Arsenal FC: Looking at 5 Players to Fill the Void Left by Fabregas and Nasri

Fabregas and Nasri are now likely leaving Arsenal football club for greener pastures, namely Manchester City and Barcelona. This presentation will be a look the possible replacements Arsenal could bring in instead of the Spanish playmaker and the French winger.

Fabregas is a great passer who uses his passing ability to dictate the pace of the game, similar to his compatriot Xavi at Barcelona. In contrast, Samir Nasri has supreme dribbling ability and flair as well as a ferocious shot. His game is not completely based upon dictating tempo, which when he does, he does to varying degrees of success.

Since Arsenal seems to have let both players go, let us have a look at who can fill the void they leave. 

5. Jadson Rodrigues

Jadson is a member of that Shakthar Donetsk squad of talented Brazilian attackers, the like of Douglas Costa, Fernandinho and Luiz Adriano. Jadson is the playmaker of the side. He resides in a advanced attacking midfield position, and he looks to dictate play for the Ukranian side from that position. Jadson wears the No. 7 in the side, a number usually reserved for a winger.

 His number hints as to his attributes as a player. The No. 7, worn by icons such as David Beckham, George Best and Cristiano Ronaldo, is often given to tricky players rather than passmasters. Jadson seems much more like a replacement for Samir Nasri than Cesc Fabregas. He is agile, evades players easily, has a bullet shot and is quite tricky and can get a cross in. These are the attributes of a versatile winger, able to get a cross in as well as trying to beat a player and cut inside.

 Jadson would fit in a system with new signing Alex Oxlade Chamberlain who is also a talented crosser. Jadson and Chamberlain could play in a 4-4-2 similar to the Arsenal of old, getting crosses in for two strikers as well as two deep-lying midfielders coming up and arriving late into the box. Another option would be to use his versatility and pair him with another one of the Arsenal playmaker turned wingers.

Arsenal Lineup:

Sczesny-Gibbs-Vermaelen-Koscienly-Sagna-Song-Wilshere-Jadson-Walcott-RvP-Gervinho

Player Grade: B

Has not played in a good European League but seems to have the technique and the  stomach for the Arsenal. 

4: Juan Manuel Mata

There has been much grief among Arsenal fans relating to the signing of Juan Mata. Arsenal had offered Valencia a diminished bid and so were almost declaring that they could not meet Valencia's valuation of the Spanish winger. Juan Manuel Mata has been under scrutiny from Many clubs around the World, including Arsenal's local  rivals Tottenham.

Juan Mata is a great player. His primary attribute is his technique. He has lightning stepovers, a deft touch and a low centre of gravity. He gives good crosses and has an exquisite lob in him as well. Juan Mata can also pass, however, and functions as a wing playmaker, which were prevalent in the 60's and 70's, but have less use today.

Juan Mata reminds of a cross between Fabregas and Nasri. A better estimation of his abilities would be to compare him to Russian No. 10 Andrei Arshavin, in that he has amazing attacking versatility. He can play as a No.10, dictating the play in a central advanced midfield position, or he can play as a pure winger or an inverted one. He has also played as a striker from time to time.

Positions in midfield:

Holding Mid:Song

Centralized box to box role: Wilshere

Centralized playmaker: Mata

Positions in Attack:

Winger/Inverted Winger alongside Gervinho Walcott or Chamberlain, as well as RvP in attack and No. 10 behind RvP/Gervinho/Walcott

Player Grade: A

Amazing versatility and amazing technique, proven player. Just maybe might not make it in the Premier League. 

3. Aaron Ramsey

Ramsey was one of the best of the best young players in Europe, at least till Ryan Shawcross broke his leg. The Welshman dazzled the Emirates with his skills and vision. He was widely believed to be the successor to Cesc Fabregas since his Arsenal debut. However, after the Shawcross incident, Ramsey, it seemed, had been decimated and his Arsenal career seemed in doubt.

This season, however, Ramsey has resurged, and after scoring the winner against Manchester United at the Emirates, it seemed like the old Rambo was back. Ramsey has since played a kyt part in Arsenal disappointing end of season run-in, but has been one of the better players since Arsenal's season ended.

Ramsey is a great passer of the ball, has a great shot and impressed all with his vision and dribbling skill. At times, he reaches the level of Fabregas himself. The comparisons with Fabregas are endless. In fact, Ramsey is a similar kind of player. He even has a shot comparable to Fabregas, more suited to long range screamers rather than delicate chips.

 Player Grade: A-

Is a replacement for Fabregas definitely. But is he technically adequate to replace the Catalan playmaker? And can he reach top form again?

2. Yoann Gourcuff

Gourcuff, like many on this list, is one of the most known young talents in Europe. The young man was France's great white hope for the FIFA World Cup 2010 and was France's best player in an otherwise desperate tournament. He has been angling for a move away from French football for some time now, and Arsenal were linked with him last season as well.

Gourcuff is a playmaker, plain and simple. He is less versatile than Juan Manuel Mata, who can play in almost any position across the front 3 and in midfield. He is comparable to Former French International Zinedine Zidane in his style. He does not look to just dribble like Nasri, though that is half of his game. He does not, however, look to pass, just like Cesc, and that is the rest of his game.

 Player Grade: B+

Has the technique, undoubtedly. However, two questions arise when discussing him.

 1) Did he have such a great season in Ligue 1?

 2) Can he adjust to the Premier League?

1:. Marvin Martin

This European wonderkid has burst onto the scene in the 2010-11 Ligue 1. He had a total of 19 assists, higher than that of Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas. He plays for Sochaux, who reached a respectable fifth in the league, and they will compete in the Europa League next season due in no small part to Marvin Martin's efforts.

Martin is a player who plays very much as a shadow striker. He can be compared, if comparison necessary, to Wayne Rooney without the tracking back and the midfield bustle . He does have a key pass in him, which you see on countless ocassions in his highlights. He also has pinpoint crossing ability, as well as a free-kick skill and a poacher's long shot instinct.

In the Arsenal system, Martin can play as an attacking midfielder or as  a second striker (the difference between the two is subtle, but real). Knowing Wenger's previous expertise in getting certain players to effectively modify their position, he could perhaps take advantage of Martin's crossing ability to effectively play him as another versatile winger.

 Player Grade: A

On the face of it, seems very similar to Juan Manuel Mata. But there are subtle differences. Mata can play as a central midfielder, dictating the pace of the game, but has the versatile skill set to change pace and lead a ferocious counter attack with his dribbling skills. Martin's skill set is best for a winger/second striker. Take Nani, for example; he has a ferocious shot and sublime skill and a great cross in him. Add to that a ferocious, incisive and insanely accurate pass, and you have Marvin Martin.

Only question: Will he make it in the Premier League?