Frankie de Jong: The Future Star of Arsenal's Midfield

There's a massive problem in my opinion stopping Arsenal from reaching the next level. Many people have said with Jorginho, Fabio Vieira, Smith-Rowe, Thomas Partey and Kai Havertz at various points this season that we do not in fact need a central midfielder slash midfielders. For me, I think that's a lie. I'm telling you this as a fact. We will not reach the next level without signing another midfielder capable of dictating the tempo of the game who is press resistant and comfortable in any environment, whether that's a game where you have a lot of space or games where you have none. Again, think about how good Declan Rice and Odegaard would look with that final piece to the puzzle of our midfield trio and all three of them would be long-term options for Arsenal Football Club. Then you look at someone like Frankie De Jong, a player that's once upon a time said he'd be open to joining Arsenal. Arsenal fans have a lot of admiration for and I'm sure he's got a lot of suitors and admirers across the European continent. As we know, he's a Dutch central midfielder playing for Barcelona. It goes without saying. In fact, honed at Ajax's school of hard knocks or technical hard knocks. So it goes without saying he has an unbelievable amount of technical ability. He possesses exceptional technical skills, especially his body feints, close control, persists passing, dribbling, the ability to control the tempo of a game, which is crucial for Arsenal to get to that next level and could unlock Odegaard and Declan Rice and actually our front players, which we'll get onto in a new light. He's extremely versatile. Technically you can play as a centre-half. We're not for that. He's comfortable playing as an organic central midfielder, a deep-lying playmaker, a defensive midfielder, an eight and a six. Now, obviously, culturally, he's not a typical British number six, like someone like Declan Rice would be, but that just signals how intelligent he is, how intelligent Apologies is. In terms of his tactical intelligence, I mean, his understanding of the game is impeccable. His tactical awareness, even though he's 26 turning 27, has always been very advanced for his age. He plays with this cool, calm collectiveness and he does things almost at one pace, if that makes sense. He reads the game well. He anticipates opposition movements incredibly and makes intelligent decisions in terms of his positioning defensively and offensively. Now, there's been times where he hasn't performed in big games, of course, the latest being where PSG dumped Barcelona out of the Champions League across two legs. But I think a lot of people best remember him for Ajax's run in the Champions League in 2019, well, the 2018-19 semi-finals campaign people, where he performed very well. There's been a number of games where he hasn't turned up for Barcelona in such circumstances, but there's also been a number of games he has. His first season at Barcelona was nothing to scream and shout about. His second was quite good. He's a regular for his country, as we know. Again, for me, I would say, if I had to be honest, as much as, you know, for me, I think he'd be a great partner with Declan Rice and he's very much an Arsenal footballer and he'd be a big money signing. And as I said, Odegaard-Rice and him would be a lovely trio for years to come and could help us achieve something. There are periods for me where he doesn't show consistency to the greater levels that his quality and his ability on the football, you know, match up to really and truly. I don't sometimes, like I think a lot of the time he's sevens out of tens. A lot of the time I think he could be tens and twenties out of tens, if that makes sense, people. I do think there's times where he struggles with consistency in that regard. There's obviously periods where he struggles to exert his influence in games or make an impact, which obviously is a bit counterintuitive and productive to what I've said, people. Goal scoring. Now, I think it's silly because he's very good in the final third in terms of what you'd want from a footballer, but in terms of goals and assists and decisive final actions, that's something he can improve on. And that's something that could be attractive to Mikel Arteta, especially when you look at the similarities with Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice in line with what he wants in terms of his midfield defensive attributes. He does get around, he does put a shift in, but he's never going to be the most physical of midfielders or the most physical dominating of midfielders, if I'm completely honest with you. It could be more pronounced in that regard and he could afford himself more domination in that aspect of midfield, if I'm completely honest. In fact, sometimes I think he lacks the necessary aggression at times defensively and also offensively to demand the ball, to demand to play that killer pass. He can keep things ticking over and he'd be a great player, man. Again, there's a lot of similarities with him being a highly rated young player, joining a club in Barcelona and a lot of pressure there. There's certain similarities with some players that have arrived at Arsenal Football Club, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus, Declan Rice, Kai Havertz in terms of their careers up until a point or what they're going through. So there's a lot of transferable skills and obviously if Barcelona are broke, this could be something that could be a game changer for Arsenal, if I'm honest with you. And it would be, you know, a very much a step forward in the right direction. You know, if he was truly available, he'd have a pick of clubs, people from Manchester City to PSG to Bayern Munich. You know, it's fair to say his time at Barcelona has been filled with highs and lows, top performances and underwhelming ones alike. I think he could do everything really to be a top midfielder. I don't think he's hit the projected heights that his potential may have warranted to us football lovers, but he's still at Barcelona and he's one of their main players and he's had a mixed period, as I've said there. The issue comes though, for as much as you know, you're seeing reports coming out that he's available, especially for anything from 45 to 60 million euros. In my opinion, that has to be done. If you're Barcelona, do you really want to sell him? Especially as you know, the departing manager in Xavi, I was about to say Granit Xhaka, in Xavi's departing, a new manager might need him. The bulk of the rumours suggesting he could depart Barcelona seem to see the fact that Barcelona are struggling financially and need to sell players and there's rumours they will sell a big slash big players. But in Barcelona's defence and also Frankie de Jong, who has never hidden the fact that he's happy where he is, even going back to the summer he was looked at by Manchester United, would you sell him before the euros? Now he could go into the euros and have a poor campaign or he could head into the euros and have a great campaign and ultimately Barcelona could be in a stronger position to whoever they want to sell, simply put, to demand more money. Whatever way you look at it, Edu and Arteta need to solve the midfield puzzle and I believe to a degree it's destiny. I know he's spoken previously about his projected career, Matt, do it in reverse people. He's now turning 27, it's time for him to realise his potential and I believe he can do that in the Premier League for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta. Edu and Arteta, there's a lot of pros and cons to what we're doing at the moment as a football club. I really am a big fan of how they've assembled this squad and things, but I do think the lack of depth and a lack of quality are two big issues for this football club. And when you look at our defensive and offensive options, there's a lot of longevity there. In the midfield, there isn't such people. Thomas Partey, a good player, but there's a lot of baggage and like Jorginho, his future is subject to speculation. El Nene is going, Kai Havertz, Fabio Vieira, Smith-Rowe haven't taken that left eight or a midfield place if we stop getting hung up on specifics by Storm people. And this could be something. Do I think Arsenal are going to go for him? No, but it could be potentially a game changer. I do think there's an element of Frankie De Jong to football fans versus maybe regular Barcelona fans somewhat overrate him, but there's no doubt the man's a talented player. In conclusion for me, while Frankie De Jong is undoubtedly a talented midfielder with numerous strengths, and as much as I want him at Arsenal, there are areas of his game that could be improved and his performances have again occasionally lacked consistency. I don't know if he's overrated and I don't know if he's underrated. I guess it ultimately depends on individuals assessments of his abilities and performances. But if there are midfielders to take us to the next level, I believe he could be one, or I genuinely believe Arsenal need to target the profile in ilk of somebody like Frankie De Jong. Now, where Arsenal are concerned, I do think we can harm the opposition in terms of build up play from a variety of different angles on the left and the right hand side of the pitch. But let's be honest, people were very lopsided. There's a lot of reasons probably for why we're a lot stronger down the right than versus the left. That's probably for another video. Typically, you see us line up in a 4-2-3-1 or whatever variation you have it. And when we build up play and actually in defensive phases, you know, the system goes into many different formations. But primarily to us normal armchair fans, this is probably what you're going to see in reality. And I purposely not put an opposition out there just because it makes a bit more sense when it's clearer people, you will see what we hope is a fit timber inverting. You would obviously see Gabriel probably half pulling out to the half space between the flanks and obviously the defensive area. Saliba naturally will shuffle over. Benjamin White does overlap or invert, at times he joins the back three. As I said, exaggerating everyone's position here. Timber inverts, obviously Martinelli and Bakayo Saka in the half space. You've got Martin Odegaard and you've got the striker who does drop in deep and does work either channel. As I said, there's many different combinations and partnerships. Now, the key thing for me in terms of build up plays, because I believe at times it's a bit too slow. A lot of that is probably systemic down to, you know, we don't have that consistent partner for Declan Rice and build up play isn't necessarily a strength of his. He's getting better at it. He's obviously becoming a bit more all rounded. But could you imagine, you know, if you've got Frankie de Jong who, again, exaggerating everybody's positioning for the benefit of this video people. If David Rye has got the ball and ignoring Odegaard for just a sec, you've got Frankie de Jong and Declan Rice. One key strength of de Jong's that I would like is he offers to receive the ball off his goalkeeper. Apologies, that's David Rye. We don't want him running out again. We saw that against Bayern Munich. Off Rye or off the centre half people, or even that could be Gabriel if he pulls out there. Naturally, Timber could afford to be a bit more forward. And crucially for Declan Rice, if he is going to be on that left hand side, you know, so that he can get better combination play with Martinelli and Declan Rice. Well, between Martinelli and Declan Rice, obviously a fit left back in Timber would help because that partnership could blossom. And obviously you can see how things start to build. And then if we bring it back, of course, there's times Declan Rice could drop in as well. I know Frankie de Jong doesn't look like it, but he does put in a defensive shift. I do think we're getting caught up on eights and sixes and both of them present multifunctional sort of guys in that regard. I'd imagine Declan Rice is on the left versus the right, but you can't rule it out. And then could you picture Martin Odegaard who, again, removing the football people because there's too much going on. If we say de Jong's there, Rice is slightly forward, Martinelli knows he can run in behind, Saka's probing. Odegaard is everything, you know, he's a danger in and around the opponent's six yard box. He's a danger running into the box. We always see him, Fred passes for Bakayo Saka. Lately, you've seen him drop into the pockets. And that's obviously something that could benefit us greatly if you've got Odegaard dropping in, Rice running further forward. I do think one area de Jong's game is he could actually contribute more in these zones. But if you've got a multifunctional midfield, which can be pressed, the team is defensively switched on and have the creativity that I believe these three would possess. It'd be crazy. You know, it'd be really crazy. You could imagine Rice having the license to bomb forward. You can imagine Odegaard having the confidence to stay further forward because de Jong can Fred him then passes or play between the lines. You start to throw in, you know, different passing angles as well with the fullbacks in white and timber. And naturally, again, you know, this is an animated example. This isn't a real football game. Everyone's going to advance further forward. And there's different many passing lanes and crucially Saka, Odegaard, you know, Martinelli, the striker, whoever's out there, we could have our danger men more likely to combine with each other and harm the opposition folks. You know, there's no way around it. We need to address central This summer, the decision makers internally within Arsenal and Arsenal's offices have a decision to make. I do believe, you know, that we're on an upward trajectory and we're moving in the right direction. And I might be a bit premature in saying this, but I do think we're at that stage now where we either kick on and are able to claim Premier League trophies and other honours and gold even further in the Champions League, or there's going to be an element of regressing. Of course, internally, Mikel Arteta still has to get the best out of his own players that are existing at the club and take them to next levels. There's undoubtedly other areas of the squad that need to be addressed. There's more gears to go up tactically. But I think this summer is a summer to make a statement in the same way that we signed Declan Rice. I'm not saying we always have to sign players for big money, but difference makers. And I think Frankie de Jong could firmly be that. He's an Arsenal footballer. He's a Mikel Arteta midfielder. He hasn't scratched the surface of his potential. And I believe he could harness that at Arsenal Football Club. For what it's worth, I don't think we'll sign him. But as I always say, the dream is free. The hustle is sold separately. With that being said, folks, don't forget to like, comment, subscribe. Let me know your thoughts. Thank you for watching. Check out the rest of the other videos. Peace.