Arsenal: 5 key players in FA Cup matchup vs Portsmouth

2. Rob Holding

A lot of what I just said about Pablo Mari also applies here. Small picture, we need them to combine and do a job. Keep Portsmouth from scoring any goals and rattling our nerves and do it convincingly.

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Big picture, we want to see Arteta’s defensive philosophy pass on to other players. If it can work for Mustafi and Luiz, who else can it work for? Can it get Rob Holding back into the form he was in before he got injured? I really hope so, because it would make moving forward with this defense so much easier.

Holding has to feel his time at the club potentially coming to an end, and he has to be tired of making appearances only in the U23s. He’s earned more than that, but he hasn’t had the chance to prove it.

Portsmouth is his chance—hopefully. If you can’t start him against them, he’s never going to start again. So there’s also that.

Finally, No. 1.