Guendouzi's France call proves he could have been an Arsenal asset
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 6 Oct 2021 22:26 BST
- 3 min read
Matteo Guendouzi has found that even in Marseille, the bad-boy reputation that he gained while at Arsenal is hard to shake.
The young midfielder, who is on loan at Stade Velodrome from the Gunners, admits that he has an ultra-competitive side to his game, sometimes allowing his burning desire to win matches to lead him into the realms of frustrated liability.
Certainly, that was on show at Brighton in 2020, when he made his final Gunners appearance after grabbing the throat of Seagulls striker Neal Maupay in a 2-1 defeat.
Guendouzi has not tempered his playing style significantly since then, though he has generally managed to keep his temper in check.
Related articles
Reports emerging in the UK press, then, following a supposed ‘clash’ with team-mate Gerson Silva were sensationalist. The 22-year-old admonished his team-mate for a lack of effort, but while the relationship between the two is tense, it was nothing particularly out of the ordinary.
A stronger indication of where Guendouzi’s game is presently at arrived over the last week when he was recalled to Didier Deschamps’ France national team for the UEFA Nations League semi-final against Belgium in Turin. This was confirmation of the fine form he has shown with OM.
While he has been typically tigerish without the ball, he has been useful with it. In eight games in all competitions this season, he has a goal and an assist to his credit. Granted responsibility and trust, he has not let his new club down.
Guendouzi's France recall
He’s more fulfilled, he’s getting much more playing time and he has confidence
- Didier Deschamps“He’s more fulfilled, he’s getting much more playing time and he has confidence,” Deschamps said of his choice. “The fact that he’s been called to a training camp before, that’s positive, and there he confirmed his quality with regards his volume of play, his aggressiveness and his important technical qualities.
“He’ll bring freshness, life, and that’s important.
“Even if I’ve been a little conservative with regards to some players who have a certain status in the group, I always have to oxygenate the squad.”
Arsenal, meanwhile, may be regretting Guendouzi go just quite so cheaply. His spikey nature admittedly makes him a difficult player to manage, but his mentality, harness in the correct way, would make him a valuable asset at the Emirates.
A lack of ‘winners’ has been a weakness of the Gunners for years. With some minor tweaks, he could have provided exactly this for them, vital during a period in which they will be without Granit Xhaka.
Guendouzi is now lost to Arsenal, though. Marseille will buy him at the end of this season-long loan, and it could be a decision that the Gunners live to regret, despite the baggage he brings.
