It’s always said that Arsenal lack ‘fight’ whenever they come away with a defeat from an away trip to a bottom half of the table side, on the receiving end of a few kicks. It’s become a vicious circle. Some teams don’t turn up to play football and just look to frustrate the Gunners. They foul away and try and disrupt the flow of the Gunners’ game. It’d be difficult for any side to play football against a team whose main aim is not to try and score, but to stop the other side playing their stuff.

That this happens so often to Arsenal must at least partly account for their lack of success over the last few years. It’s led to calls from fans and pundits alike, asking Arsene Wenger to bulk up the midfield, add a little competitive spark and bring a little ‘fight’ back to the proceedings. The truth is, technique can only get you so far. But what about a player that can combine both technique and creative spark?

What’s interesting about the video below, is that it provides evidence of Real Madrid midfielder, Nuri Sahin’s competitive streak. Check out the section of the clip between 01.00 – 01.30. No, he’s not a ball-winning midfielder. But he’s clearly not afraid to stick a foot to try and win it where possible.

I’m not trying to make out that Sahin’s a midfielder in Paul Scholes’ image (probably one of the best all-round midfielders of all time) but it’s heartening that he’s got this side to his game. Arsenal fans love to see Rosicky snapping into tackles and competing for 50-50s. They’ll get this with Sahin. But, naturally they’ll get so much more. (The Independent say the Emirates is Sahin’s ‘prefered desitnation’)

Of course, what’ll get Arsenal fans really excited is the 23-year-old’s ability on the ball. He’s so assured on the ball and he always seems to be able to work the ball into space (much like Cesc Fabregas) and use his balance to weasel his way out of tight situations. Given that he can pass as well as just about anybody in football, it’s hard to find a weakness in his game. And given his age, he’s only going to get better.

Who knows how good he’ll be if he gets regular game time up until he’s 26. He wont get that at Real Madrid. He would at Arsenal.

That’s why I hope Arsenal are attempting to negotiate an option to buy at the end of the season-loan deal that they’re looking increasingly more likely to secure. There’s no doubting his talent and if he does have a good season his price-tag will bulge out of Arsenal’s range. So now’s the right time to strike a deal. Let’s hope Arsene pulls it off.

What’s your take? Should Arsenal look to sign Sahin on a permanent basis?

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