While the midfield needs improvements, and the attack could be ripped apart, it is the defence that could make or break Mr Arteta's reign.
Right Back
Hector Bellerin splits fanbase opinion, with some seeing him as a future captain and others wanting him out of the squad altogether. However, with a contract running until 2023, it is hard to see him leaving any time soon. Struggling for form after long term injury, it will be interesting to see if he comes back closer to his peak form.
Cedric Soares - Not seen since his move to Arsenal. Being capable of playing left back as well, could be a decent permanent signing as back up to Bellerin.
Jordi Osei-Tutu - Young English right back currently on loan at Bochum and playing right wing. No longer exempt from the 25 man squad, although that should be no issue. A couple of years ago he was close to the first team, but seemingly has fallen away. Could Mr Arteta give him a chance?
Left Backs
Is it harsh to suggest Kieran Tierney is playing for his future in the remainder of the season? Injured when signed, it took an age for Tierney to force his way into the first XI. When he finally did, he hardly impressed. Then he got injured again. It has been a pretty awful start to his Arsenal career, could it really be the end?
Sead Kolasinac has never convinced, and with only 2 years left on his contract could be someone Mr Arteta wishes to get off the wage bill. However, that may be a problem due to the high wages Kolasinac earns, meaning he could be one to see out his contract.
Bukayo Saka is a player Mr Arteta will be desperate to keep, but with his contract expiring in 2021 negotiations need to go well. Although impressing as a left wing back, Saka is known to want to revert to a more advanced role.
Centre Backs
William Saliba will join the squad over the summer, and expectation is already very high. Mr Arteta may take a more cautious approach to blooding Saliba though.
David Luiz has his contract expiring in 2021, and being 33 could be open to leave. However, Mr Arteta will want some experience in his back line as he tries to develop Saliba so Luiz may be the man.
Likewise, Sokratis is out of contract in 2021. He seems less likely to be offered an extension, and Arsenal could be looking to sell him this summer.
Shkodran Mustafi is the third CB with an expiring contract in the summer of 21. Despite having a good spell under Mikel Arteta, Mustafi will surely leave at some stage in the next year?
Rob Holding and Calum Chambers have both suffered long term injuries in recent times, and neither have truly suggested they are good enough when fit. Holding, like Bellerin, may benefit from the break and will need to make a case for his future in the remainder of the season. Chambers, out of contract in 2022, will not see action until late this year.
Pablo Mari is on loan, but in the fleeting appearances he has made, has shown some quality to suggest he is worth investing in. At 26 years of age he is the right age group to bridge the gap between the old timers and Saliba.
Konstantinos Mavropanos has stuggled to get first team recognition, and although he has had a couple of good performances, he seems a long way from the starting XI. Currently on loan at Nuremburg, he is finally getting regular senior football. Whether his performances will earn him a second chance remain to be seen.
Zech Medley has become somewhat of a forgotten man after making his debut in 2018. Having the ability to play left back as well could be useful to Mr Arteta, however it would be a big risk to play the 19 year old who has found U-23 appearances harder to come by this season.
Daniel Ballard is another highly rated kid, however a serious injury saw his loan to Swindon end before it really got started. Fit again, could be looking at the hectic attempts to conclude the season as a door opening?
I would expect Arsenal to be actively trying to sell Mustafi and Sokratis asap, Kolasinac also. Any interest in Holding should also be taken seriously. David Luiz is certainly a candidate for an extra year, and I believe Pablo Mari should be signed.
The idea we may sign Upamecano seems far fetched, although there are some other, less hyped, alternatives out there such as Axel Disasi, who seems to fit the bill of inexpensive and available.
While Partey, Coutinho and the likes are glamorous and expensive rumours, it is what Mikel Arteta does with the defence that could be decisive.
Defensive rebuild.
posted on 27/5/20
Luis offered another year, why so he can be a liability for a whole season non stop? How about this DJ, next season we start with the basic of having two starting CBs, with neither one of them being a liability. For the last 20 years we've had a CB pairing with a handicap by default. That then got compounded by crap DMs. We finally got some defensive presence in MF and the CBs are the worst ever, BOTH liabilities. I often watch our defence and think a good championship pairing could easily do better. AFC gives away more defensive comedy goals than any other PL team by far. The very bottom teams are simply getting outplayed, WE'RE giving away goals, embarrassing ourselves and losing.
Above all Arteta needs to fix that defensive trio. No amount of attacking talent can offset the clown show that trio of positions has been at AFC the last 20 years. ANY rebuild that is to achieve long term success, has GOT to start there or it's all pointless. Really is "Back to basics" to fix this team. It doesn't have the talent all around, to redefine football so keep it simple. That means starting with at the very least, a starting 11 with zero players well known for being defensive liabilities.
No need to bother getting into the other huge tumour on the team which desperately needs removing, you know who he is. Get him gone and fix that trio of positions (partially done with Torreira if he's kept) and only then can we talk about building anything or moving forward. Other positions really are a moot point, so long as the No 10 tumour and clown CBs keep being put into teams.
posted on 27/5/20
It is a risk to have totally inexperienced CBs, and I feel we need to keep 1 while the defence is rebuilt. Of the 3 I feel Luiz can have the most positive influence.
posted on 27/5/20
Not exactly the rosiest of pictures tbh. Far too many '???'s over most of the defenders in our squad.
However I still believe Bellerin will come good again. And whilst it's hard to disagree with anything you've written about Tierney, the guy came with such glowing reviews from so many different sources, surely they can't all have been wrong about him.
CB for us though is, frankly, a bit of a mess. Really feels like it needs ripping up and starting again, but with so little money available next window (if reports are to be trusted) it's going to take some time, and patience, for this to get back to where it should be.
Having said that, Mari did look pretty good - or at least an improvement on others - before everything shut down, and Saliba arrives at Arsenal on the back of a fantastic season in France.
If those two can quickly develop a strong partnership (and stay fit!) with Luiz and either Holding or Chambers (or both) as back ups, suddenly the situation doesn't seem too bad.
posted on 28/5/20
Bit harsh on Chambers and Holding methinks. Similarly, I wouldn't say Tierney is playing for his future. The club bought him with a significant injury and so should have known it'll take time got him to get back to full strength. It's just unfortunate that around that time he had another injury. I think, like the above two, he'll be given a bit of time.
Top of my list to move on would be Mavropanos, Kolasinac and (this was a bit of a tough one) Luiz.