Chelsea misfit can help widen pitch for narrow-minded Gunners

Arsenal’s German centre-back Per Mertesacker recently called for a change in playing style, which utilises width over attacking down the middle and across town the answer to help facilitate such a transition could be lurking.

Since his January arrival from Basel, Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah has found first-team opportunities to be in scant supply and his manager’s latest comments have the ring of a death knell about them for the Egyptian’s Blues future.

King of the barbed soundbite himself, Jose Mourinho let it known his disapproval with the likes of Salah, whom he hooked off on the 80-minute mark at Shrewsbury in the Capital One Cup.

Mourinho said: “I expect people that have not been playing a lot to raise their level and create problems.”

“I love problems of choice, but it’s easy to choose my team for Saturday.”

Already nine points off Chelsea’s Premier League pace, and a whopping 25/1 for the title, Arsenal are relying too heavily on the goals of new signing Alexis Sanchez as they have failed to properly click yet this season.

And while many Gooners may disagree with Mertesacker’s cry for more wing play, over “one-twos through the middle”, the Emirates club are in short supply of thoroughbred wide men of Salah’s ilk.

Only Theo Walcott and Serge Gnabry could possibly be labelled orthodox wingers, and if Arsene Wenger needs a Plan B then Salah’s previous exploits for Basel in the Champions League, suggest he could be a bargain buy.

Having bought him from £11m in January, Chelsea will not be able to justify selling him for much more than £5m- £8m in light of his limited exposure.

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