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Arsenal: Rob Holding due for triumphant return against Manchester United
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal’s defense is looking shakier these days and they need to right the ship. Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding are just the guys to do it.
Arsenal’s back three was stretched and folded like salt water taffy against Tottenham and it shook the confidence we Gooner’s have in the 3-4-3. While it’s important to note that neither goal was a result of the team’s overall defensive failings, there were still plenty of examples where the defense was simply battered.
Against Manchester United at home, this defense needs to be shaken up. Shkodran Mustafi is returning and should slot right into Gabriel’s spot, as the Brazilian could use a good sit down, but Rob Holding needs to make his triumphant return in place of Nacho Monreal as well. It was injustice in the first degree when he was removed from his starting role in the first place.
Monreal and Kieran Gibbs can duke it out over the wing back spot, but Holding is being unfairly shafted out of key matches for no good reason.
Holding is the type of defender that Arsenal need. Even if the Gunners end up sacrificing some mobility on that left side, they need to have defensive solidity first and foremost. Plus, Alexis can take care of the left flank’s attack all on his own anyway. He should be used to it.
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The problem with the Gabriel-Koscielny-Monreal back three was that they are all so undersized and while they are athletic, that athleticism pulled them out of position and, to use the salt water taffy analogy again, pulled and stretched and folded them.
Holding is going to keep his shape in the defense next to Koscielny, and Mustafi is an intelligent defender as well. The German may get forward from time to time, but with his athleticism and his pairing with the Ox, that doesn’t bother me as much.
Holding has hardly made a mistake since he was given his first shot at the starting XI. A few nervy moments, maybe, but he is blameless in any sort of defensive capitulation that we’ve seen thus far.
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Plus, if we are planning for the future, a future that probably won’t have Nacho Monreal that much longer, isn’t it more important to get Holding in there in the big games? And this isn’t even a matter of charity like it was with Alex Iwobi, this is a matter of him earning it and wholly deserving it.