What is going on with Denis Suarez at Arsenal?

Denis Suarez during an Arsenal game
Denis Suarez during an Arsenal game

Denis Suarez is being continuously targeted by the media and fans all around the UK and it hasn't got down too well for the Spaniard. He was criticized yet again by many fans after his poor run of games in which he showed no courage at all to play at the level Arsenal needed.

Suarez made his first ever Arsenal start in a friendly game against Al-Nasr Dubai in Dubai even though being at the club for almost two months. Arsenal won the game 3-2 but the Spaniard's performance had the Gunners' fans split into two with some praising his intricate footwork while others bashing his 'predictability'.

Suarez is a top quality player and has proved it multiple times in Barcelona, but with the arrival of two world-class midfielders Arthur Melo and Arturo Vidal, the 25-year-old Spaniard understood that there is no space from him in the squad. He joined the Gunners in order to fulfil his need for more first-team game action.

He joined the London side after agreeing on a loan deal for 6 months in the winter transfer window of 2019.

But not everything has been as green as grass for him at his new home.

Arriving in the winter transfer window, half of the Premier League season had been finished and the league table was settling while players were getting in and out of form.

One of the major problems he faced in the Premier League is that he came from LaLiga where teams had different dynamics in terms of build-up play and tactics. The build-up play of teams in Premier League is quite fast and more physical compared to the other leagues which is one of the many reasons why he is struggling to adapt.

Denis Suarez against Manchester City's Fernandinho
Denis Suarez against Manchester City's Fernandinho

We have seen Barcelona and Arsenal playing a similar game-style of short intense passing and controlling the game under Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger respectively. This helped players like Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas, and Alexis Sanchez to settle after the transfer immediately. Now, both the clubs deploy different tactics and have no similarities in game-style whatsoever, which makes things even harder for Suarez.

Another problem is coming from the fans who are not ready to entertain more of his half-hearted performances, somewhat rightly so and some even decided to bash him on social media. Many criticised his approach to the game and termed him as 'lazy' while others were just angry to see him and showed the same on different social media platforms by questioning his skills.

Denis Suarez back in Barcelona
Denis Suarez back in Barcelona

Suarez hasn't been given a real chance by the manager or by the fans to prove to them what he's worth and has been facing continuous criticism all over which has not really helped him. The Spaniard recently lashed out at a critique by tweeting:

Denis Suarez with another shot at the media, seemingly aimed at PL Today pundit Julien Laurens, who said he wasn’t impressing in training.

It’s not the first time Suarez has publicly responded to media rumours since joining Arsenal. After the initial reports came out that the Gunners were looking to send him back to Barcelona in the summer, the midfielder posted on Instagram to say he was back in training with a smile, and “let them keep talking” along with a shushing emoji.

This type of criticism has been long coming and needs a proper response, not in the form of tweets and videos but by displaying his skills and proving his value to the club.

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Edited by Nnanna Mba