Rob Holding: Stuck between a rock and a hard place

2. Asking too much

While fans can acknowledge that the performance of Holding has been sub-par in some fixtures, it is not always his fault, at least directly, for the issues the Gunners have had recently. However, as I have stated before, the issue is not necessarily about Holding’s technical ability but rather the domino effect he has on the team.

When William Saliba is in the lineup, the pace of the entire team is higher. White and Zinchenko can afford to press forward, and Thomas Partey doesn’t need to drop back into the defensive unit to progress the ball. Regardless of all the strategic analysis we can give, there is one issue. Aren’t we simply asking too much? Holding is not in this squad to start five games in a row in the Premier League, nor is he in the team to start against Manchester City, facing the best player in the world who happens to be a striker.

It is not far-fetched to believe that Arsenal have a much better chance at winning that game with Saliba in the lineup, although City looked out of this world. It is to say, however, that Holding was put between a rock and a hard place, and fans should appreciate his effort and fight.

Continued on the next slide…