Arsenal: 4 major positives from 4-1 Leeds win

4. Being Able to Call it a ‘Back Five’

No need to list the players individually. Just say ‘the back five’, and everyone knows exactly who is involved.

There can be no taking that for granted: Arsenal have a set back four and goalkeeper assembled through excellent talent ID. Beyond that, we actually like them, and they’re all aged 24 or under.

Everyone knew Shkodran Mustafi was going to play, but that didn’t mean everyone was happy about it. Instead, there are five players here who there are next to no arguments about over being the first choice back five. They bring their own individual traits to defence and provide a balance and structure for the rest of the team to excel.

Nuno Tavares is the only real debate over a starting berth but Tierney is gradually building his sharpness back and the combination with Martinelli is steadily growing down that left side. He is a better fit for the Brazilian than Nuno due to his preferences to overlap and leave Martinelli the half-space. It’s helping him look as strong as he is.

Tomiyasu has been transformational to this team and may even go down as the signing of the season for Arsenal, while White continues to impress even if it was his brain fart that handed Leeds their goal.

It’s a hugely likeable and brilliantly efficient group of players who can be blanketed with ‘the back five’. That’s a small pleasure to keep you warm in the winter months.