Mikel Arteta has been urged to find a long-term partner for Rob Holding after the defender impressed in Arsenal’s match against Southampton.
The Englishman, whom Arsenal signed from Bolton some years back, has been plagued by injuries for some time now. However, when he has been fit he has proven to be arguably one of the club’s best defenders.
In his latest game against the Saints he was very much in-form for the Gunners at the back and his fine showing ensured that Arsenal left Saint Mary’s with a clean sheet.
His performance also caught the attention of Jamie Redknapp, who has now urged Mikel Arteta to look for a long-term partner for the 24-year-old.
He claimed that Arsenal has struggled to get a decent defensive partnership, but Arteta should try to get a permanent partner for Holding and that could solve Arsenal’s problems at the back.
Redknapp said as quoted in the Express: “A regular partner might help as well. It’s not easy because he’s [Arteta’s] not sure about the other centre-backs, that’s pretty obvious.
“He mixes and matches. You need partnerships. Sol played with a partner alongside him and that’s how you get better as a team when you’ve got someone on your left-hand side you know you’re going to be playing week-in, week-out with.
“Especially at centre-back, that’s where it’s most vital to get used to somebody, when they’re going to make a mistake, reading situations.
“That’s what Sol did, that’s why he played at the top.”
Arteta has also been impressed by the impact of Pablo Mari, but the Spaniard is injured right now.
If Mari did not get injured as Sokratis and Luiz not banned, we would have not seen any of Holding.
Arteta had no choice but play him!
Saliba.
Already with us.Nothing better than him.
Anyone seen Lee Dixon’s statements on Guendouzi??
I’m glad at least, someone like him, sees the truth too, which I’ve pointed out
👍
100% Gouendouzi has talent in abundance, people who know can see that but at Arsenal being next to players like Xhaka and seeing the petulant players and poor attitudes in the squad, then it is bound to rub off. Arteta has to realise that and not let a potential Arsenal midfield leader not fulfil his vast potential. He reminds me of Wengers dealings with Walcott, he wasted Walcott’s talent because he never channelled his obvious talent into great use. Walcott had no one to learn off and the manager didn’t get the best out of him, so a talent like Walcott was wasted. It was often said Walcott didn’t have a football brain, maybe the football brain side of Gouendouzi is a similar situation but if a big team comes in for him, he could end up being anything he wants. On Holding, he is a player who looks the part but just hasn’t kicked on, he needs regular football for one but he also needs a partner and consistency.
I guess Henry was not a good mentor right ? I can not remember Wenger playing walcott at right back or central midfield. he was deployed on the wing and at times centrally(which I have never been convinced is the right position for him). Wenger gave him chance at early age of his carrier . It is very unfair to mention that Walcott was wasted.. Has he done anything at Everton to justify this claim or would rather he played him as right back?
Walcott’s talent was wasted, not helped at all for me, in his coaching. He was a raw 18 year old and a raw 27 year old.
Pls what foes ghendouzi brings to the table he has bn here for 2 years,what does he being to the table?
Of course a winger that contributed over 160 goals to a club is wasted! Some comments r just shocking!
Yes agree some of your comments are shocking.
Reggie, What Walcott lacked far more than anything else was heart. He was bone idle and was a passenger hiding away in countless games and he should never have been allowed to stay so long and so uselessly! But for WENGERS FOOLISHNESS WITH HIM WE WOULD HAVE BEEN WELL RID OF THIS COASTER FAR SOONER. I saw through this lazy idler after no more than half a dozen games way back only months after he arrived and said so loud and clear ever since but few others listened. I was right then and right now about lazy players being poison in any team. OZIL IS NOW THE LONG TERM AND PRIME EXAMPLE OF USELESS LAZINESS.
Agree to some extent John but i didn’t think wenger helped Walcott. I thought Walcott had all the tools but missed the know how and application, which can be drummed into players.
Walcott had a couple of good games against big teams, Barcelona, AC Milan, and Liverpool on the UCL and Chelsea (twice) on the EPL to mention a few. What he lacked was consistency perhaps due to not playing in his desired position but it’s unfair to say he didnt have a football IQ. Holding is on the right path we all saw before he got injured. Now he’s trying to get back on that path and it seems he’s making great progress. We all know how hard it is for players to return to form from an injury. You’re right in saying he needs more game time but also more importantly he needs a consistent partner to form rapport with. Get that confidence to perform without worrying about his partner and just focus on his performance.
Eddie, your view on Guedozi is fine, I agree with the fact that he is a prospect and has good potential from what he has shown so far, in fact no one argue with you on that, however, seems those praises are getting to his head making him misbehave, no amount of mentorship can change that especially when he as a person feels he is now bigger than others (because that’s my translation of what he did). He needs to be humble and learn from his senior, either he likes it or not, Xhaka is more experience than him and for me personally, Xhaka is a better footballer, he has a lot to learn from the likes of Ozil, Xhaka, and Torreira, besides, not all young stars has the luxuries of playing with the best, Kane? Exception to your rule? Like mbappe?
A lot of us may not agree with our seniors philosophy, but we sort and pick the good one then trash the rest, we are all responsible for individual action
Thought we already had a long term partner for him in Saliba….
If Holding can keep this form till end of the season and not get injured then ai believe him and Saliba could form a good partnership also dare I say it if Mastafi keeps his form up and keeps his mistakes in the past he will make good back up if Holding is injured.
Remember our war chess is not gonna be rich this transfer window and make Partey the big signing we need plus a creative midfielder
It’s easier said than done, arsenal has been unlucky with injuries especially at cb, this has Mar some players development, it’s not a pre-planned or script acting, during Emery era we hardly had same cb pairing for 5games straight without changes forced through injuries. No player or fans who wish for injury and no coach in his right senses we like to constantly change his cb or winning team. Holding performed well prior his injury and has yet to find that form since, we don’t have a reliable cb yet, a game isn’t enough to judge anything until we see same performance from him till end of this season, so the talk of pair is too early, not sure if he himself will make the team sheet
Until Saliba arrives, Holding’s best partner is Mustafi. Yes he is, admit it!
Sure Walcott had room for improvement, but hard to knock a guy who scored over 100 goals for the club.
Do you reckon he was held back by Wenger?
He doesn’t seem to have set Everton on fire.