Like that Arshavin post some time ago, this is just something I wanted to get off my chest.

Are you not tired of seeing Wenger deploy players who are clearly not defensive midfielders in Song’s position?

Denilson is the closest we have to a DM in Song’s absence and we all know how good he is there…hmm.

Diaby, despite his physical presence does not make a living on stopping but  rather aiming at the opposition.

Then comes poor Eastmond who, in my opinion, is being played in the wrong position or is simply not ready/good enough. I’m not trying to criticize the boy but he appears too short and light-weight for one of the most physically demanding positions in football, in defensive midfield.

Even big Abou finds it hard to play DM so it’s surely Wenger’s risk in playing a small teenager in a position meant for the ‘dogs and tigers’ of footballers (the Essien’s, Makelele’s and Gattuso’s.)

Flamini appeared a small guy but he had the incredible energy and strength to back it up. Eastmond is small but he is not that and it is not his fault.

Again, I don’t blame the boy – Wenger is the one who chose to throw him out there into fire (like he always does with kids).

I do know that Eastmond has been playing in that DM role for the reserves but the boy doesn’t appear ready physically – even though I can add that he did NOT prove an obvious liability when called upon last season. He was just not tigerish or energetic enough for a DM.

Thus, if  Wenger does continue to throw out youngsters in the DM role, then I will much prefer it be Lansbury or Ramsey rather than Eastmond because the former duo have much stamina on the ball despite being more attacking-minded.

To be very honest, this is a major concern in our squad. It seems like we only have ONE defensive midfielder in the 25-man squad and that’s Alex Song. Denilson is not a DM, neither is Diaby and definitely not Eastmond.

That said, I miss the year 2007/08 when we were rich of four DM’s in one squad with Diarra, Flamini, Gilberto and Song all available.

Ever since we cleared three of them out, Wenger has seemed confused in players he deploys in that holding midfield role and has often named line-ups without a DM on several occasions. That is a risky tactic in today’s football.

We need more defensive-minded players in this squad for goodness sake.

No more skillful midgets, please!

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