Arsenal: New Mikel Arteta centre-back profile crucial

Arsenal are reportedly searching for a new centre-back after Calum Chambers ACL tear. To fit into Mikel Arteta’s system, however, the profile of the target is crucial.

Arsenal were already weak at the centre-back position. After Laurent Koscielny departed in a huff and they could only sign William Saliba with a year-loan attached, the position was always going to be the primary shortcoming of the team this season. And so it has proved.

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Stop-gap signing David Luiz has been exposed at times, especially under Unai Emery, Rob Holding and Dinos Mavropanos have struggled for fitness upon their return from injuries, while Sokratis has regressed defensively and is a major problem in possession. And then there is Shkodran Mustafi.

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In fact, the only centre-back to have performed well this season was Calum Chambers, and now he is set to miss the remainder of the year and potentially the start of next year after tearing his ACL in the defeat to Chelsea last week. If they were not already in the hunt for a new centre-back, Chambers’ injury might force Arsenal into the transfer market this January with a major need to sign a new central defender.

There have been several reports flying around the rumour mill, including Jerome Boateng from Bayern Munich, Dayot Upamecano from RB Leipzig and Nathan Ake from Bournemouth. Whether any of these links have any legs remains to be seen. Certainly, finances will be a major issue this January and the more lucrative deals would require a sale of some sort to raise funds. But whatever the club chooses to do to bolster the centre-back position, what is vital is that, if they do sign someone, it is someone who fits the profile that new head coach Mikel Arteta needs.

As is evident in his first three matches in charge, Arteta will play with an extremely high defensive line as he looks to implement a suffocating pressing scheme reminiscent to what Pep Guardiola has mastered at Manchester City, where Arteta learned his trade as an assistant since his playing retirement three-and-a-half years ago.

The centre-backs, then, must be extremely adept at defending in vast spaces. With the full-backs pushing high to close down the ball and the midfield often into the opposing half, the two centre-backs are sometimes left with a whole half to defend. It is not an enviable task and can expose defenders that are not used to such strenuous responsibilities.

Arsenal must sign a centre-back who are happy with facing these disadvantageous situations. They must be exceptionally quick across the ground, capable of covering vast spaces as a sweeper, and also willing to step into the midfield to close down attackers quickly to prevent counter-attacks. There are not many defenders who are capable or willing to play in that manner, but that is what the Gunners require.

Arteta also requires his centre-back to play difficult passes. This is why Luiz, who is one of the best defensive distributors in world football, has excelled in Arteta’s first three matches. He is tasked with breaking the lines with forward passes, and he has the ability to perform that task. Sokratis, conversely, has struggled greatly in this element. Buying a centre-back who cannot pass would be disastrous.

Whichever way Arsenal go to solve their centre-back problem, if at all, they cannot buy any centre-back. They must buy the right one, one that fits with Arteta’s demands for the position. Simply signing a defender because they are a defender is illogical. The profile is critical. Get it wrong, and it could end calamitously.