I agree re. the statement it would make, but would certainly prefer a specifically defensive midfielder as we're loaded with box to box and roaming midfielders as it is.
I don't subscribe to this.
Top teams play without pure DM's all the time.
Yeah, I change my mind with my underpants and flip between thinking it's necessary and then not. I've always, always liked the idea of having a DMF. I think they're great, I love the position, I love the work they do - but know that teams, top teams, play without that classic break up play / anchored to one spot sort of player.
But then it becomes semantics, because while we wouldn't call Arteta a DMF that's basically the job he does. We need someone to replace Arteta, not a new role invented. I think the arguement is that Khedira might not be that player. If you've got, say, Ramsey, Ozil and Khedira in midfield, then someone has to sit deeper than the other two, like Arteta does, and who could that player be? I don't know. But I hope we buy him.