Arsenal’s Defence. by Ben
Arsenal’s defence is a thing that flatters to deceive most of the time. I can’t remember the last time I watched a match involving Arsenal and felt comfortable, let alone confident in our defending. Despite a decent goals against record last season, it is a feeling that has persisted.
Gabriel is our stand-out defender and formed a promising partnership with Ben White. However, if pre-season is anything to go by his partnership with William Saliba might be even better. Maybe this could finally allow us beleaguered Gooners some respite. Let us believe, even for a while that a 3 goal lead is enough.
This brings me to the point of this article: I like Pablo Mari. He seems to be well liked and respected amongst the younger players and in my opinion is a better player than Rob Holding, who inspires no confidence whatsoever.
Pablo Mari also provides a nice uniform left-footed balance to the defence. He would be understandably fourth choice, but a competent one that offers balance, experience, and maturity. Not to mention he is a better distributor than Holding.
I don’t think any Gunner is going to be surprised if he leaves this summer. I just think he deserves a bit more respect and consideration before being allowed to depart ahead of Rob Holding.
Ben Dungate
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We’ll see our new defense capabilities in Selhurst Park
Echoed my thoughts.
I support your idea
Yes we will GAI.
GIA, Palace have been far from good in pre-season,it might be a good time to play them while they are still finding their feet(no pun intended).
I will hold my comments till the first game of the season….looks good on paper
We were consistently good in defence the season before last (20/21), when we conceded 39 goals in total and Rob holding (28 starts) played most of the games with Gabriel (22 starts) or Luiz (17 starts). Imo holding is as good a defender as anyone we have, he’s just not as good as the others with the ball at his feet.
The bad performance against spurs will naturally stick in the mind, but generally speaking he’s a very good defender.
If Partey remains fit, I think the team looks solid on the defensive. But again, it will be revealed at the Selhurst park.
I would have liked to see Ben white played as a DM in pre season
TOMI at RB if Iinjury free
CB.. Saliba and Gabriel
LB. Tierney/ Zinchenko
The guy is just not good enough so far, wherever he plays. Should not be in the team at all on his displays so far.
Cedric, Holding, Mari???
Should only he used if 3 of Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Saliba, Zinchenko, Tierney are injured.
Currently only 2 are injured, hence our defence is as strong as possible, personally i would sell both Holding and Mari to bring in a better left footed cb.
I would also sell Bellerin and Cedric and convince Maitland-Niles to revert back to a full back (he proved before that he can play, rb and lb) and sign a new deal.
I can’t see Mari being kept. Being part of the 0-3 in August last season did for him. On paper our first choice Ramsdale Tomiyasu White Gabriel Saliba Tierney Zinchenko look as good as any in the league. Keeping them out of the medical room is the only concern. Who will be the back up defenders? Holding, Soares Bellerin Niles Tavares or may be we will just go get another utility defender. Some significant decisions still to be made.
I’ll say mari stays or not either scenario is fine by me but if staying is the case i’ll suggest whenever we are taking on tough opponents and we have to rely on he and/or holding then we should employ a back three to keep the security tight while we can also have enough personell to attack.
Mari is not adapted to fast football as je is very slow. He is made for Italian football or any other league.
Gabriel Malghaes ain’t that great. He’s just overrated. It’s funny that since Saliba came in we’re now seeing articles like this which speaks of his quality. It was a total waste of money to sign Ben White.
But he was our highest goalscoring defender.
Can’t disagree with you on Ben White. Ridiculous amount to spend on him, and he isn’t brilliant. I think Saliba will be our best defender, I just hope Arteta feels the same way.
Mari better than Holding? And young players like him? Who are these young players you are talking about. Mari is slower than Holding and can’t cut it in the EPL.
Despite Mari’s size, he was bullied by Ivan Toney and Lukaku. Mari was one of the players bought early by Arteta including Cedric and all should move on, alk average at best.
Better to focus on overall team defense instead of the individual players. Hope we are more press-resistant this season….and start more games on the front foot. Partey will surely help in this regard but, when he is injured, we will struggle. Starting the season with no backup for Partey is still a big worry for me.
I simply disagree and very much too. MARI is way below the basic standard that any even half decent club needs, let alone us as an elite club. MARI WILL LEAVE AND SO HE SHOULD.
HOLDING IS CLEARLY BETTER AND MORE EFFECTIVE AS A FOURTH CHOICE BACK UP CB, even though he lacks pace.
Ben Dungate, but have Arsenal truly assembled a strong defense-line personnel for the coming season campaigns? Who can defend resolutely or stoutly in EPL as from next Friday night at Shehutst Park when Arsenal begin the new season away to Crystal Palace. And later on keep on defending resolutely as the new season pans on without conceding any defeats to any team during the first half of the new season.
If a fit and in-form Pablo Mari will be a very useful addition to Arsenal achieving a defeatless first-half of the new season campaign in the EPL, which will see the Gunners win if not all their 19 games, but at least win 17 and draw 2. Then, I am suggesting to Arsenal to still keep Mari for a first-half season campagains in all competitions to see. But they should also keep Rob Holding as his backup.
But on a different matter which I feel it’s seriously concerned Arsenal team strengthening this summer window. Is on how Arsenal are looking to have gone icy in signing a new top quality top League regular 20 goals or more per season scorer ever since they failed to sign Raphinha. But notwithstanding the failure of Arsenal to get Raphinha this summer. They still in my opinion need to get another new top top grade rightwinger signed this summer. Who if signed will give tough competition to Saka and Saki visvasal doing same to the new signed RW. Thusm have the RW position in the team much much improved than it was last season when there wasn’t any competition to Saka the sole occupant of the position. But I will suggest it shouldn’t be so this coming season.
And again, Arsenal have appeared to play down the necessary need for the team to have for it a top top quality no3 striker signed this summer. Preferably a 6ft 4-6 inches tall kind. And who can perform very well in the EPL, scoring goals up to twenty or more regularly per season.
Arsenal should therefore take up these two signings of a new RW and ST as additional priority signings this summer in their team strengthening this summer window, and execute the 2 new signings to the letter. So that the Arsenal first team will become at 100% dtrenghtened this summer, to thereby be fully ready to challenge for the EPL title win and win it including others during the coming season campaigns. As against to be at the current 80% team strengthneed which I think it looks to be the case presently.
Gabriel
White
Saliba
Holding
Mari
Possibly by the end of the season saliba will overtake Ben white
I think Saliba Gabriel is already the 1st choice pairing. I think White and Zinchenko will start the season as our first choice full backs. Tomi and Tierney will be eased back in and could even find themselves playing centre back on occassions as they both do for their countries. I would sell Bellerin, Cedric, Holding and Mari to buy a nother left sided centre back with a bit of pace
RB – White/Tomiyasu/AMN
CB – Saliba/Gabriel/White/Tomiyasu/ Tierney + new left footed centre back
LB – Tierney/Zinchenko/Tomiyasu/ AMN