Japanese international Takehiro Tomiyasu joined the Gunners in a late move deal on deadline day. While Arsenal fans were hoping for addition in other areas of the pitch, they were left wondering how the Japanese might fit in at their club. However, Mikel Arteta will be welcoming Tomiyasu with open arms considering the right-back spot at Arsenal has been a troublesome area over the last few seasons.
First choice right-back Hector Bellerin joined Real Betis on the same day Arsenal signed Tomiyasu. The Spaniard’s decline in recent years paved the way for the Japanese to find a new home at Emirates.
Takehiro’s Excellent Spell In Italy
Tomiyasu joined the Italian outfit Bologna from Belgian Club Sint-Truiden in 2019. He has been exceptional for the Seria A side since his arrival. Tomiyasu was deployed mostly as a right-back by Bologna. However, he showed his versatility while being deployed as a centre-back as well. The Japanese looked very composed on the ball and very diligent off it. He often overlapped his forward teammates in order to support the attack while his deliveries from the wing were also beneficial for Bologna.
Tomiyasu was selected to represent Japan in this summer’s Olympic Games where he played every match for his national side as Japan finished fourth and narrowly missed the Bronze medal.
How Tomiyasu Might Help Arsenal
Arsenal have more than one spots in their team which requires immediate fixing. However, the first three games of the new season very evidently showed that the right-back spot needs urgent help. Calum Chambers and Cedric Soares started those three games and looked like they had hot potatoes on their feet when on the ball. They failed to provide any defensive support to the backline, let alone join the attack while Arsenal were on the offensive. Cedric personally had the worst game of his career against Manchester City, drawing the irks of many.
As a consequence, Takehiro Tomiyasu comes in and slots straight into the right-back spot. His calmness and composure on the ball will be very beneficial for Arteta’s side. The Spanish manager often deploys his team with Kieran Tierney allowed to occupy the left-wing spot overlapping from the left-hand side of the defence. That leaves two centre backs and the right back to cover the defence as a three-back formation. Tomiyasu has a better profile than any other right-backs Arsenal have at the moment in terms of playing as centre-backs. His presence in the defence will help the midfielders and attackers to play more freely.
While Mikel Arteta and Edu continue their trend of signing young players to build the club from scratch, Takehiro Tomiyasu, being 22 years old with massive experience in Seria A and at the international stage, fits their profile perfectly. However, only time will whether he becomes an indispensable part of the side.