One of the positions that was not addressed in the transfer window was right-back and while it was not a priority it could easily become one over the next couple of months.
As Arsenal strengthen and get better in certain positions then opponents will start to target the areas that they think they will get the most joy from and at this moment in time the right-back position is on the weak side.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles tries and he is still on a learning curve but if we are being brutally honest he is not up there among the best and signs are that he will not reach those heights.
Hector Bellerin is due back at some point in October/November and prior to his injury he was flying but truth be told he has not been that consistent and there are better players out there.
Every elite team needs two quality players in each position and Bellerin and Maitland-Niles are decent enough but they are not of the highest calibre, in my opinion, I mean, neither player is a Dani Carvajal, Joshua Kimmich, Kyle Walker, or even Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Of course, that is subjective but I have done enough player ratings on JustArsenal to know that too often the wing-backs at Arsenal are shown not to be the quality we need.
I hope I am wrong, Maitland-Niles is still young enough and he may show against Liverpool tomorrow that he is progressing towards the highest level but my confidence in him is low.
The big tests for the Arsenal wing-backs will be against the top-six and if they are found wanting I would not be surprised if Raul Sanllehi brings in a new right-back come wing-back in the January transfer window.
I think Niles,bellerin and chambers will be given a full season to manage RB position and will be addressed in the summer. That of course is if especially bellerin can remain fit after his injury
Chambers is too slow as an RB. If you remember, he got skinned many times by Jefferson Montero from Swansea few seasons ago and he also got beaten by other LWs in other matches
Bellerin and Maitland-Niles are not good in defending as well, but they have blistering pace. They still need to work on their crosses and avoid the injuries though
As what the author said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Arsenal sell one of them to bring a better RB. Ricardo Pereira has been playing well since he played for Nice, but his long-term contract with Leicester and his good forms in EPL would make him too pricey
“A few seasons ago” … smh
Yes u saw that a few seasons ago when Swansea was in epl
“… or even Trent Alexander-Arnold” You make him sound like an also-ran. On the topic, Bellerin at his best and AMN as cover will do for me thanks. Bellerin struggled as a wing back but not in a back four.
I beg to differ
Bellerin excels as an attacking RWB, but not good enough defensively as an RB in a back four
If Emery wants to use a defensive back four formation, he can use Mustafi because he defended well as an RB
Mustafi won’t be here
Please what has bellerin done under unai to say he isn’t good defensively cause I can’t remember he was one of the most improved player under unai both defensively and in attack
Agree, Nonny. He got a ton of stick during AW’s final season, but had some of his best games for us until he got injured. Not too concerned about him defensively like I used to be.
Bellerin is the fullback that most top teams will look at whenever/if they need a replacement. He was very young when he got into the side, too many people forget that, I think he was 16 or 17 ..certainly that shows you something that few players manage. Under Wenger there it was not easy for those players, when Wenger felt it the players felt it too, they felt responsible of course.
Bellerin in a duel is strong, sometimes he might misjudge a players path but for the most part he is strong in duels. We get problems on the flank when teams outnumber us out there, city even move all of their wide players onto the one wing to F with us, but it is usually the left wing they do it on.
Bellerin and others were unlucky to have guys like Walcott, Podolski, Arshavin, Ozil, being part of the first line of defence. The Inv were so strong because the first wall of defence was so tough to breach even before they’d reach the defencive wall (Ljungberg-Vieira-Gilberto-Parlour-Pires)
I also like how Bellerin watches that space behind the CB’s for the tap in, Bellerin gets over there and it’s rarely on with that side but when pass is coming from the left it is usually on with players like Aguero Firminho, and Suarez used to be good at it.
His pace of course is the stand out asset, he’s also a good height making him athletic. He does need to improve on his deliveries because he can be a little wasteful at times, majority of fullbacks are like that today unless they a play short game. Last season I thought Bellerin improved with his in-swingers, he looked electric at times with how quickly he’d go the whole length of pitch before whipping a ball across the face of goal, I think he’s better when he keeps them low and defenders hate dealing with those esp with Auba & Laca lurking.
His positioning under Wenger was not all his fault, he’ll be getting training tips from Emery and Ljungberg. In my book Bellerin is one of the best fullbacks that the PL has to offer. The left-side we still have to wait and see how strong we’ll be, I think Tierney will be similar to Bellerin, both of them filled in at CB probably to improve the players passing and tackling games. Monreal might be off we’re hearing.
AMN is good going forward. He is a good wing back but not a right back.he is very similar to kolasnic.Though Kola’s end product is better. I wish he could improve on defensive bit. He would be among the best
Bellerin is an excellent right back and will show it on his return.
Can’t wait to see him back out there!!
Me too Sue, he was playing really well just before his injury.
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Timothy Castagne has been tremendous for Atalanta, and hes free next summer and probably very affordable in January. Check him out!
Is Monreal heading to Sociedad? I would rather had kept him for the season or until January then let him leave as Teirney & Kolasnic should be enough to do us.
When hector comes back it is going to take time to get into the groove of things so come January our 1st team will only really be coming together properly. Same with Holding but hes expected back very soon.
Mavraponas being touted as being transferred away but injury forced it not to happen any truth in this? Would be a shame he cant get over these injuries as he was looking a decent player I thought in the making.
Saliba incoming next summer may be a reason also.
Pepe laca & Auba all to start sunday??
I’m also seeing the Monreal rumor as well, and also don’t understand. I’d just tell Sociedad to come back in January and it would be an incredibly easy transfer. Even when Tierney does come back, I’d think Nacho would get game time. Or at least I would pick him over Kolasinac often since Nacho can actually defend.
Hmm, I don’t think we will look for a fullback in January unless Bellerin has a setback. Until then, I’d think we are set unless Emery wants to use AMN in a more permanent midfield role, which already has growing competition. I think we will still try to get a CB in Jan if there is a reasonable option. Hopefully Mustafi+Elneny will be gone by then and we will have room add another foreign player because I believe we have hit our may number at the moment. (We could simply not name Elneny as part of our EPL squad as well too). But I don’t expect a lot of January action unless a big injury threatens our season.
We should get a backup for Bellerin sooner or later.
AMN has the engine and potential to become a great box-to-box CM who can run forward with the ball. Think he can become a better CM than RB in the long run.
Chambo may have improved, but still lacks the ability to go past players down the wing and that’s a handicap for the modern day fullback
I can’t see it myself….. Bellerin when fit is more than upto the role and whilst AMN may not be a RB he provides adequate back up (aside from the OG I think he has improved defensively so far this season and will continue doing so).
In my humble opinion by the end of this season we will have the best full back pairing in the league with KT and Bellerin…..give them time to heal and get back to form and they will be on fire ?
I think we will go back in for Upamecano in January but aside from that I think it will be a quiet window whilst Emery works with the squad he has and any major rework will wait till the summer again….. But with our new management who knows lol
I don’t think we will buy any CB. Rob holding and Saliba partnership is solid.backup of Sorkatis and Chambers / Luiz isn’t bad
We have urgently needed a quality RB for some considerable time already and right now it is our weakest hole anywhere in the eleven. I do not remotely share the, IMO, foolish hype concerning Bellerin’s return as to curing this problem. I have never rated him at all as a defender,to be frank, and see no proper signs in him at all as a defender. He IS good going forward and so would be good back up(ONLY back up) as a possible right winger. Many fans confuse his speed and better crossing ability with that making him a good RB. He is not even adequate in my view as a defender and RBs are defenders first and foremost. So we urgently need to buy a quality RB next window. AM-N, as most of us know, is a midfielder and a talented one too butis being foolishly used out of position . And it shows! Constantly!