One of the key areas for improvement (the others being midfield and attack)., and talk suggests the defence will be the priority.
Currently we have 6 centre backs on our books:
David Luiz - 32 years old. Contract expires 30 June 21.
Sokratis - 31 years old. Contract expires 30 June 21.
Shkodran Mustafi - 27 years old. Contract expires 30 June 21.
Calum Chambers - 24 years old. Contract expires 30 June 22
Rob Holding - 24 years old. Contract expires 30 June 23
Konstantinos Mavropanos - 22 years old. Contract expires 30 June 23
We also have:
William Saliba - 18 years old. Contract expires 30 June 23
Not really that bad a situation to be in when you want to redesign the central defence. We basically have 18 months to replace the 3 senior CBs (hopefully we don't extend any of their contracts!)
Unfortunately the two English lads have both suffered long term injuries, and neither has had a sustained run in the team where they have looked long term solutions. Chambers is unlikely to be fit until 2021, when hopefully the squad will look a bit different. Hopefully Holding can regain fitness and form quickly and put himself in the picture to be a starting CB.
Mavropanos has not shown anything to suggest he will make it. Maybe he will be allowed out on loan, and given a chance to prove himself.
Dayot Upamecano is the name being linked to us the most. French, big, tough, young but with a decent amount of experience. Perfect partner for Saliba? Potentially will be very difficult to get though.
Merih Demiral is another linked to us. Like Upamecano, Demiral is 21 but lacks the first team experience Upamecano has.
Demirals team-mate Daniele Rugani has struggled for game time with Juventus and is linked to a move to the PL. Older than the other 2, 25 years old, but not really been a regular in the last 4 years.
From the PL, Nathan Ake has been linked, but Chelsea are among the others also rumoured to be interested in the Bournemouth man - and they have first option.
Jerome Boateng is 31, and seemingly unwanted by Bayern. Not someone I would favour, not much different from the 3 I want to see gone by June 21!!
There are others, Lewis Dunk, Samuel Umtiti, Pau Torres, Gabriel (Lille), Unai Nunez, etc.
Hoping Bellerin (or AMN) and Tierney will establish themselves as the full backs.
The midfield needs additions, and we have an issue with the contracts of Laca and Auba, but for me this defensive revolution is probably the priority over the next 18 months. Interesting to see if the people in charge see it the same and, if so, who we get in.
Our defence...
posted on 7/1/20
I think both Mustafi and sokratis will be phased out over the next season. Mustafi as soon as possible hopefully. I'd keep luiz for as long as he's capable as he has elite passing ability.
Saliba's penchant for injuries is a bit of a concern. Especially considering he'll be advancing to a much tougher league. I'm also a bit anxious if we're gonna ask a 19 yr old to be a regular starter. Assuming we don't sign a top CB, can him and Luiz form a decent partnership?
Chambers and holding are good squad players, I'd definitely keep them around. The injuries to both are massive bummers.
As for full back - Tierney and Bellerins injuries are concerning. We'll need to give it time to see how injury prone they are, but the signs aren't good.
posted on 7/1/20
Comment Deleted by Article Creator
posted on 7/1/20
I think we need to upgrade Bellerin as well, he has long gotten away with being suspect and weak defensively and seems to have lost some of the pace he had when he was younger too, would keep him as backup rb/rwb but I would prefer for us to sign a better defender.
I still have faith in Holding to recover fully from his injury, rediscover his pre-injury form which was very good and nail down a starting place at CB. Chambers has shown himself to be useful and versatile but we'll have to see how he comes back from the serious injury he has sustained in 9-12 months time.
Luiz is too rash to be a regular starting CB for us and looks as prone to making mistakes as Sokratis, Mustafi being the worst of the 3. I'd sell Mustafi if possible or at this stage, just let him go on a free to get the wages off the books. I'd sell Sokratis and keep Luiz as backup with Holding, Saliba and a new CB to fight for the spots between them.
So at least one new CB and a RB for me.
posted on 7/1/20
I feel like as fans we might be getting carried away a bit with Saliba. Don’t get me wrong it’s not just hype and potential, he delivers when I see him play. But, as the other poster said he appears prone to injury and he only played 16 games last season in the league and is on five appearances this term. He’s good but not the messiah, I worry some fans will feel like when he arrives our problems will be over.
posted on 7/1/20
I don't think the problem lies with the defence.
Its those who are shielding them. You only have to see what happens to the CBs trying to start moves when the central midfield players are not in position. Or what happens when the midfield doesn't work hard enough off the ball to shield them against counter attacks!
If we fix the midfield we fix the defence. Thats the one lesson Emery never learned.
The last two games are the perfect example! Keep midfield players disciplined and mistake free positionally and you can beat Man Utd on form. Or play deep, lax in midfield like we did against Championship Leeds in the first half and look like a pub team.
posted on 7/1/20
The top 3 on that list need replacing ASAP. No amount of "fixing the MF" is gonna prevent Luis or Sokratis from being the liabilities they can be. We need a top or at least topish CB this window or you can forget any resurgence. If we can bring in a quality CB this window, we can sure things up whilst Holding sorts himself and with luck have him and new dude as main pairing sharpish. Luis and Sokratis as backup.
A CM if Xhaka is leaving. Though there we could get away with an older PL one who still has 20 games a season in him. The type who can put Gwen through CM finishing school for a season. But not someone so prime they'll keep Gwen benched (more he plays, quicker we get a star, possibly superstar). DM we just need another Torreira. He wasn't expensive so get another just like him (only maybe bigger ) and may the best man win in training to see who's No 1.
We got big problems at FB if we get another injury but buying another is all sorts of headache for places when people are all fit in a few months so not sure there. So keep the attackers we have, SPEND on a CB and Older CM if Xhaka is leaving and buy another Torreira. Although if getting the CB then DM is not so urgent. Luis can cover Torreira.