Arsenal’s defensive issues are mounting but January could solve their problems
Christmas is over, the decorations have been put back in the loft for another year, and 2019 is here, and with it, the opening of the January transfer window.
The January transfer window is a polarising aspect of the footballing calendar that has split fans, players and managers since its inception in 2003.
For some, it’s an important opportunity that helps teams acquire players in positions they are in desperate need of, whilst for others, it is seen as a way for the super rich to bolster the ranks and extend the gap between teams in the league with fewer funds.
Arsenal have been a team that rarely dabbles in January, with former manager Arsene Wenger being a harsh critic of the window.
But following horrific defensive performances against the likes of Southampton and Liverpool in December alone, Unai Emery has to look towards the transfer window as a salvation point for Arsenal’s major problems at the back.
Laurent Koscielny has struggled since returning from an Achilles heel injury, and summer signing Stephan Lichtsteiner has shown his age with sloppy performances in games Arsenal should be winning.
Fellow summer recruits Bernd Leno and Sokratis have impressed for the Gunners, but they are being handed the majority of the defensive work with everyone else underperforming.
With a limited budget, Arsenal’s scouting team has to be 100% sure it is bringing in the right defenders that can make an instant impact.
But with the transfer market more competitive and over-priced than ever, who can the Gunners realistically bring in?
Solving everything with duct tape
It’s no secret this season that Arsenal are broken at the back. Injuries to the likes of Rob Holding, Hector Bellerin and Shkodran Mustafi have seen Emery stick together multiple messy back fours held together with duct tape.
Laurent Koscielny has struggled since returning from an Achilles heel injury, and summer signing Stephan Lichtsteiner has shown his age with sloppy performances in games Arsenal should be winning.
Fellow summer recruits Bernd Leno and Sokratis have impressed for the Gunners, but they are being handed the majority of the defensive work with everyone else underperforming.
With a limited budget, Arsenal’s scouting team has to be 100% sure it is bringing in the right defenders that can make an instant impact.
But with the transfer market more competitive and over-priced than ever, who can the Gunners realistically bring in?