Arsenal’s squad is much more competitive than it used to be and, for the first time in a while, there is a fight for first-team places. However, with defenders seemingly in a unbreakable cycle of excellent- loss of form- injured, what truly is Arsenal’s best defence? Well, I’m going to try to break that code.
Goalkeepers
It’s a two-horse race for the number one spot on the field between Wojciech Szczesny and David Ospina, with opinions on both changing regularly. Currently, the preferred option in goal is Ospina but many were frustrated with the Colombian after the defeat to Monaco.
Ospina has been in goal for key victories, including the win at the Etihad Stadium, and he conceded his first Premier League goals in the North London derby defeat. At the weekend against Everton, he was far more confident that Szczesny would ever be when coming off his line.
However, Szczesny has age on his side and, what’s seemingly remarkable given this season, last year he held the record for the most clean sheets in the Premier League- tied with Chelsea’s Petr Cech. That suggests that Szczesny has a lot more to his game than his form would suggest- but, at the moment, it’s Ospina who is first-choice.
Right-Back
Mathieu Debuchy would be the stand-out man for this role but his debut season with Arsenal has been plagued by injury problems. In his absence, we’ve seen Calum Chambers and Hector Bellerin both enjoy spells in the first-team.
Bellerin has a real chance of claiming a permanent starting role, as he has been quite solid defensively and is excellent going forward- though being faster than Theo Walcott does help. At times though, Bellerin’s inexperience has shown, though to be fair he seemed far more experienced in other games.
Regarding Chambers, it’s been a topsy-turvy season. He started off very well but first-team opportunities decreased with Laurent Koscielny coming back from injury and Bellerin staking a claim for the right-side. The problem with Chambers, is that we don’t yet know where his best position is.
Chambers, at times, has shown his strength going forward- which suggests right-back is his best position, whilst he has often been poor defensively, especially when marking on the right. Those defensive issues don’t bode well for a centre-back though and he doesn’t have the head for a defensive midfield role, due to how many bookings he receives.
It’s a tough one but at full fitness, Debuchy gets the nod whilst Bellerin continues to develop.
Centre-Back
You’d think this would be an easy decision to make. We have a World Cup winner as our captain- but he’s the defender likely to miss out. Per Mertesacker has had a horrendous season after the time of his life in Brazil, where he has really struggled for form.
That has suggested that the best years of his career are behind him and it raises question marks as to why he has the armband in the first place, although technically he is back-up skipper to the seemingly never fit Mikel Arteta.
Gabriel Paulista was brought in during the winter transfer window and he’s started rather well. A first Premier League start against Everton showed his vast strengths but it wasn’t quite plain sailing and he still needs time to adapt to the league. Essentially, your choosing between a player who doesn’t have form and player not yet suited to the league.
For me, Gabriel just gets the nod at this time as he showed very little teething problems at the weekend. As for his centre-back partner, this is an easy choice. Laurent Koscielny all day, everyday.
Left-Back
If you’d told me at the start of the year that Nacho Monreal would be the most impressive defender of our season, I probably would’ve put you in a white jacket. However, that has been the case and the seemingly deadwood Spanish international has been rather superb.
That said it’s not all been perfect and he has shown signs of losing his head this year, notably at the Etihad where Francis Coquelin screamed at him for being out of position. There are some things you don’t lose, hey Nacho?
Meanwhile, Kieran Gibbs has struggled to make that left-back spot his own. Whilst he’s again struggled with injuries, on the field form has also been an issue. Defensively there are question marks- which is a real concern when you’re in such an attacking side, as you need the strength at the back.
Monreal gets the nod here- but I’d suggest adding a left-back to the summer shopping list.
Best Back Five: Ospina, Debuchy, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal