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Arsenal: Mathieu Debuchy Still Has A Role To Play
It seems a forgone conclusion that Debuchy’s future at Arsenal is non-existent but if you consider the circumstances, he may still have a role to play.
Throughout the first half of the season, Debuchy was constantly complaining about his lack of playing time. This led to his eventual departure to Bordeaux (on loan) in the January transfer window. With Bellerin nailing down the spot of first team right back for the definite future it seems that the ex-Newcastle man may be seeking pastures anew come the summer. However, I believe things could pan out differently.
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Recently, Calum Chambers has been deputising as reserve right back when Bellerin is given a rest (usually in FA Cup games). However, most Arsenal fans will agree that the young Englishman’s best position is at centre back due to his lack of pace and attacking incision. So if Arsene thinks so as well (which he has in most recent times) then there is a gaping hole in the squad for a reserve right back.
When discussing with fellow Arsenal fans about whether Debuchy could still play for arsenal, many Gooners pointed at Carl Jenkinson as the best foil for Bellerin come next season. I couldn’t really fault this argument as Jenkinson has always desperately wanted to play for Arsenal and seems to have the required ingredients to at least provide the necessary back up for our sensational Spaniard.
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But Jenkinson recently returned to the club to receive treatment for a lengthy injury lay off that ruled him out until at least late September/early October. If Arsenal sold Debuchy in the summer, then we would start the season with youngsters Julio Pleguezuelo and Stefan O’Connor as our only reserve right backs. These kids may have promise but are nowhere near ready to contribute to the first team yet.
So what option does Wenger really have? I can agree that Debuchy’s performances in his sporadic appearances for Arsenal this term left a lot to be desired (70% passing accuracy and 49% average duels won via whoscored.com). While his unsavoury comments about the boss not allowing him to move to Manchester United in January don’t really help his situation.
Yet it’s easy to forget that this is French international we are talking about. When Bacary Sagna (aka Money Grabber No. 3) left for Man City it seemed that Arsenal had found the perfect replacement for him. Debuchy was an experienced Premier League right back because of his time at Newcastle and what more, he was actually ahead of Sagna in the French national team’s pecking order.
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In the first half of his first season, it looked like he would deliver on this promise. Debuchy was as solid as was hoped for and he even covered admirably at centre back when needed. Yet (as with many Arsenal hopefuls) a horrific injury halted his development and Bellerin got a shot at playing in the first team. The rest is, as they say, history.
On his return to fitness, Mathieu could not regain form or his position in the team and was relegated to the substitute’s bench. Fast forward 12 months or so and that is still the case.
But if Debuchy shows some of his earlier promise while at Bordeaux for the next few months and returns to Arsenal with a new found hunger and desire to win his place back (which was evidently not the case earlier in the season), who is to say he can’t at least give Hector a run for his money?
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It may not look likely at present, but Mathieu Debuchy could still have a big role to play at this football club. If he can pull up the proverbial ‘socks’ up, then we may be seeing a lot more of the Frenchman come next season.