Given the exceptional performance of their defence last season, which saw them concede the fewest goals (29) while maintaining the highest number of clean sheets (18), was it necessary for them to use their budget to strengthen it? Given that their defense featured players such as Jurrien Timber, Ben White, Gabriel, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jakub Kiwior, and Oleksander Zinchenko, allocating resources to defense seemed unwise, as the primary emphasis should have been on the attack, which necessitated reinforcement.
But the Riccardo Calafiori deal’s completion gave the impression that the Arsenal defense was secure for years to come. Has that been the case? That hasn’t been the case; injuries have hindered their progress.
Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, and Zinchenko have all spent time on the sidelines due to injury. William Saliba has also missed a game due to suspension.
Heading to another PL match day this coming weekend, the Gunners are in some sort of mini-injury crisis on their defense. Timber and Gabriel, who were unable to finish the Liverpool game, may not be available for Arsenal’s match against Newcastle; they may join Tomiyasu and Calafiori on the treatment table.
It is baffling that Arsenal’s strongest position is now emerging as their worrying position due to player availability.
Football Insider has made an intriguing claim about Arsenal’s winter plans. They, from a chat with Mick Brown, suggest that the Gunners have decided they’ll have to splash the cash for another defender after the injury crisis they’re experiencing, exposing their defence.
Brown suggests that the Arsenal defence, consisting of Thomas Partey, White, Kiwior, and Myles Lewis Skelly, is not capable of winning the league. Therefore, the scouting department intends to bring in someone as talented as Saliba and Gabriel.
“They’re definitely going to enter the transfer market,” Brown told Football Insider. “After Gabriel’s injury, the transfer team will be working overtime.
“They’ve already been looking at options to help the depth in that position.
“Saliba and Gabriel are so important to their team in that defensive unit, and you need to know the level won’t drop if either of them are out.
“The defence is the reason Arsenal have become such a force.
“Finding new options for those positions is an issue that will be swamping them at the moment.
“The back four that ended the game against Liverpool is never going to be good enough to challenge for the title, so they’ll definitely be looking to improve that depth.”
Last winter, the Gunners didn’t take advantage of the transfer market; this they cannot afford to ignore. Points of weakness have already been established; they ought to be addressed to give Arteta’s team an edge in the title race.
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