It might seem a bit churlish to criticise the Arsenal defence and our German centre back Per Mertesacker after we just won another Premier League game with a clean sheet that put us above Leicester City into top spot. And to be fair to the Big Flippin German he was much improved last night.
Then again he could hardly have played any worse than he did against Southampton on Boxing Day and although these sort of games are the exception rather than the usual, we do see them every now and then. So after our Brazil international centre back played a bliner on his rare start against the Cherries, I cannot help but ask the question of when Arsene Wenger will start to make Gabriel and Laurent Koscielny the first choice pairing?
Is it the balance between experience, height and composure with the more aggressive and physical attributes that Wenger likes? I think it must be but what is wrong with having two pacy centre backs who are good on the ball and sharp in the tackle?
Now that Arsenal are having to do without Francis Coquelin to protect that back four it seems to me that Mertesacker’s lack of pace is even more of a problem, especially against counter attacking teams. Do you guys think it is high time for the boss to get a Brazil and France thing going on?