On Wednesday November 29th 2006, Arsenal lost 2-1 away at Fulham. Alexandre Song played that day and was severely outclassed. He looked nothing like a player good enough to play, not just for Arsenal, but for any Premier League team. Fast forward almost three years, and the Cameroonian is now an essential part of the team.

He has recently started getting more attention from pundits, but in truth, Song has been rapidly improving for a while now, and I thought he was our most improved player at a canter last season. His form this term has proven that this is the case and I wasn’t imagining things, and I firmly believe we have an absolute gem of a player on our hands. Perhaps we have found the player with the quality and guile to replace the invisible wall, Gilberto Silva who did such a wonderfully effective job for us.

Song may not seem to display the passion of other central midfielders over the years, such as Messrs Petit, Vieira, Parlour or Flamini, but it is a common misconception that obvious passion is necessary for a holding midfielder. The number 17 goes about his business with minimal fuss, and I think in a more clinical way than our other defensive midfield option Denilson. His pass for Van Persie against Birmingham, along with his goal at Wigan at the end of last season and a shot that hit the post at home to the same team earlier this season, also display ability in the final third.

It has been well documented how well Fabregas seems to be doing in his more advanced new position, but that would not be possible without Song sitting just in front of the back four, thus liberating our plethora of attacking prowess. That may sound like a basic piece of punditry but it is true, and I think pundits and fans are sometimes too ready to laud the likes of Cesc, RVP, Arshavin and goal king Vermaelen, whilst letting the vital job Song does pass them by.

He seems humble and modest, and genuinely happy to be playing for Arsenal. At only 22, Song could and, in my opinion should, be a mainstay in the team for years to come. His transformation from hapless youngster to assured and confident footballer is one of such extremities that I didn’t think it was possible, and is testament that Wenger is right to persist with his youngsters, even if they get criticised as heavily and as venomously as Song did after that Fulham game. So I apologise for doubting you Alex, and continue proving me absolutely and shamefully wrong.