Arsenal: Virgil van Dijk secures Premier League title

Arsenal has had many transfers that were supposed to win them the title, but Virgil van Dijk is different. They sign him, they win the trophy.

You have heard this before. The signing that will win Arsenal the title. We have had so many people dubbed this and, correct me if I’m wrong, but Alexandre Lacazette is the first who has at least half way worn the title and actually made the move.

But Virgil van Dijk is different. And I’m here to tell you why.

The hulking Dutchman has been the model Premier League defender since he came to Southampton. He does everything. He’s huge. He’s strong. He’s even quicker than you’d think. And he did it all with a back four at Southampton.

While Southampton is a strong defensive unit (thanks largely to Virgil van Dijk), Arsenal’s can be stronger, mostly because of that back three system they are running. Which is precisely what I think is the key keyhole that, when fitted with van Dijk, wins them the title.

Arsenal showed last season that their back three, when manned properly, was a near impossible defense to score against. And that was with Rob Holding and Nacho Monreal back there. Both of which are good, neither of which are Virgil van Dijk.

Throw in the Dutchman and you’re talking about a back three that has three world class defenders.

You can’t lose games if you don’t give up goals. And with a back three like that, the Gunners won’t be giving up goals. I don’t care who you throw at them. Even set pieces would be a cakewalk.

It’s also the chain reaction that van Dijk causes that gives me so much confidence in making this claim. His arrival pushes Sead Kolasinac back out wide, where he needs to be to utilize all of his talents.

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It’s like getting a new signing all over again, since Wenger is stubbornly playing the Bosnian at center back rather than wingback.

Arsenal’s main fault thus far into the season has been defending. Yes, they’ve made a couple mistakes that have led to goals, but those are the kinds of things that the defense is there to clean up after. They just haven’t been doing the cleaning up required of them, and it has led to goals.

And while it’s still early in the season, you can’t really have too strong of a defense. Obviously. That should be priority No. 1 – shoring up that back line. The goals will come. Alexis Sanchez is returning and Lacazette can’t always be wrongfully ruled offside. I’m not worried about that.

Granit Xhaka will shore up his mistakes as well. He’s the kind of player that learns from his mistakes. That’s been proven when he cut down on (and nearly cut completely out) his card accumulation and fouling problems.

But the defense remains a question mark. Especially with Gabriel Paulista sold off and Per Mertesacker clearly not having much of a chance.

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Adding van Dijk would give Arsenal the two best defenders in the Premier League. When you factor in Shkodran Mustafi, who is certainly in the top 10, you have everything you need to keep the goals out. What else do they really need?

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