Which position suits Nasri best?

Published Jul. 22, 2010 10:30 p.m. ET

foxsports

Arsenal ended its second match of the pre-season campaign with an impressive, dominant 3-0 win over doughty Austrian outfit SK Sturm Graz.

It was an entertaining display that showed promising signs for the Gunners heading into what manager Arsene Wenger hopes will be the the season Arsenal breaks its five-year trophy drought.

But there was one player who rose above all, providing an outstanding performance in a mere 46 minutes.

Samir Nasri was immense at the heart of the midfield. Patrolling in the central attacking midfield role, the Frenchman bagged two scintillating goals and always looked threatening, combining well with the likes of Jack Wilshere, Andrei Arshavin, and Marouane Chamakh.

Nasri has been a vital part of the Arsenal attack since arriving in 2008 from French giants Marseille.

He is blessed with speed and versatility, as well as a strong passing range and an eye for the goal. The 23-year old is capable of playing anywhere in the midfield as well as on the wings and as the second striker.

But where is the best position for Nasri to thrive?

Now in his third year in the Premier League, Nasri boasts sufficient experience and fitness to enable him to really get going and be a world class midfielder. Boasting all the traits and attributes for success, it is only a matter of time before the French international fulfills his evident potential and finds some real consistency.

With Wenger most likely to deploy a 4-3-3 or a 4-5-1, Nasri is likely to be played on the wings or in the middle. The former Marseille starlet has proven he can be vicious in either role.

On the wing, Nasri's speed and balance ensure he can move freely and provide useful balls to his central forwards. However, the French dynamo does have a tendency to get bogged down out wide and often drift in an out of games.

"Le Petit Prince" (the small prince) is the type of player that thrives on involvement and creativity. Allowing him to take up a more central role where he can see more ball and have a greater effect on the game will certainly benefit Arsenal and himself.

But Wenger has the likes of Abou Diaby, Alexandre Song, Denilson and Tomas Rosicky all competing for roles next to captain and midfield maestro Cesc Fabregas.

With a crowded central midfield, it could force Nasri onto a wing.

Samir Nasri is no doubt a talented playmaker and it could be money well spent betting that he will have a strong season now that he has fully adapted to English football. It all comes down to whether he can deliver when needed.

Callum D'Souza is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, the open source sports network.