Arsenal: Per Mertesacker Return Could Break Some Toes

Arsenal will be welcoming back the BFG, Per Mertesacker. And while it’s always nice to get guys healthy, this one may crush some toes.

Arsenal signed Shkodran Mustafi this summer and it may well have been because of Per Mertesacker’s lengthy injury. Mustafi was only nabbed at the last second in pure desperation as the prospect of Rob Holding, Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel Paulsita being the only options became rather too real.

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The addition of Msutafi rounded things off perfectly. Kostafi is the easy first choice but there is a very solid second-pairing of Gabriel and Holding right behind them. It’s a nice, even number producing a nice, square defensive scenario.

Now that Per Mertesacker is returning, things may get a bit clustered. I have no feasible clue where Mertesacker will fall in the pecking order. We know Wenger is a huge fan, especially ofhis leadership, so I wonder if he doesn’t start nipping at Mustafi’s heels right of the bat.

At the very least, you can bet that he will butt in line in front of Rob Holding. I have no immediate problem with that, as Mertesacker is a Premier League quality defender. But long-term, I do not like what it does to Holding, who has in no way lost the bit-part role that he has.

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I don’t think Mertesacker is destined for a long, continued stay in North London, whereas Holding could be here for quite some time. That doesn’t mean I don’t think Mertesacker deserves to play, it’s just a tough situation to navigate through.

I think the only time I have ever not wanted an Arsenal man to get healthy, it was Mikel Arteta. I won’t say I’m proud of that feeling, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I am happy to have Per Mertesacker back, but I can’t help but feel like someone is going to get their toes stepped on in his return.

And, no matter how I spin it, I feel like the person’s toes who are most exposed to being ground underneath a filthy boot is Rob Holding. This young man is immensely talented and could absolutely be starting for a Premier League defense. He proved that early in the year when he had the chance.

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The fact that he falls fifth in line at the Emirates is both a testament to our defensive depth, but also worrying for his playing time prospects.