Arsenal beat Leicester City 2-0 in the third round of the Carabao Cup and Mohamed Elneny’s composed performance in midfield caught the eye of many Gunners fans.
The North London club had to work hard to get past the Foxes. An own goal from Christian Fuchs gave Arteta’s side the lead and Eddie Nketiah made it 2-1 in the final minutes of the game.
The Spanish boss made plenty of changes to the squad and one among them was the inclusion of the Egyptian midfielder and based on the reaction from Twitter, it is safe to say the fans loved the way he played.
Elneny was partnered with Joe Willock and controlled the tempo of the game. His defensive discipline allowed Willock to venture forward and support the attack. The Egyptian sat back and protected the defense and was always available for a pass which helped the Gunners play out from the back.
One fan compared his game to the way manager Mikel Arteta played saying that he did the simple things well. There were others too who were full of praise for him. Here are some of the best reactions:
Not to joke but Elneny starts for Barcelona's current midfield.
— S. Dressman️ (@XammyOfficial) September 23, 2020
I can’t believe Arteta has Elneny playing like this. Receiving the ball in the hole under pressure, turning and playing to the wings. Disrupting play. It’s amazing.
— ramus (@ryanramus) September 24, 2020
https://twitter.com/Aj_Toba/status/1308892155847610369
Elneny has the exact same playstyle as Mikel Arteta had back in his days.
Always wants the ball, never tries something he doesn’t have the ability to do, just keeps the ball moving and breaks down the opponents attacks.
Does the simple things well.#LEIARS— (@FuTlurker) September 23, 2020
https://twitter.com/grizeldamus/status/1308848337953619970
https://twitter.com/_Watchmann/status/1308851803174449161
The midfielder will be particularly happy that he is being appreciated after coming back from a loan spell. He spent the 2019/20 season in Turkey playing for Besiktas. But since coming back, he has looked very lively.
His calmness on the ball makes him an ideal to find under pressure.He has a simple game and focuses on keeping things moving and is a very handy player to have. This was exemplified perfectly in the Community Shield against Liverpool.
The Premier League champions are one of the best teams in the world when it comes to pressing. But the ease with which the Egyptian and Granit Xhaka were passing around the press, was a sight to behold. It helped cope with the immense pressure and gave the attack a foundation to build on.
Based on what we have seen so far this season, it looks like Elneny does have a role to play. Arsenal will benefit from having such players who can set the tempo and protect the defense. Though he may not start every match, Arteta will be happy in knowing he has a talented player.
