Arsenal: This defense is a lot closer to the point than you think

Arsenal’s defense kept another away clean sheet at Everton, and it must be said (again) that we may be closer than we think.

If you were to ask me what the difference was between Arsenal‘s countless multi-goals-surrendered losses and their clean sheets at Newcastle and at Everton, I would say Calum Chambers. Sure, there was some fortune in the opposition lacking some sharpness, but look at the common denominator, it’s Calum Chambers.

You tend to lose faith in the entire defensive schematic when all you see is David Luiz and Sokratis thrown out there time and time again. Their combined inability to not do something stupid was remarkable. Just when you think they’re over the hill (for all of thirty minutes), one or the other would bonehead the place up.

Thus came the calls to gut the whole set-up. All because for whatever reason, Unai Emery couldn’t shake his obsession with the Luiz/Sokratis combination.

Look what happens when you break that mold. Consider Everton. Sure, the Toffees sucked with the final ball. But our defensive line was Bukayo Saka, David Luiz, Calum Chambers and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Also known as two wingers, a clown and Calum Chambers.

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This is the kind of defense we’d expect to see two goals go in against, but they held tight. Luiz shed his clownishness in the second half, Saka learned on the go, and Chambers was… just Calum Chambers.

They closed down quicker, they didn’t give attackers so much room to move and think, and lo and behold, we took home an away clean sheet.

I said this at the beginning of the season, lost track of it through the dark ages, and am back to it now—the defense isn’t as bad as we think. It’s just been populated by bad guys and bad strategies. If we can build around Chambers, let William Saliba and Rob Holding fill some gaps and maybe invest in one more sure-fire centerback with this new mentality of closing down, having the midfield there to help, and healthy fullbacks, then realistically we could perfect this defense with just one signing.

It wouldn’t require a full gutting. We wouldn’t need to restart from scratch. We still have Chambers, Holdin, Saliba, Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac, all of whom have defensive value. And don’t sleep on Ainsley Maitland-Niles either.

There’s a lot here. Maybe one more piece will solve this puzzle after all.