Arsenal’s defence at the best of times suffers from unwanted frailties, frailties well and truly exposed by a dominant Dortmund side during the week. Now with the news Debuchy is out of action for 6 weeks, Arsenal have to find a way to replace him as quickly and effectively as possible. Despite people labeling Arsenal a defensively weak team so often, it’s worth noting they had the best defensive record at home in the league last year.
The candidates to replace him are obvious in Calum Chambers, the exciting, new, versatile defender purchased from Southampton in the summer. Then there’s Hector Bellerin, someone who is unproven at first team level, something all too clear in his performance in Germany, yet a player who’s potential and fearless attacking play is certainly very strong.
The real issue at the back stems from a negligence to address the problems in the transfer window. Where have we heard that before, eh? Striking early and signing Debuchy was encouraging, but then terribly and predictably the real problem is still present. When a player gets injured in the back line (which they will and already have done) there is limited cover. Fan favourite Carl Jenkinson was loaned out to West Ham, leaving two players who both will need to acclimatise to a new role at the club if called upon for their new defensive duty. It is certainly symbolic of the Arsenal philosophy that two teenagers are the replacements for injured Debuchy, but Arsene Wenger shouldn’t fear picking either of the two talented youngsters.
The two centre back pairings Mertesacker and Koscielny still remain fairly strong. Kieran Gibbs returning at left back is vital in sustaining a relatively sturdy defence too. At right back, it remains to be seen how the dilemma will be solved. If sensibility sways Arsene Wenger’s decision making then Chambers will be a certain pick after Bellerin’s unconvincing start.
However, if Wenger is persistent (maybe a little stubborn) and reflects that one game cannot act as a definitive judgement, don’t be surprised to see Hector Bellerin have a string of first team games. Both have strong cases to be picked, but Chambers more so as he has been so easily able to transcend the expectations set to him and be a vital part of the defence already this season. It might be a battle between head and heart in the selection process. If Wenger really wants to avoid selection headaches he still may look to loan in one or two defenders to ease his decision making, before what you would hope to be an active January transfer window looking for that extra defensive stability. Contrast Arsenal’s current problems with Chelsea who have Felipe Luis unable to find a starting spot so far and you can see that Arsenal’s depth at the back is some way off the pace.
It might just be the case Arsenal–weather the six weeks without Debuchy and pull through, even if it does create a sense of déjà vu with season’s past and the same problems evolving time and time again. It was unpleasant viewing for Arsenal fans at times last season, with heavy defeats against the big teams on more than one occasion. Yet the disparity between often conceding very few goals and then conceding heavily, 27 in 7 games at one point last season, remains puzzling.
If Wenger wants to solve the defence once and for all he has made progress this summer, but it may be necessary to spend big once more to truly leave as few selection worries as possible throughout future seasons. The answer to the dilemma at the minute, will hopefully come in the form of Calum Chambers, someone who has adapted fantastically well to life at Arsenal.
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