In the 2019 summer transfer window, Arsenal acquired the services of David Luiz, yet another player deemed surplus to requirements by Chelsea. It was a signing that divided opinion amongst the fan base, and life in an Arsenal shirt didn’t start the way Luiz would have envisaged.
During the Unai Emery era, the Brazilian was plagued with errors, making costly mistakes on a regular basis. Defensive liability is a phrase many described the former PSG man with and he certainly wasn’t proving doubters wrong with his early performances for the Gunners.
But since the arrival of Mikel Arteta, the 34-year-old has arguably been the club’s best defender, demonstrating a level of reliability needed along the backline as well as providing attributes that his fellow centre-half teammates at the time simply couldn’t give.
Luiz under Arteta
Carrying an abundance of progressive qualities, Luiz is a key contributor towards the build-up phases. Whilst Rob Holding has arguably had his best season for the club, the former Bolton defender hinders the 1st phase of play and it’s very apparent that Arsenal’s ability to progress through the lines isn’t as smooth in Luiz’s absence.
Particularly when facing a low block, Luiz is someone who facilitates chance creation from deep. Against opposing teams who deploy this tactic, utilizing the wide areas is one way to carve openings, and the 6ft 2in defender’s ability to execute accurate long balls into these spaces is a very useful weapon. Whether it’s a floated ball down the line or a diagonal switch towards the opposite channel, Arsenal’s former number 23 is consistent with his delivery.
Whilst it’s evident that Luiz is one of the top ball-playing centre-backs in Europe, what’s gone under the radar is the defensive consistency provided, particularly the aggression and authority he has shown. Aerially, the former Chelsea man is successful in most duels he faces, winning 74.5% of his battles. Comparatively, only Mavropanos (75.4%) betters him in this department and it’s an attribute that allows Luiz to play on the front foot.
As the Brazillian international’s career in North London has now come to an end, there’s no doubt that he needs replacing and it’s a question of who can replicate his qualities. The first name that springs to mind is Saliba, with almost every Gooner across the globe wanting the exciting 20-year-old to be given an opportunity to showcase his talent.
William Saliba analysis
William Saliba has endured a turbulent start in his early Arsenal career, despite still not featuring in a single competitive game for the club. The Frenchman was mismanaged during the first half of the campaign, with Mikel Arteta definitely culpable in this regard.
The loan move for the second half of the season however was a wise decision as it was an opportunity for Arsenal’s number 4 to play regular first-team football, make mistakes that he could learn from, and develop at a comfortable pace. With Saliba making 22 starts and being included in Ligue 1’s defender of the year shortlist, it’s fair to say that his spell away in France was a huge success.
1) Saliba’s role
Initially, Adrian Ursea deployed Saliba at the center of a back three, tasked with being the main progressor along the backline. But once Jean-Clair Todibo arrived in the January window on loan from Barcelona, it enabled Nice to move towards a back four with the Bondy-born defender tasked with the left centre-back role.
Although Saliba is tailored to the right-hand side, playing through the left would enable him to improve on aspects such as body positioning and passing into slightly more unfavourable areas.
2) In possession
It’s very well known that Saliba is a progressive machine, and there aren’t many who outperform the youngsters in possession play, which is quite impressive when considering the former St Etienne prospect is still raw.
Numbers-wise, when compared to his fellow teammates, only Mavropanos (4.61) completes more progressive passes per 90 than him (4.15), whilst Saliba on average completes 4.55 passes into the final third per match, more than any other centre-half currently at the football club.
The 6ft 4in defender provides a calming influence on the ball, even when surrounded by an organized intense press. Whether it’s dribbling to evade pressure or shielding the ball by adjusting his body, the Arsenal man is well aware of what to do in these situations and regularly finds teammates in his next action – qualities that are required for a team who look to play out from the back.
Stepping into the midfield line and playing forward passes into threatening areas is another aspect Saliba excels in. Even in the tightest of spaces, the France U20 international is capable of threading the ball between the lines with incisive passes.
Not only this, but the Arsenal defender excels when favoring a more aerial route. A common pattern in Nice’s play during build-up is to have at least one of the full-backs occupying the wide channel in an advanced area. With Saliba completing 81.9% of his long balls, the 20-year-old is very accurate in his execution, consistently finding his man in space.
3) Defensive capabilities
Out of possession, Saliba uses his pace and power to his advantage. His ability to recover his position swiftly enables him to hold a high line, which is required for a team that wants to dominate the game with the ball and sustains pressure for prolonged periods. Averaging 1.7 interceptions per game, which ranks him in the 81st percentile, Saliba is a proactive defender, who likes to steal possession back quickly high up the pitch.
One notable aspect that he does currently struggle with is the aerial side of the game. Given his desirable physical frame, the center-half isn’t as dominant in the air as he should be. Winning only 61.4% of his aerial battles, Saliba tends to get himself in awkward positions along with at times mistiming his jump and getting caught underneath the ball. This is something that he will need to improve on quickly, as there’s no doubt that he will be put under serve pressure by physical forwards here in England.
Final thoughts
The improvement in results and performances from Nice has been clear to see since January, with Saliba playing a significant role in the club’s upturn in form. It’s yet another example of a club reaping the rewards of the loan system as the imposing central defender has come back to North London a much better player, with more experience under his belt.
There’s no question that Saliba would significantly improve Arsenal’s build-up play since he possesses a plethora of passing qualities. In fact, the Frenchman provides greater levels of progression than David Luiz from a statistical point of view, so there is an expectation that the build-up play would be more efficient.
The uncertainty however revolves around whether throwing Gabriel and Saliba together from the get-go is a wise move. Whilst the two are expected to eventually form a formidable partnership together at the heart of the Arsenal defence, right now both would be more comfortable next to an experienced head, hence why it’s imperative that Arteta does strengthen within this department.
But what’s worth mentioning is that Saliba should still be within the squad as he’s done more than enough to be given opportunities, even if it means rotating with Gabriel. Although Arteta advocates having left-footed center-halves, Saliba has demonstrated how comfortable he is in this role during his time in France.
Pre-season will be an important period for Saliba, as it’s expected that Arteta will give him games to impress, and hopefully, the talented youngster delivers.
Hope you enjoyed the read! Please comment below as I’m intrigued to know your thoughts.
(All data used in this piece has been taken from fbref.com)