Arsenal: Nacho Monreal reserve good; Nacho Monreal starter bad

Nacho Monreal is talking with Arsenal about a new contract. If he stays as a reserve, it’s good; if he stays as a starter, it’s bad.

The moving on from a reliable, consistent, veteran player is not an easy thing to do. Precisely because they are dependable options means that getting rid of them can seem a little counter-intuitive. But, oftentimes, being ruthless and risky is the best path to success.

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In Nacho Monreal, a 32-year-old left back who has played exceptionally decently but rarely outstandingly for several seasons, Arsenal have the prime example of a player who is ideal for ‘doing a job’. ‘You know what you’re gonna get from him’, as they might say down the pub. That is Monreal in a nutshell.

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But his contract is also set to expire at the end of the season. His future is very much uncertain and it is quite plausible that he is no longer at the club beyond next summer. The time for moving on from the veteran, experienced, consistent presence could well have arrived. Monreal, however, has revealed that he and the Gunners are in conversations regarding a new contract:

"“At the moment we are talking with the club. I’ve always said I am really happy, I feel very happy playing for Arsenal. I came six years ago. I have a good relationship with them. We are in contact in any moment so don’t worry about that. I am happy here. That is the most important thing <…> My idea is to play in football until my body says ‘Nacho, so sorry but that’s the end’. But I think it is far [away] <…> But at the moment I feel good so I am not thinking of my retirement.”"

It is an interesting and difficult decision for Arsenal to make. On the one hand, they have a player who has been of their better performers for a number of years, has done little to deserve replacing, and is still playing at the same level as he always was; on the other, they have a player who will be 33 next summer, is never going to be a top-tier option at a position that is only increasing in difficulty as the modern game changes and evolve, and could be improved upon if the club thinks ruthlessly.

Monreal is the very definition of a dutiful, diligent servant. Arsenal should be careful about wishing for more, if they are indeed wishing for more. But it should be stated that more is out there. This is no Ashley Cole scenario. Monreal is not the best left back in the world. He’s probably not even in the top five in the Premier League.

There is still value in bringing Monreal back. He is vastly experienced, is a well-liked and highly regarded individual in the dressing room; he brings leadership, understanding, character, lots of the mental qualities that this team has so painfully lacked over the years. But is there the same value in bringing him back to start, to be solid and consistent and reliable but never spectacular?

Left back may not feel like a need — and perhaps it isn’t — but improvements can still be made. In Monreal, Arsenal can play safe. But elsewhere, they could shoot for the stars. It might just be time to swing for the fences.