Why Joe Cole is the Perfect Replacement for Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal

Since Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas’s admission that he would like to rejoin Barcelona, the media coverage of this story hasn’t stopped, while the speculation of who should replace the young Spaniard has seen a number of names thrown up.

You only have to browse the hundreds of blogs and articles written by Arsenal fans to see the passionate cries of who they believe should replace their captain. Names like Mikel Arteta, Yoann Gourcuff and Rafael Van Der Vaart are all being touted as worthy candidates.

At times, I have been agreement, but I have also been surprised in a number of factors that haven’t been considered. Firstly, no one seems to be considering the fact that Cesc Fabregas may not actually leave. He is under contract at Arsenal and has been quoted as saying that he is in no hurry to leave. 

Of course he loves Barcelona, it's understandable why, but he has been on record to talk about how he loves Arsenal as well. Should Wenger decide to reject any bids that come in then I truly expect that Fabregas will give his all to the club. He doesn't strike me as the type of player that will sulk, under perform or go on strike. I believe he will get on with it being as fully committed as ever and continue to produce the kind of form that we’ve seen this season.

I have to admit that I am surprised that no one has considered that if he does leave, Arsenal don't have to necessarily replace him with a midfielder in a similar mould. It amazes me that fans have forgotten that the club is often criticised for being "soft" in the centre, lacking height and power, while it could be argued that there is sometimes too much attacking flair in their current team. Why not use the money to sign a world-class defensive midfielder to play alongside Song and one other in the middle of Arsenal's midfield?

Using Yaya Toure as an example, despite the fact it doesn’t look like he’ll sign, Arsenal could play him and Song in the middle and alternate the other midfielder depending on the game. My view is that in games at home, where they are likely to enjoy a lot of possession, Samir Nasri could come in to the centre and possibly even play alongside another attack minded central midfielder in games against the likes of Stoke and Wolves.

In the tougher games against "the big four" and the likes of Blackburn and Stoke away, where it is likely that Arsenal will be bullied, they could then play two defensive midfielders and a player like Diaby, who I believe is more balanced than Fabregas, but of course nowhere near as effective going forward. It would benefit Arsenal having a more rigid midfield in these sorts of games where they have struggled in recent seasons.

Maybe a blessing in disguise isn’t the right phrase, but in losing Fabregas, Arsenal may become weaker in one area but much stronger in another.

I am a believer that teams need to employ two defensive midfielders during the season if they are to be successful. It makes a difference in those tight games. You only have to look at the Arsenal teams that have been successful in the Premier League era, let alone the other teams that have won the league - the majority have played with two more defensive minded players in the middle of the park, whether it was in a 4-4-2 or the 4-5-1/4-3-3 hybrid. Examples would be the Vieira/Petit, Vieira/Gilberto, Essien/Makelele (with Lampard), and Fletcher/Hargreaves partnerships.

Now that I have reeled you in, I’m going to hit you with a potential solution that everyone seems to have overlooked. Why hasn’t Joe Cole been suggested as a candidate to replace Fabregas?

In my opinion this is the overwhelmingly perfect solution to the problem left by the potential departure of Arsenal’s captain. Joe Cole is a world class midfielder, he has a wealth of Premier League, Champions League, and international experience, he’s won trophies, he is versatile, and he is available on a free transfer.

Everybody knows what Joe Cole can do. I believe that if Arsenal could play Joe Cole in the centre of their midfield in a creative role, he can revel in playing in what is close to his natural position. He has great vision on the ball, he is a good passer, he has the skill to get out of tight situations and run at players, while he has goals in his game. 

I would like to see Cole play in this position for Arsenal. As I suggested earlier, I believe Arsenal should adapt to using two defensive midfielders in most games, which would allow a player like Cole the freedom to join attacks and affect the game.

Should they need to, Arsenal can also deploy Cole to play on the right or left hand side of a three-man attack which could be useful when playing against those "anti-football" sides away from home and maybe when trying to close out games when the team are leading. His versatility will allow him to influence a game in whatever position he plays and add attacking class and verve to an already talented squad.

A two-year contract for Cole would allow Aaron Ramsey, the natural successor to Fabregas, to return from his injury, have time to settle back into the team, and find his form again. Ramsey is due to return from his horrific leg break next season and if he did hit the ground running then Cole can fill other positions in the midfield.

I haven’t been particularly impressed with anyone who has played on Arsenal’s right hand side this year, and with a player like Joe Cole coming in to play out on the right of a balanced midfield five, the front three could take on the creative burden left by Fabrgeas.

For me, Joe Cole would be a great signing for Arsenal, even if Fabregas does stay. The fact that he is available on a free transfer would mean that if Wenger could sign him, he has already strengthened the squad with two strong players [Chamakh has signed on a free transfer from Bordeaux] without spending anything on transfer fees. This could allow Wenger the funds to address the problems with his goalkeeper and the decreasing number of central defenders at the club.

There are one or two stumbling blocks that could prevent this move. One would be that the team he currently plays for is Chelsea. Having said that, he will of course be available on a free transfer, so Chelsea will not be able to prevent him signing for whichever team he wants. He has been linked with Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Tottenham, but his wage demands are the other major stumbling block that will eventually determine where he ends up.

If he signs for Manchester City, we will see the character of Joe Cole. If he signs for Liverpool, then they are a club with a great history and that will always appeal to any player. However, Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal have Champions League football to offer and this could be the decisive factor.

Chelsea fans won’t be happy if he chooses any of these three teams but with all of the options on the table, would he turn down the chance to play in Europe’s elite competition? Arsenal may have a chance in signing Cole.