What’s up with Arsenal’s William Saliba?
Let’s take a close look at Arsenal’s defense and what the manager might be intending to do with it.
Later this week, Saliba was withdrawn from the French Olympics selection. As you would expect, most of the fans were happy he was being given a chance to prove himself in the pre-season. But not long from that, David Ornstein broke the news that he’s expected to be loaned to Marseille in Ligue 1.
Well, to understand this situation better, let’s look at Arsenal’s upcoming season. Arsenal has failed to qualify for any European competition, meaning the number of games to be played will be significantly reduced. Inevitably, this will oblige Edu and Arteta, to reduce the size of the squad intelligently.
What’s best for William Saliba?
The main question is what’s best for Saliba considering the upcoming season. Arsenal already have two left-footed centre-backs plus Holding and apparently Ben White. One thing is for sure, he won’t be a regular. There will be no European competition, which means only the fittest players will be picked on matchday.
How about the pressure? Criticism will be intense…I think we can all agree it’s not the most suitable environment for a 20-year-old centre-back. I’ve seen established defenders like Mustafi succumb to fans’ criticism.
How mentally strong is this kid to support all criticism coming from fans who are just desperate to see their team compete at the top?
Games will be fewer, no one will be allowed to make the same mistake twice. You have four centre-backs, all of whom have experienced EPL before him. No backup competition like Europa league for him to redeem himself in case he doesn’t impress at first. I think it’s just too much pressure on a young defender.
On the other hand, he could go to an established french side Marseille, with less pressure and guaranteed game time. I don’t know about you, but I would prefer the latter.
How much experience has he gained recently?
William Saliba has only played 20 professional games (All of them at OGC Nice) in his last two seasons. Having had an injury-ravaged season before the Arsenal transfer, they wanted to give him some more experience.
Before his loan to OGC Nice, Saliba played 6 games in Arsenal U23 and 2 games in Arsenal U21, all through which he struggled and wasn’t convincing enough for premier league action.
Arteta stance on Saliba
Since his appointment, Arteta has always insisted that Saliba needs more games to develop. He apparently believes Saliba needs to be protected in his development so as not to rush him in the premier league. According to The Athletic, It was a decision taken with the consent of both parties for Saliba to be sent on another loan.
Just an Arsenal fan’s view
Contrary to what most fans might think, I think Arsenal view Saliba as more of a long-term CB compared to other center-backs they brought in. Whether they were right to send him on loan will be determined by his statistics and performances at the end of the season.