Arsenal: Can Bargain-Built Defense Propel A Champions League Push?

Arsenal claimed a very valuable and rare three points at Old Trafford.

They did so last weekend with a back four who were relatively inexpensive, one that could potentially create a foundation for Champions League qualification. Arsenal’s defensive recruitment in the last few windows has been erratic, to say the least.

Head-scratching additions like Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares has left the defensive department bloated and lopsided, while the futures of a number of players like Sead Kolasinac, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Hector Bellerin hung in the balance all summer long.

It’s fair to say that going into the season the defense was a major point of contention for Edu Gaspar and his team, yet at the onset of the campaign there was still major work to be done.

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Arsenal began the season with a surplus of central defenders on the books. The arrival of Gabriel Magalhães from Lille was an exciting prospect for fans but the supporting cast around the young Brazilian was rather unconvincing.

Mari, Shkodran Mustafi, and Calum Chambers all started the season injured and none of the three stand out as a nailed-on starters, with the German essentially being pushed out the door. David Luiz has done an admirable job of winning over a large portion of fans but at the age of 33, he is clearly a limited option at the heart of the defense.

Rob Holding had failed to totally convince fans during his time in north London despite proving his credentials in a number of big games. The former Bolton man has performed admirably but still finds himself an easy target for supporters when things don’t go to plan. Finally, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and William Saliba might be at completely opposite ends of their respective careers but find themselves in the same position.

Both players failed to be included in Arsenal’s Europa League squad – Sokratis being excluded from the Premier League squad as well – and Saliba finding himself playing with the U-23s.

However, despite all of this uncertainty Arsenal currently possess the best defensive record in the English top-flight. Sitting in ninth place only four points behind Liverpool, the Gunners are now in a position where their defense has become a strength and not an Achilles heel. The arrival of Gabriel can not be overlooked but Arteta’s defensive revolution is clearly an ensemble effort.

The new signing has been a colossus so far in his short time with the club – the 22-year-old is easily one of the best signings of the summers costing only £27m.

Gabriel is a breath of fresh for Arsenal fans, seemingly blending Laurent Koscielny‘s athleticism, pace, and one-on-one defending with Per Mertersacker’s passing range, aerial prowess, and ability to read the game. Gabriel has brought a steady presence at the back that has rubbed off on the players around him.

Holding is one figure who has always shown potential but has suffered a few setbacks in his Arsenal career. Despite claiming two victories against Chelsea in FA Cup finals many fans have questioned Holding’s ability.

Perhaps it was the paltry transfer fee that secured his services from Bolton in 2017, but Holding has consistently been underestimated and even scapegoated by sections of the fanbase. It can be argued, however, that he is finally playing next to a player in Gabriel who offsets his limitations.

After making a comeback from a devastating cruciate injury, the 25-year-old Englishman has proven himself to be a mentally strong individual, and the manager’s decision to keep Holding this season rather than loan him out may be a masterstroke.

Finally, the rise of Arsenal’s full-back duo is massively important. The Gunners have not seen a pair of full-backs this dynamic since the days of Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy.

Kieran Tierney has settled into life at Arsenal wonderfully after a stop-start season pocked by niggling injuries. The former Celtic man has brought a level of determination and tactical nous that has allowed him to effectively play the left center-back/left-back role that makes Mikel Arteta’s hybrid 3-4-3/4-3-3 system function.

On the other side of the defense, Bellerin is getting back to his best. Like Holding, he has had to show great mental fortitude to battle back from a grave injury but now the Spaniard is displaying a mix of physical sharpness and experience that is making him a constant threat in the attacking third. Throughout the 1-0 victory over Manchester United, Bellerin made a host of fantastic deliveries into the box, displaying his improvements in the crossing department.

With the arrival of Thomas Partey for £45m, Arsenal has finally invested in strengthening the spine of the team. However, if the young backline of Gabriel(£27m), Holding(£2m), Tierney(£22m), and Bellerin(£450,000) can learn to coalesce into a consistent unit, that may be the biggest bargain for the Gunners this season in their quest for Champions League football.