It is worth noting immediately that not all of the frustration and angst regarding the signing of Jorginho to some is because of this topic, but when considering the pace and mobility of a player as a ‘dealbreaker’ it most certainly is. Jorginho was signed by Arsenal on deadline day for a fee that could rise to £12million.
Arsenal have managed to sign a player that Mikel Arteta has always wanted and admired from his time at Napoli and Chelsea. However, the news breaking about the Gunners’ intentions to sign the Italian created quite the response and division online, with a key theme repeating across criticisms.
That theme was that Jorginho was either ‘too slow’ or ‘not mobile enough’ to play the Arsenal No. 6 role. Statistics of the number of times he had been dribbled past this season spread like wildfire.
READ MORE: Jorginho sparks Arsenal division but Arteta has achieved non-negotiable January transfer mission
In short, this misconception about the pace and mobility of a player I have put down to something known inventively as ‘FIFAfication’. This isn’t in relation to the world governing body of football but instead the video game from EA Sports.
This might seem a bit farfetched, especially from those who have never played the game, but the popular title certainly has affected the view of players based on its assessment of their characteristics. Players are rated on a wide range of traits but mainly pace, dribbling, shooting, physicality, defending and passing.
Whilst the game tries to simulate the sport of football, those that play it know that this simply isn’t the case and that some traits are far more preferable than others. Speed is a huge factor and having it in abundance across a team can give a significant advantage even without necessarily having the best players.
Lacking a pacey striker, a quick defender or a mobile midfielder can immediately put you on the back foot. Take that from someone who has plenty of hours invested into it.
It has become evident that this necessity of speed and mobility has bled into the perception of the real-world sport. Pace, still an important factor, is simply not as critical to a player as it is in the virtual world of the sport.
Therefore, when Jorginho, a midfielder not known for being blessed with a rapid turn of speed, arrives at Arsenal the focus turns to this drawback instead of his strengths for many. In reality, the Gunners are already blessed with so many mobile and speedy players.
Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba behind Jorginho will offer plenty of support. Mikel Arteta’s system has been able to lift up the strong points of all his team so the likes of Granit Xhaka, Eddie Nketiah and Martin Odegaard are reaching new heights in their careers.
There is no reason why the same will not happen for Jorginho. But in any case, the Italian has been a critical part of both Chelsea's and the Italian national side’s squads throughout his time with both as he is trusted for his quality and influence.
Arteta has wanted and liked Jorginho for some time. Speaking to Marca in 2019 as quoted by The Athletic, the Arsenal manager used the 31-year-old has his archetypal example for a No. 6 that Manchester City should look at.
“I do not get into names but City’s ‘six’ must understand our game. It is vital,” he said. “He is the one that makes everyone work, frees those in front, and sets the pace.
“Our position has changed a lot. There are few teams that want to play with a single defensive midfielder, holding the whole game.
“In other teams, that role is not as defined and we are losing the idea of having one who plays there — the Jorginho type, that I love.”
As Arsenal sit top of the Premier League it is difficult not to therefore put faith again in the club’s decision-making in the market. It’s got the Gunners to where they are and it will be interesting to see if the upward turn continues in their favour.
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