Obviously you want to have the best starting XI possible, but it’s a foolish move to go into a season without some strength in depth too.
Arsenal are not in a position where they can afford to sign and carry two top quality players in every position, so it does mean that they need to have some fringe players who won’t let them down but they won’t be good enough to start every game.
A report from Goal has looked at some recent comments from Tony Adams, and he’s made an interesting comment about their right back situation:
“If you’re bringing players in who are a lesser standard, you don’t get someone that’s less than what you’ve got. Cedric, is he better than Bellerin? Have you made an improvement there? Take it or leave it.”
“Or are you telling me we need two? Get rid of two and get a good one! That would be the opinion that I would have.”
In an ideal world this could make sense if a top class player was available and they didn’t get injured, but you still need to have some depth at wing back when you consider how demanding the position is and how many games are played in the modern game.
It’s possible that Ainsley Maitland-Niles could still return and act as the back-up in that position, but it’s also hard to see Cedric and Bellerin raising enough money to fund a truly top quality full back in the summer.
NOTHING YOU ARE SAYING. THE TWO PLAYERS IN QUESTION ARE NOT YET IN THEIR PRIME YET. WE CANT AFFORD TO LOOSE THEM.
MIND YOU ITS LONG SINCE WE CONSIDED GOALS FROM CROSSES. BELERING HAS PERFORMED ESPECIALLY WHERE HE HAS BEEN DEPLOYED ALONGSIDE SAKA ON THE SAME FLANG. HODLING HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING ESPEALLY AGAINST TOP TEAMS