Arsenal: 4 biggest positives from international break

2. Two Kieran Tierney Clean Sheets for Scotland

Kieran Tierney needed this international break.

For the Watford game last time out he was selected on the bench with Nuno Tavares keeping his place in the starting lineup, a move that raised some eyebrows and appeared to confirm who was first in line.

While that may be true, the likelihood is that the coaching staff at Arsenal were well aware that Steve Clarke would play Tierney in all 180 minutes of Scotland’s crucial World Cup qualifiers, and having just returned from injury, there was no need to rush the defender back against the struggling Hornets.

Playing nearly every minute for the Tartan Army, Tierney was also superb in both matches. Against Moldova he did his defensive duties brilliantly having not kicked a ball for a few weeks, including a stunning goal-saving challenge in the box and a double nutmeg on one of Moldova’s wide players.

He sustained that level against the far tougher Danes, playing his part in the defensively resolute back three and also dovetailing with Andy Robertson down the left.

The jury is still out for plenty of Arsenal fans on who should get the not at Anfield, but for experience and defensive acumen alone, Tierney has to be the pick. While he’s unlikely to have paid any attention to the ongoing debates, this would have nonetheless done him the world of good. Onto the play-offs with a home semi-final to come in March.

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