Arsenal: Brand new “British Core” defense full of potential

Holding, Chambers, Tierney. Here is why this second-string defence will become a force to reckon with at the back, and the next British core at Arsenal.

Arsenal‘s questionable defence has already conceded ten goals in six games in the league. Nonetheless, with players such as Calum Chambers, Héctor Bellerín, Rob Holding and Kieran Tierney. This Arsenal defence is still filled with potential.

On Tuesday evening, the Gunners put out a second-string side against Nottingham Forest which put five goals past their keeper, but more importantly—kept a clean sheet!

At the back, we played: Calum Chambers, Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding and Kieran Tierney. And towards the latter stages of the match, Héctor Bellerín made his return to the first team. Here is why this second-string defence will become a force to reckon with at the back, and the next British core at the club.

Kieran Tierney put in an impressive display on his Arsenal debut against Forest and made it clear that he has attributes in both defence and attack. Throughout the game, the Scottish international sprinted back and forth the wing but remained cautious when doing so to avoid being caught on the break. Also, we have a fullback that can cross the ball! Tierney delivered three successful crosses during the game; only Ozil provided more.

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Rob Holding made his return to the side, with his first match for the Gunners since a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford where he suffered a cruciate ligament rupture. However, Holding’s return was as if he was never gone, maintaining the good form he had before the injury. It was an excellent all-round performance, topped off with a goal in the captain’s armband. Surely, Holding was one of Unai Emery’s candidate’s for club captain? He’s a young, British centre-back.

But it was Calum Chambers who ran the show on Tuesday. He has looked impressive all season and has been willing to play out of position after being unfairly dropped following a 1-0 victory and clean sheet against Newcastle in the opening game of the season.

Chambers has been patient grasping up opportunities as they come. He kept another clean sheet in the Europa Leauge fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt and then stepped in when Maitland-Miles was sent off against Aston Villa, where he scored a vital equaliser and was rock-solid at the back. So it was no surprise when the Englishman kept yet another clean sheet and grabbed a hat-trick of assists!

So we have the defenders, now it’s up to Emery to use them. Calum Chambers, Rob Holding and Kieran Tierney all have the potential to become world-class defenders; and that’s forgetting Héctor Bellerín who also made a long-awaited return to the Arsenal side as he made an appearance from the bench. Furthermore, Mustafi has looked impressive this season, yet to concede a goal and we have William Saliba on loan at Saint-Étienne.

And best of all we have a new and upcoming British core, a group of players that can lead from the back. And with homegrown players Bellerín and William Saliba, the communication at the back is going to be second to none. The future of Arsenal’s defence looks promising. Now it’s up to them and the manager to prove it.