Few have had cause to criticise him this season, Samir has set the Premier league alight with his performances for Arsenal.
He's 23 years old and is growing game by game, but what is driving his improvement this season? Is it the indignance of being dropped for the France squad for the World Cup? Only Samir can tell us that - and indeed he has confirmed that the rest has done him good.
Much has been reported about the personality of Samir, his widely reported clashes with Gallas (now taking up squad space at Shite hart lane) have alluded much to his personality but I've seen a different side of him via interviews. It has been reported that he was cocky and arrogant, but in interviews I have seen and read recently he seems quite humble. I know these things are easily manipulated so I'm not putting much faith in either side, but to say that its probably a bit of all of it.
If I was rising to the upper echelons of football, with one of the worlds biggest clubs then it wouldn't surprise me one bit if I got a bit cocky about it. Though I would expect to be shot down and learn a lesson in humility and then move on.
So what is Samir? Whats his best position? I think his best position is one similar to Messi's. A free role to roam and create havoc. He's a good enough team player to work out where he is needed and what is expected from him and he will make it work. I see so many similarities in the running style of Samir and Messi. They both ride tackles very well and can control the ball extremely well at full pace - bamboozling opposition players as they dance around them.
Samir isn't Messi, but he has what it takes to be come the actual real successor to Zidane's crown - a tag that has dogged his career but like any good prophecy, this one might actually come to pass.
I've got a lot more to say about Samir, but this is part 1, so I'll see you in part 2 and I'll edit and link where appropriate when its written.
WG.
