22-years-old so very young. But he has adapted very quickly. He is a very intelligent boy, a quiet boy. He analyses what is happening on the pitch very quickly. He has good technical potential.
He is very versatile too. He can play defensive midfield, attacking midfield and on the flanks. We have a few players like that and I love that. Nasri started with a fibula fracture at the start of the season and after two months it took him a while to get back to his best. But in the last few weeks he has got stronger and more confidence.
If you ask any player where he wants to play, they will say in the middle. He is happy to play there but I believe with the pace he has he can play on the flanks as well.
![[Video] Blackburn vs Arsenal highlights: Big win as we go second in the table!](http://www.thegunninghawk.com/wp-content/themes/arthemia-premium/scripts/timthumb.php?src=/wp-content/uploads/video.jpg&w=80&h=80&zc=1)
GO GUNNERS!!!
i agree nasri is showing his great potential,dont know if strong enough for DM though
he could play DM, but he’d need a physically strong supporting cast. he plays very strong balls from the back so he’d be great with the distribution aspect, it would be different though, and he would need to play there for awhile to become masterful, especially in tackling.
but i think he is technically proficient enough that arsene wouldn’t mind throwing him there if he had to.
the fact that he can be played through the middle and on the flanks is really the important part. personally i feel he can orchestrate the middle as well as cesc, just with a different style
damn straight he can play anywhere arsene. but i’d personally like to hear something different on samir from the manager.
he said all of these things last year, they still hold true of course, but oh well.
let’s keep gunning for titles!
Arsenal will pay Porto to day for what the refferee did in the first leg though we have injuries
Love the way he carries the ball and jinxes his way past players. Love the fact that he keeps it simple and he has vision. Bit lazy when it comes to defensive duties but definately want him to spread across the middle and create openings…..
Samir Nasri can play anywhere in midfield or upfront ,so Arsene should let him roam the pitch doing what he does best ,making the play as the Cesc goal against Burnley proved ?