Former Gunner names the position where Arsenal need to spend big

Sol Campbell has urged Arsenal to spend big on a central defender, with our side having succumbed to a number of defensive errors this term.

David Luiz has come under the spotlight on a number of occasions, while Shkdran Mustafi was very much the scapegoat prior to Mikel Arteta’s arrival as coach in December, and we have since altered our formation to a back five in order to give extra support at the back.

While William Saliba is set to make an impact in the first-team squad next season, his age and minimal experience could well be viewed as a risk should we throw him in in the deep end, and Campbell believes that the club should be looking to bring in another top defender, even if that means paying top dollar for him.

“Look what Liverpool did, you know Van Dijk. For me, could I see Arsenal spending that type of money?” he told Stadium Astro.

“Sometimes it does take that type of money if a player is nailed on and you’ve got to get him and he can actually start to change the outlook of your team, especially from the back.

“It might take something like that. They don’t mind buying Nicolas Pepe and spending that kind of big money up front but you’ve got to realise that sometimes you need to catch up with the rest of the guys.

“Sometimes when the player does become available and you really think: ‘This guy can really change it’, and you’ve looked at all the scenarios, you might have to dip in the pocket and buy someone big at the back to take that on and then you build around him.

“But you’ve got to go for it. Going for it at the front, paying big money for front guys, but don’t underestimate getting quality defenders to hold that backline together.”

Is Saliba ready to be handed a first-team role at Arsenal? Is Campbell right that signing a top centre-back could shape the whole team for the better?

Patrick

Tags centre-back Sol Campbell

16 Comments

  1. Although I agree with Sol Campbell’s rationale regarding an upgraded top line CB, to me a class midfielder such as Thomas Partey is a higher priority. Partey is an excellent box to box midfielder who will not only provide defensive cover to the CB’s, but provide service to Arsenal’s good attackers going forward.

  2. OT reading media online Manchester City have now lost just one game less than Man Utd and Arsenal, in another collum just before the Wolves game Arsenal are on a 17 game winless run on the road.. I don’t know if thats just bad or lazy journalism or both, or maybe just to taunt some supporters

    1. Alright Kev?! I saw some weird tweets saying that about City… but the tables says they’ve lost 9…. we’ve lost 8.
      As for the 17 winless away run.. I’m bewildered!! I know we’ve been really poor away from home against teams above us… albeit I’d expect it to be more than that! Saturday put that to bed though!!
      Prior to our win at St Mary’s… I think our last away win came at the London Stadium, back in December. Which goes to show 2 things:
      1 We have been really poor away from home 😆
      2 We’ve drawn far too many 😆

      1. The draw is the reason we are 7th, city loss more games and still firmly rooted to 2nd place. The fear of taking risks by our mf and attack all because we don’t trust the defense is the reason the whole team sat back to defend During UE last weeks, this transmitted to Freddie short term and MA early days. Looking that at those games we almost won but drawn at the end, one would be disappointed and frustrated.
        Hopefully we won 3/4 out of the remaining games to make top6 or remain in 7th

        1. You’re right, Adajim 👍 We’ve drawn more than we’ve won!
          Yes, let’s hope we can push on from these last few wins and go for gold!
          Won’t be easy, but with a bit of luck we can grind out a few results, maybe even spring a surprise or 2 along the way! 🙂

      2. Yeah Sue haha I had to laugh we’ve definitely lost less games than Man city but there’s no way the media would be allowed to print something like that! And as for the 17 winless game away from home, I’m guessing they mean we’ve only beaten Newcastle? The west ham, and Southampton games don’t count? Oh and what made the Wolves game so much sweeter Michael Owen predicted a 3-0 win for the home side! I swear if his Arsenal predictions came true we’d have been relegated by November 😂😂

          1. Haha he has a deep hatred for Arsenal Sue 😂 he predicts an Arsenal win every 8 or 9 games to make it look he’s being partial 😂 watching ox ports game all square 😀

          2. And Pompey scored both goals 😄 I hope Oxford win….and then Fleetwood lose later… although they have a mountain to climb!!
            I’m not particularly fond of him either, Kev haha!!

  3. See old Maureen is rattled by Arsenal fans comments love it really gets to him and hopefully we can goad him even more after Sun!!🤣

  4. He is right, no scoop tho, we miss a top CB for years. He didn’t name that big guy but means Koulibaly.

    Now, when sees Luiz extended and Mari signed, he should not expect another CB.

    Arteta thus winter asked for and we mainly had to sign Koulibaly, Napoli asked for Torreira & Kolas + 60M cash.

    Same manager in charge in Napoli, he wants both, 50M will close deal, to help lock it, give them Martinelli on Loan.

    Swap Gendouzi for Partey.

    Sell Xhaka,Mikki, Elneny, Mustafi, Sokratis. Holding or Chambers; get 80M to 100M.

    Buy Harvetz for 80M, add Nelson and Rowe on loan will please and secure deal.

    This window would cost 50M, average budget allowed by Kroenke past decade..

    Sure they can pull a Pepe instalement trick in Havertz deal, half of it.

    We saving huge wages and can raise Auba as deserved and make sure Harvertz happy.

    These savings allow to buy out Ozil last year and let him go.

    End of the day, Kroenke will save money and we have a club in a better shape.

    Leno
    Bellerin Koulibaly Saliba Tierny
    ………………………Partey
    ………………..Willock Harvetz
    Auba Laca Saka

    Subs; Martinez, Chambers, Nketiah, Pepe, Belogun, Niles, Ceballos, Ceares, Luiz,..

    Useless to keep young players who won’t play much, better off use U23, who are not yet going on loan.

    Send youngsters on loan to keep progression going as Nelson should have been in Germany where he was taking off, emulating his boy Sancho, very happy there,.doing well..Brought back for that, but then sign Pepe, no room for Nelson, waisted…. Martinelli should be playing every week end, he will do so on loan in Napoli, he offers many options….

  5. Even in FIFA, this would be considered a bad window.

    You do realize having 4/11 starters being new and being right down the spine of the team means another season rebuilding team chemistry?

    You guys have to know that sports partnerships are down to Chemistry. Xhaka and Ceballos understand each other now. That’s why they are doing well in the middle. If you change the midfied and remove both of them, you’re literally asking a new combination to learn things from scratch. I can’t even think of any team in the world that does transfers like that.

  6. Some of our fans live in a dream world which is fair enough ,but please keep your dreams to yourself .

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