As reported by Football.London, Kevin Campbell believes that William Saliba must play a vital role for the Arsenal first-team next season. Speaking to The Chronicles of a Gooner podcast, the ex-Arsenal forward said, “We made a very astute signing last year which many gave the club stick for: Saliba. At least we’ve got a centre half, a big, strong, quick, centre half who is going to go straight into that side. He has to.”
What do Arsenal need in defence next season?
Arsenal certainly haven’t fared well in defence over the past few years. This season, in particular, the Gunners have conceded the third-highest number of goals in the top half of the league table. The defence has clearly lacked the presence of a bonafide leader, especially following the departure of Laurent Koscielny.
More importantly, a host of Arsenal defenders, including David Luiz, Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi have made numerous defensive errors this season. While Luiz has struggled with his marking and positioning, Sokratis’ lack of quality on the ball has allowed the opposition to put pressure on him and ultimately create a dangerous turnover.
Therefore, Mikel Arteta must find a way to improve his side’s build-up play from the back. Also, they need the defenders to be much more organised in set-pieces. Only a struggling Aston Villa side have conceded more goals from set-pieces (14) than the Gunners (12) this campaign.
Why Campbell actually makes sense
Given the lack of consistency shown by the likes of Luiz and Sokratis, Arsenal must settle for a new centre-back next season. Even though the ongoing Coronavirus crisis is set to make a massive impact on the transfer market, the north London giants are likely to pursue a new and experienced centre-back.
At the same time, however, Arteta has another option in Saliba. The Frenchman, who signed from St. Etienne last summer, will return from his loan spell at the end of the campaign. He is already regarded as one of Ligue 1’s most talented young defenders.
What Saliba can add to the table is his ability to play the ball out from the back. Much like his compatriot Raphael Varane, the 19-year-old is extremely composed on the ball. He can find forward balls with his laser focussed passes while he is also capable of finding long diagonal balls, making it difficult for the opposition to intercept.
Moreover, Saliba’s impressive physique is a huge advantage when it comes to duels. Standing at 192cm, the youngster could potentially improve Arsenal’s defensive prowess from set-pieces. Although the Frenchman’s lack of experience could be a problem, regular first-team football can only improve him as a defender, especially with time on his side.
