Arsenal defenders: Who stays and who is sold?

After the horrific opening day defeat at the hands of newly-promoted Brentford, some of the anger and annoyance has subsided in and around Arsenal, albeit just a little.

Goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard were enough to sink a sorry Arsenal side that had two months to prepare for the onslaught that every football person on the planet knew was coming. Would Arsenal be pressed high and will the goalkeeper be forced into errors? You betcha.

Yet, as Arsenal often do, they were woefully unprepared and outfought by a team that simply wanted it more.

Sure, some could argue the scoreline could have been different had Thomas Partey, Gabriel, Alexandre Lacazette and captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang been in the side but truthfully, the lineup Mikel Arteta put out had more than enough quality to get a positive result.

Arsenal defenders: Who should stay and who should be sold in the transfer window as summer deadline draws close

Too often under Arteta’s reign, the defense has been a shambles and that is putting it lightly, even if in terms of the numbers there has been an improvement on the previous boss.

On Friday night the entire Arsenal defence – minus Kieran Tierney and in some parts of the game Ben White – were well beaten. Players at sea, combinations a mess and a lack of general quality.

Often made to look second-rate with Pablo Mari and Calum Chambers the main culprits, with two weeks to go until the transfer window closes, which defenders should stay at Arsenal and which ones should go?

If indeed any can be moved on.

Keep 5 – Ben White, Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding, Gabriel, Nuno Tavares

Only five defenders, you say?

Truth be told it could very well be just four, but Rob Holding has shown he can play rather well in low-block systems and not like someone who is being controlled by a PlayStation controller.

Ben White is class and the whole fanbase knows it. Yes, he did have a not-so-good debut game but he wasn’t alone. Cool and calm on the ball, Arteta isn’t going to spend £50m on a player and not give him a go. As for Tierney, he is Arsenal’s best attacking outlet, which says it all really.

He is a left-back who produces so much for his side, both defensively and offensively. Was clearly the Gunners’ Man of the Match against Brentford and is nailed on to be the next captain of the club.

Nuno Tavares, like White, has shown promise and in the short time he was on the pitch against Brentford as Arsenal looked a slightly better team going forward down the right-hand side.

Now, our Brazilian. Clearly, Arsenal’s best centre-back, and that includes White. Over time the two will most likely be the partnership Arteta goes with should keep his job by the time he returns to the team after the coming international break.

Gabriel started life in north London superbly and was often the rock at the back Arsenal have needed for decades. He is the modern central defender in every way and linking up with White is something every Gunners fan is looking forward to.

Continued…