Arsenal have a problem, and it is a serious one. William Saliba, arguably the club’s most important defender, is set for a long spell out after suffering a back injury during France’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain. According to Sky Sports, ****** nal are now looking hard at the centre-back market, with John Stones and Ezri Konsa among the names under consideration.
That much is logical. Saliba has “avoided the need for surgery” but still faces “a lengthy period of rehabilitation”. You do not lose a defender of that calibre and pretend your existing depth solves everything. ****** nal have numbers at the back, yes, but top-level sides do not build plans around wishful thinking. They build around certainty, availability and profile.
That is where this story gets interesting. Stones and Konsa are both credible options, both known quantities in the Premier League, and both capable of playing at right-back. The similarity ends there.
Arsenal have already moved to “consolidated their defensive options” by signing Piero Hincapie permanently after his loan from Bayer Leverkusen. They also have Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera, Jurrien Timber and Ben White available, or close to available, across the defensive line.
But context matters. White is only just back in training after the knee injury he suffered in May. Timber has said he is “hopefully back soon” as he recovers from a groin problem. In other words, there are still too many variables. Arteta cannot go into the season knowing Saliba is out for an “extended period” and simply hope the rest of the puzzle pieces stay in place.
#stones #konsa
That much is logical. Saliba has “avoided the need for surgery” but still faces “a lengthy period of rehabilitation”. You do not lose a defender of that calibre and pretend your existing depth solves everything. ****** nal have numbers at the back, yes, but top-level sides do not build plans around wishful thinking. They build around certainty, availability and profile.
That is where this story gets interesting. Stones and Konsa are both credible options, both known quantities in the Premier League, and both capable of playing at right-back. The similarity ends there.
Arsenal have already moved to “consolidated their defensive options” by signing Piero Hincapie permanently after his loan from Bayer Leverkusen. They also have Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera, Jurrien Timber and Ben White available, or close to available, across the defensive line.
But context matters. White is only just back in training after the knee injury he suffered in May. Timber has said he is “hopefully back soon” as he recovers from a groin problem. In other words, there are still too many variables. Arteta cannot go into the season knowing Saliba is out for an “extended period” and simply hope the rest of the puzzle pieces stay in place.
#stones #konsa
3 months ago
