Smart & Feisty: Should Arsenal target the rising star who twice dominated Chelsea?

After being linked with a move for Basel’s Fabian Schär in recent weeks, according to the Mirror, is the Swiss international the defender Arsenal need? Squawka runs the rule over the 21-year-old. The umlaut craze that took off when Arsenal signed Mesut Özil on transfer deadline day was due mainly to the marquee by the Gunners had acquired than anything else.

Considering Sergio Agüero’s name also features one of the traditionally Germanic spelling characters, it could rightly be assumed these two little dots – which got everyone in North London talking – are exclusive to the type of silky attackers that decorate the Premier League.

Schär, then, should feel somewhat privileged to be in such illustrious company, if slightly apprehensive too. While the idea of an umlaut acting as a burden is frankly absurd, the Basel central defender has hardly shied away and has earned a reputation as highly regarded in his home country as the likes of Özil and Agüero are praised over here, even if his work is carried out in defence.

The rise in profile of Schär has been tenfold, to say the very least. From a banking intern just two years ago to Switzerland’s next big hope, the young defender has taken a road very few have trodden in establishing himself at the top level.

It has alerted the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham, who have sat up and taken notice of two excellent performances in curbing Chelsea’s attacking talents to provide the backdrop to Basel’s back-to-back wins over the west Londoners in this year’s Champions League.

Doubts will have lingered while Schär impressed solely at domestic level for Basel, such is the gulf between the primary European leagues and the rest, but dislodging former Gunners pairing Johan Djourou and Philippe Senderos from the international setup and impressing alongside Ivan Ivanov at the heart of the defence in his side’s Champions League campaign has seen a surge in stock and has ensured some admiring glances from around the continent.

Put quite simply, Schär is the quintessential Arsenal centre half. A cultured, classy and yet robust defender who has been liberated by Basel manager Murat Yakin, himself cut from the same cloth, and his prodigy appears to be adopting a remarkably similar impact on play from the back.

From this season’s European matches, Schär has an assist to his name and has created two other openings for his side with key passes. The combined total of three is one matched only by Kay Voser from a defensive perspective.

Interestingly enough, that is where his offensive offerings end to some degree, with a surprising passing success rate of 79% overshadowed by a cluster of midfielders while Ivanov’s 88% also ushers his defensive colleague’s efforts down a peg.

Arsenal fans may call into question the notion of requiring a ball-playing defender when they already possess Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen and they certainly have a point.

If Schär were to be most closely compared to anyone, it would be Koscielny. The Swiss is as rugged off the ball as he is elegant on it, comparable with the Frenchman.

And when you consider a quite excellent tackle success rate of 89%, it depicts a shared love between the two of getting tight to the man they are marking and nipping in to win the ball back.

The similarities between the two – across their Champions League figures at least – are quite startling in the average duel success stakes, even if Koscielny’s tackling success of 100% is greater than his counterpart. It’s hardly a surprising statistic given the nature of both, but a marginal increase in fouls by the Arsenal man points to a possible area of weakness.

Koscielny excels in his ability to use the ball more efficiently but another string to Schär’s bow is his aerial dominance. Respective headed duel success rates of 55% (Schär) and 67% (Koscielny) in this particular area offer further affirmation of the concept regarding the duo’s rather belligerent defensive modus operandi.

Arsenal fans have grown to become ever so slightly vexed by a string of defensive errors down the years which have cost them time and time again and so it should be music to their ears when assessing the defensive contribution of Schär.

His 11 defensive actions are the most made by any Basel player in their European adventure while Koscielny and Mertesacker’s eight is toppled only by Kieran Gibbs’ 12.

The most attractive aspect of Schär’s progress this term has been his two individual performances against Chelsea, though. It seems staggering that the Swiss Super League outfit have picked up just two points from their three games elsewhere in Group E and now face a daunting trip to Schalke on the final matchday, where they must secure a point to ensure qualification to the knockout round.

If their defensive prodigy reproduces the sort of form he displayed against the Blues, Basel will have a solid base to build from. In the first clash at Stamford Bridge, a 2-1 success for the visitors, the 21-year-old took up almost a defensive midfield position and also showed a tendency to drift wide to the right to pick the ball up.

He completed five tackles out of five, eight clearances, two out of three headed duels and also made two interceptions for good measure. Throw in an 82% pass success rate from his quarterback-esque positioning and you have a clear sense of his worth in the shock 2-1 win.

His performance in the 1-0 win at St Jakob-Park was arguably better. He showed more of an urge to get forward, evidenced by two attempts at goal, one successful cross and take on apiece but not neglecting his defensive duties either; recording two tackles out of three, winning one out of two headed duels and making a crucial seven interceptions and six clearances to see his side home.

Schär comes second only to fellow defensive partner Ivanov with a laudable performance score of 125 from his five outings, with the Bulgarian top with 166 but it is the former banker who continues to receive the mass acclaim. Maybe it’s something to do with the umlaut.