Is there a future at Arsenal for Rob Holding?
Rob Holding suffered a bad injury the last time he was sidelined and he is still yet to fully return to full fitness more than 400 days later.
The Englishman suffered his injury at the very wrong time as he was beginning to become Arsenal’s most reliable centre back and the club was looking to build their defence around him.
He is still developing and the club seems to still rate him as a talent, however, time waits for no one and Arsenal appear to have moved on from the defender.
They signed Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares in the last transfer window, the former has finally debuted for the Gunners and seems to have stolen the left centre back spot.
Shkodran Mustafi has also been rebirthed since Mikel Arteta became Arsenal’s new manager and Sokratis has hardly put a foot wrong under the Spaniard.
Holding now faces a tough challenge if he plans to play his way back into the Arsenal team.
William Saliba arrives next summer and the young Frenchman is yet another defender that Holding will have to contend with.
This summer would be a defining one for the Englishman, if he can fight his way back into the team through his preseason form, he might have a future but if he doesn’t then he probably has to leave Arsenal to build a career for himself.
he’s on the “wait and see” list. But i remember eariler this season everyone thought our defense would be better once he returned. Time to move on from that thinking. It’s not like we are going to sell him, but the club needs to move onward with the thought of him not being a starter here. A CB clearout is needed this summer and Holding is likely to survive it.
Holding should be loaned out for a year.one of the 3 Arsenal senior defenders will go out after another year.
His situation can be reviwed then.
Personally i think Holding is better than Stones on his day but like Stones, he is injury prone.
I would rather sell, Sokrates and Mustafi and keep Holding and Chambers as back up.
Reason:
1. Both Sokrates and Mustafi right now are just about little better than Holding and Chambers.. If train properly both of them can rediscover their earlier form and at the very least can match the senior duo.
2. Holding and Chambers are much younger and have time in their hand to improve. Selling the senior duo will make more sense and can generate more funds.
3. I also believe that the wages of Sokrates and Mustafi are more than the younger duos.
4. Selling Holding will not generate anything I guess now.
My choice for next season will be.
New CB/Saliba/Luiz/Mari—Chambers and Holding keep one more season.
Sunny
@sunny ur love for English breeds.
I totally understand ur point let the manger make the choice or selection.
As fans what we want is not what actually happened many times. We hardly have says as to team selection or building.
Tnks.
Holding is better than chambers. I don’t rate him. Waste of £16 mil
I completely agree with Sunny,no matter the budget don’t expect too many changes in playing staff,with that in mind let’s keep both Chambers/Holding they are both still young and relatively experienced enough,on top of that Chambers versatility,he could do a job for us as a DM or even RB,same with Rob as a DM,we really need a proper DM(tall, strong, physical)and sell Sokratis and Mustafi both would go if told they weren’t part of the future plans, Sokratis said so recently!
If we look for a meaningful improvement,which to me means regaining our top four status,Luis, Mustafi, Socratis, Bellerin and Kolasinac should all be part of a defensive clear out.Chambers, Holding, Saliba,and perhaps Mari and Mavroponas should be given next season to prove they have the steel to be successful in the EPL where there is more physicality than any other league in Europe. As we are apparently strapped for cash we have to give our younger players a chance to make good.The alternative is to persevere with our three experienced but mediocre CBS , and stagnate in mid table.The options are limited but clear.
Grandad, agree, some fans get carried away with one off performances. We are Arsenal, we should be at the top of the chain, sadly were in the midway due to all these mediocre players on a champion team wages. Sorry , if we have to be rightfully at the top, then except Aubameyang, Martenelli, Saka and maybe Leno, the rest all need to be replaced. No sympathy for serial bottlers. Maybe we keep Guendozi, Nelson, AMN, for cup games, rest none should be retained ideally, practically not going to happen.It will take years till these players move, so next year too expect a mid table finish. If the coach acts tough and banishes them with the under eighteens then maybe one or two might improve, the rest will continue to enjoy their weekly allowance
If your good enough, you’re old enough.
Fair enough, but the first part of that mantra is “non-negotiable”, not a given.
This is after all, Arsenal Football Club.
Unless I’m forgetting someone (very likely) only Saka, Martinelli & Matty will continue to progress and hack it at the required level going forward.
As for the “experienced” players – major surgery required. I expect one or two high profile sales and much wheeling & dealing in order to bring in fresh blood ….. AND CHANGE THE DYNAMIC OF THE SQUAD !
Agree with you except for Luiz,he can share , use his experience with the younger players,if I remember properly he signed a 2 years contract so that will be his last season and recently has been solid no mistakes!
Holding as part of a defense strong enough to challenge for the title??
Sorry, I don’t think so.
Agreed.
We have more than our fair share of “nearly men”.
I suspect M A may be the man to start the cull.
Let’s hope so!