With all the talk of new midfield and striking options joining the club in the summer, people seem to have forgotten about Arsenal’s defence as of late. It’s an area of the team that could have been considered malnourished in recent years. And the reason is for that is clear.
During the club’s period of heavy financial restraint, Arsene Wenger was forced to sell his star players and promote youngsters in order to cope with the demands of the Emirates Stadium. A strong defence requires both quality and familiarity, both of which Wenger was forced to forfeit during those hard times.
Thankfully, things have changed since then. The club no longer needs to sell its best players each season. As a result, Arsenal now has, in my opinion, the strongest set of defenders Gooners have seen since The Invincibles.
And yes, I believe they are title-winning quality.
The easiest place to start when analysing Arsenal’s defence is Laurent Koscielny. The Frenchman is easily the club’s best defender, and one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. I could praise Laurent for days, but Arsenal fans will have heard it all before: pace, ferocity, technique, intelligence – Koscielny is as good a defender as any of our rival sides’ players. The 29-year-old gives Arsenal the injection of excellence they need to compete with the very best.
But quality alone doesn’t make a good defence. Familiarity and camaraderie are both vital components, too, with the resulting communication channels adding coordination and organisation to the back four. Arsenal’s first choice centre-backs demonstrate this perfectly. Mertesacker and Koscielny have played together for a few years; their partnership is among the strongest in Europe.
The two operate much like a ball and chain; with Laurent gliding around the pitch while Per fixes himself in place. They may have vastly different play styles, but they execute them in perfect harmony. As their bond strengthens, this partnership will only improve.
As for the club’s defensive flanks, Arsene Wenger has managed to assemble a fantastic selection of full-backs. The pick of the bunch is, in my opinion, the scintillating Hector Bellerin. His breakthrough 2014/15 campaign demonstrated the youngster’s capabilities both on and off the ball. His first touch and build-up play are superb, and his pace is up there with the fastest in Europe. Despite only starting his first team career last season, the right-back has been at the club since 2013, so he has had time to settle in and get to know his teammates.
Another full-back who has been at the club since 2013 is Nacho Monreal. The Spaniard enjoyed a fantastic 2014/15 season, with his defensive abilities improving dramatically after he spent some time playing as a centre-back for the club. He completes what is, for me, Arsenal’s first choice back four.
So, with Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny and Monreal protecting The Gunners’ goal, fans have very little to fear. But what about Wenger’s back-up options? Good news echoes through these reinforcements, too.
At centre-back, Calum Chambers is more than capable of filling in from time to time, and he has a fine relationship with the rest of his teammates after joining the club in 2014. At right-back, the aforementioned Chambers can, along with the experienced Mathieu Debuchy, compete with Hector for a first team spot. At left-back, Arsenal has a player who could be considered one of the best second choice full-backs in the Premier League: Kieran Gibbs. I’d be confident of winning the league with our defensive if Gibbs was first choice, let alone second, and that just goes to show what strong defensive options the club has at its disposal.
The final player worth mentioning is Gabriel, who I’ve not seen enough of to really comment on. The player himself is still unable to speak English fluently, which could cause some communication problems, but he looked like a decent player when I watched him play last season. In many ways, his aggressive, speedy style is similar to Laurent’s – and that’s no bad comparison to make. Once he fully settles himself in his new home, I think the Brazilian could be a very good player for us.
In my opinion, Arsenal currently has one of the strongest defences in European football. It may not be the best on paper, but now that our players have fought alongside each other for so long, their teamwork and communication skills make them a force to be reckoned with.
Quality, depth, familiarity – Arsenal’s defence is more than capable of helping the club to win the Premier League. Let’s hope they’ll be able to prove me right in the 2015/16 season.
Do you think Arsenal’s defence is good enough to win the Premier League, or do you still think we need to invest in that area? Let me know in the comments below.
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