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Arsenal: 3 reasons why Willian transfer actually a good idea

By Josh Sippie

Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder Willian reacts at the final whistle during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Burnley at Stamford Bridge in London on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder Willian reacts at the final whistle during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Burnley at Stamford Bridge in London on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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2. David Luiz

Nobody was thrilled when Arsenal paid actual money to bring David Luiz to the Emirates last summer. It didn’t make sense. Luiz was another defensive liability, on the same level as Shkodran Mustafi, and this defense needed guys who were actually good at defending, not just more bodies. We had plenty of bodies, most of which were liabilities.

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And yet, through the power of Mikel Arteta, Luiz became a formidable defender who is almost unanimously praised this year, and most of us are looking forward to another year with him at the back, no matter what capacity he’s used in.

Willian could turn out the exact same. We aren’t asking him to change the culture of the Arsenal attack, same as we didn’t ask Luiz to change the defense. We just needed a little Premier League proven presence, and Willian, like Luiz, has that in abundance.

The benefit of the situation now is that we won’t have to go through Unai Emery’s David Luiz to get to Mikel Arteta’s. Arteta is in charge from the start which means we can expect the best of Willian from the start.

Finally, an all-too-obvious No. 1.

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