Martin Zubimendi is not a prominent name on the newspaper in the style of the British media. But when Mikel Arteta decided to spend up to 70 million euros to bring this midfielder from Basque to London, it said a truth: Arsenal did not buy a player, they were re -imageing identity.
Swiss watch from Basque
In the last two seasons, Arsenal advanced very glory. They have twice go to the Premier League twice, in addition to participating in the Champions League semi -final after the former Real Madrid championship. But it was just “advanced”. Just need to lean a little more – a goal, a control phase, a awake decision in the middle of the yard … – they were short of breath. Not because of lack of talent, but because no one has enough “sharp thinking” to control the pace of the match from the middle of the pitch.
Declan Rice excelled in muscle. Thomas Partey is versatile, strong, but hard -sensitive with injury. Jorginho read the match well but slowly and not good at dispute. In the middle line before, Arsenal had many pieces, but lacked a tactical hinge. And Zubimendi is the answer.
Not beautiful, not eloquent, Zubimendi plays football as a craftsman specializing in watchmaking: quiet, meticulous and extremely accurate. At No. 6, he not only knew to intercept, but also a pace expert. He is also a passing machine, but the pass is not just to pass, but to open new spaces for his teammates. Most importantly, he understood the rhythm of the match as a conductor to understand his symphony.
That is the model that Arteta has been looking for for the past three years. It is not the one who breaks the game, but the person who understands when it should accelerate, when to stop. A “brain”, not just a “plow”.
Passion for “Real goods”
Buy Zubimendi, Arsenal not only adds the missing element in the strategy. But they also reunited a symphony that had had the previous successfully marching.
Zubimendi, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard are the magic axis of Real Sociedad's magic in the 2019/20 season, one of the best seasons of the Basque team in the past decade. At that time, Zubimendi was the middle axis, firm defense and simple but accurate ball distribution. Merino is an energetic heart, always ready to ice to create pressure, dispute, score, and create. While Odegaard is the one who sparks, creates, launches the last passes and provides smart pressing ability.
It is a triangle not only compatible with expertise but also in tune with thinking. More importantly, when reuniting at Arsenal, they will not need more time to understand each other. In the harsh Premier League environment, where there is no “test” concept, this is invaluable.
It is clear that Arteta's Arsenal did not buy people randomly. From the beginning they had a clear strategy: hunting “Real” (Real here is Real Sociedad). Odegaard came first. Merino followed. And now Zubimendi.
The repeatedly buying the midfielders playing at Real Sociedad is not simply because he is also a Basque and dreamed of Real Sociedad when he is still wearing Antiguoko village team, before joining Barca's La Masia furnace at the age of 15. Because he wants to build a football ecosystem, where the players understand who they are, their partners are the same as the same match as the same match as a common language like a common language.
Arsenal is not only strong about people. They are strong because the links are connected from the root. At least in the “Real” midfield.
