Defence wins Championships
Arsenal’s defensive prowess could be the reason for Arsenal to win the league
One that is true in most sports, is this saying, “attack wins you games and defence wins you titles”. That has always been something Mikel Arteta has prioritized when it came to building his team. With this season, that is something we can applaud him for. So far this season Arsenal have been solid defensively. The team has suffered shocking defeats outside of the league, West Ham and Lens, however one defeat in 12 games is a good start to the title charge.
Arsenal have an impressive backline, Gabriel and Saliba have a sound partnership. Ben White has made the right back position his own. Zinchenko is not at the same level he was at last season it has given Tomiyasu the opportunity, and he has had solid cameos so far this season.
So has Kiwior, he has looked a solid option as a replacement left centre back. Even the protection in front of the defence has been doing well. Thomas Partey has done well when he has been available. Jorginho has been dependable despite his blunder against Chelsea. Rice has been stellar for Arsenal, his robustness, ball carrying ability and leadership is essential to the team, making him seem like a bargain.
There are still other players that will contribute to the team. Soares and the forgotten signing, Jurrien Timber. As much as defence wins games, the team still needs to score. Arsenal’s attack has been frightening but the creativity is lacking. Saka and Martinelli off to a fine start, Trossard and Nketiah putting in performances. The only issue for Arsenal has been the left 8 position. Havertz has not performed, defensively he is doing well, but offensively he is not firing. Players such as Smith-Rowe and Vieira could yet improve.
With January around the corner, Arsenal have another opportunity to find the right player to play the left 8. Douglas Luiz has been linked, however it’s unlikely with him signing a new contract last year.
The Lyon midfielder Maxence Caqueret seems like the more sensible option. His ball carrying ability, defensive awareness and offensive threat could make him a great investment, but that is up to the manager.
The season is long, Arsenal are doing well, and hopefully they can maintain this form until the end of the season, and with Arteta’s brilliant defensive options, maybe we could end up with the title after all.
Vuyo Mataka
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I believe a smart DM could be an excellent AM, because he watches various situations for years from the deep-midfield area
Bellingham is one of the examples and Xhaka also thrived in the more advanced role after playing DM for many seasons under various managers. Rice has also played very well in the left-sided AM position
This is why I’d like a player with similar profile to become our new left mezzala. For instance, Teun Koopmeiners, Eduardo Camavinga, Ismael Bennacer, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Fabian Ruiz, Danilo and Vitaly Janelt
We could also use Rice or Zinchenko to replace Xhaka, then sign Douglas Luiz for the CDM role and the set-piece tasks
You have said it all Gai,👌
We can only hope the gaffer sees reason with what the fans thinks once in a while. But Arteta seem a very rigid manager. Hope he makes the right decision in January. His decision can really determine how Arsenal ends the season
We don’t have someone like Ward-Prowse to be consistent in attacking set-piece and I bet Arteta is looking for that player type
Gai, Can you really “bet” on Arteta’s decision when it comes to buying players? He is unpredictable many of us fans didn’t see Havertz coming only a few did. A lot of fans were dissapointed he didn’t go for a CF in the last window. I keep my fingers crossed till January.
We could use Rice as our main DM and use Zinchenko and Odegaard as the no.8 midfielders. This is till we buy a midfielder in January and depending on the new midfielder
profile, Rice could be either the no.6 or no.8 and the team should be built around Rice.
I feel a cb pairing of Tomi and Saliba would be better than Gabriel and Saliba. Then Timber can take the lb position on his return.
“The chickens have come home to roost ” My major concern is it takes this long for the gaffer to realize we need another powerful midfielder.
This position should have been dealt with in the summer, surely now it has to be the priority come January.
Buying Rice was excellent piece of business, but the former West Ham man alone can’t hold the middle together, Arsenal needs another midfielder who is equal in statue that is alwaysavailable, has Partey injury records isn’t good.
We have been fidgeting with the men between the sticks which weren’t necessary.
I challenge that in fact Rice can and does hold the middle together. He should be the DM in the team with Zinchenko beside him. A big, flat back 4 a nice solid midfield and the usual attack.
Raya
White
Saliba
Gabriel
Tomiyasu
Rice
Zinchenko
Odegaard
Saka
Martinelli
Havertz
Ben- that’s our strongest possible line up and am in agreement with you except for one important fact, a fit Partey in your line up in the place of the Ukrainian would give the team more dominance and control, more bite and versatilities.
It is this other player of equal stature of Partey or Rice Arsenal needs to strengthen the spine, never you underestimate the sheer physicality, mobility and technical abilities of those two midfielders.
Recently Yves Bissouma expresses why he thinks he’ offers more than Rodri and Rice in his position, though I think that he have push the envelope a little, it’s that other kind of player Arsenal now needs to deputize for Partey, the Douglass Luiz, Eduardo Camavinga and Tchouameni.
Douglass Luiz, Eduardo Camavinga and Tchouameni. It would be unthinkable for RMadrid and Villa to sell the above players to any club in January. Should they want to, they will be too expensive for Arsenal to buy considering we are at the blink of FFP.
You left Jesus out for Havertz ?
Priceless!!!!!!!!!
Yes, I did. Jesus is a better player than Havertz right now, but he is no striker. I consider him our best winger along with Saka but he doesn’t provide enough to the team as a striker.
His defensive workrate is as good as any attacking player I have seen but it is exactly that workrate that prevents him getting into scoring positions.
I’m afraid the Havertz from his Leverkusen days is gone now and unlikely to return but as a false 9 I think he COULD be superior to Jesus and that is why he is in my team.
RvP wasn’t a striker to start with either remember and Kai is almost as technically gifted, just as good if not better in the air and he works harder than RvP did, so he has everything he needs to be a great player. Except the confidence in himself. Chelsea saw to that.
Your line up is fine, except for Havertz, for me he is only a second half sub until he proves me wrong.
That’s fair enough. I simply see it as Jesus is as good as he will ever be, while Kai could grow into the next RvP. Or not…
So it seems that Havertz is the only problem we have then?
. I wonder how we have ended up equal second in the league and just a point behind city, while carrying such a massive burden?
Shades of Xhaka when he was playing in Wenger’s team that won fa cups and finished in the top four.
It seems the Arsenal fans ALWAYS need a scapegoat to lay the blame on – let’s see how the rest of the season goes…. if it turns out he WAS a bad signing, do we turn on MA as well, just as it happened with Xhaka and Arsene Wenger?
I don’t really understand why Arteta is making life so difficult? Zinchenko is the natural replacement for Xhaka’s role. It’s made for him.
Tomiyasu and Timber are both superior LBs but we must persist with the inverted LB forever now when it has already mostly gone out of fashion.
Btw Ben White is now a superior RB to Keiran Trippier and should be in the England squad.
OT, I was watching England under 21 game against Brazil, and then i came across this kid namely Ndala. Men the kid is so talented, can’t we have him ? Though I don’t know his parent club but surely he can be buzzing under Arteta.
It is true defence wins you titles, but defence starts from the first attacker upfront and so the press is very important. All players must participate in defending. That said, I feel it would be better if Zinchenko is shifted to the left 8, that is where he plays for Ukraine, and Tomiyasu is made the full time left back. This will not only strengthen our defence but also give an attacking outlet in the form of Zinchenko.