Arsenal: Nacho Monreal Appealing Overwhelming Verdict

Arsenal swapped their traditional four-back set and got adventurous. Go figure that it is Nacho Monreal causing everyone to rethink things.

Arsenal were collapsing under the same old, same old, so Arsene Wenger did the improbably and switched things up drastically. Gone was the dreary old 4-2-3-1 and in came the 3-4-3, with plenty of experimentation and opportunity to make even the sourest of Gooners smile.

Along with that formation came the final touches on an already accepted fact – Arsenal needed a new left back. Even in the back four set, this year had shown Nacho Monreal struggling to keep up with the wear and tear of daily life in the Premier League.

So surely a switch to an even more hectic flanking position meant that the way was being prepared for the reportedly newest Gunner, Sead Kolasinac. The Bosnian wing back has been on a role with Schalke this year and Wenger landed him on a free, so they tell us, so that seemed to be the icing on the cake. Case closed.

And then we actually got to see Monreal adjust to the position and suddenly there is nothing closed about it at all. The overwhelming verdict among supporters that Monreal was well over his best days has been appealed.

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Against Leicester City, Monreal was one of, if not the, best players out there. It was his probing and his pass that led to the crucial winning goal and it was his goal against Manchester City that leveled the game.

I had fully expected to see Monreal exposed without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain out there to steal the show, but the opposite happened. He started the game as the left center back, rocked out that position, the proceeded to the left wing back role later in the match when Danny Welbeck came on and not a beat was missed.

Which raises an interesting scenario where Monreal might be a very useful utility player going forward. Rather than selling, why not let Monreal fill in when needed? With a three-back set and injuries always a concern, you can’t have too many options.

Not only that, with Gabriel Paulista and Rob Holding both being right-footed center backs, having Monreal, who is predominantly left-footed, provides a little safety and a bit less risk of mishap.

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I never thought I would find myself in Monreal’s corner, but if this is how he can be when pressured by a prospective newcomer, then hold onto the guy. Because clearly he has a bit more gumption than I gave him credit for.