There is a distinct whiff of desperation in the air around the Emirates, but also a sprinkling of genuine tactical nous. GoalZaza understands that Ars...
There is a distinct whiff of desperation in the air around the Emirates, but also a sprinkling of genuine tactical nous. GoalZaza understands that Arsenal are planning a short term swoop for Manchester City's John Stones. Now, let's be honest. This is not the kind of move that sets the pulse racing for the season's end. It is a bandage, not a bone graft. But in the middle of a title chase, sometimes you need a bandage that knows how to step into a low block and play out from the back.Stones has become something of a forgotten man at the Etihad. His minutes have been parcelled out like wartime rations, and while his quality on the ball has never been in doubt, his fitness has become a recurring question mark. Yet, for a side like Arsenal, who are crying out for a calm head in the defensive third and someone who can break the first line of a press with a single pass, Stones offers something that the current crop sometimes lack: that rare brand of transitional intelligence. Is he the long term answer Absolutely not. But does he solve a problem for the next five months Quite possibly.The question for Mikel Arteta is one of ego and fit. Can Stones accept being a rotation piece, a man who steps into the starting eleven only when the fixture list gets heavy More importantly, can Arsenal afford to gamble on a player whose recent history is littered with hamstring issues If the deal is a loan with no obligation, it is a no brainer. You bring in a player who knows the league, knows the manager's demands, and can slot into a back three or a flat four without blinking. It is the kind of pragmatic, short term thinking that wins you a trophy when your squad is creaking at the seams.Let's not kid ourselves, this is not a signing that will be remembered in the history books. But it might be the one that stops Arsenal from bottling a lead in the closing stages. It is a move born of necessity, but executed with the sort of sharp, calculated risk that separates the champions from the also rans. If the paperwork gets done, do not be surprised to see Stones in the red and white as early as this week. Squeaky bum time has arrived early in north London.
