Arsenal: 4 vital transfers to complete before deadline

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (L) gestures from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Brentford and Arsenal at Brentford Community Stadium in London on August 13, 2021. - - 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 Adrian DENNIS / 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. / 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 ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

2 of 4

BRENTFORD, ENGLAND – AUGUST 13: Calum Chambers of Arsenal is put under pressure by Rico Henry of Brentford during the Premier League match between Brentford and Arsenal at Brentford Community Stadium on August 13, 2021 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images) /

2. A Right-Back Better Than the Four on Show

Calum Chambers had a nightmare evening. He is also the best of the four right-backs Arteta has at his disposal. Seven years on from his arrival and that is the state of affairs.

He can have impressive outings, as demonstrated at the end of last season. This was not one of them. Torn to shreds by Bryan Mbeumo and forced into baffling mistakes at the back (many of which were unforced) his lack of mobility to cover ground behind him was excruciating viewing.

Maybe Arsenal can play one of the other three they have? They were all on the bench, after all. Or, with 80 minutes on the clock, why don’t they bring on a 21-year-old new boy for his Premier League debut. Y’know, the left-back?

That is shambolic. Hector Bellerin, Cedric Soares and Ainsley Maitland-Niles all exist. They might as well not do.

Four right-backs and not only are none of them good enough, the manager doesn’t even have enough faith in them to bring any of them off the bench.

This was a position that, given the extreme quantity of work needed to be undertaken this summer, was widely deemed the least pressing. Of course, a starting right-back is needed, yet given everything else to tend to it would have been just about manageable to do without.

It appears not. This high press, high line approach is not viable with what Arsenal have at their disposal.

Home/Arsenal News