Rob Holding: The Return

[GunnerBP]

Doesn't mean they should be overlooked. This is why half the forum goes into meltdown when a player's form dips.

Holding's errors are not being overlooked. They're being viewed in the proper context. He was a player who was brought here to develop and we didn't expect him to be a starter.

Kos was older than Holding and came here to be a starter. His mistakes used to cost us matches because we were not expecting him to make them.

Holding has different expectations, and rightfully so. We all know that Holding gave away a fluke PK today, but do we honestly think that he's going to keep on making that type of mistake?

Holding in a shorter period of time has already started to make fewer errors than more established players. This is a good sign, but obviously, we still want him to get better and make even fewer errors.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

a bright light, in an otherwise bleak season...

 

[Impact]

Holding making mistakes at this stage is to be expected. It's how he responds that is critical. Even a number of best defenders of this era made numerous errors at his age. Ramos, Pepe, Boateng etc full of errors in the early twenties. They learnt, developed and grew. That's what we hope will happen with our Roberto Holdini.

 

[DanDare]

What a player

 

[OSBK]

Brilliant, love his hair too

 

[DanDare]

Brilliant, love his hair too

He's a great player but his hair line is poverty lol

 

[mm76again...]

He's a great player but his hair line is poverty lol

 

[Goon-Ger]

What a cracking prospect this boy looks. I can't believe he was heavily linked with a loan move to Rangers last season, what a coup that would have been.

I know Wenger has already covered it but if you looked at him and Stones closely you wouldn't tell who cost 50m and who cost 2m, infact you would and you would come to the assumption that Stones was purchased for 2m.

Rob is so confident on the ball and strong in the challenge, he is already a well rounded CB and if we stick with a 3 at the back i'd like to see him start more often that not.

 

[Mark Tobias]

What a cracking prospect this boy looks. I can't believe he was heavily linked with a loan move to Rangers last season, what a coup that would have been.

I know Wenger has already covered it but if you looked at him and Stones closely you wouldn't tell who cost 50m and who cost 2m, infact you would and you would come to the assumption that Stones was purchased for 2m.

Rob is so confident on the ball and strong in the challenge, he is already a well rounded CB and if we stick with a 3 at the back i'd like to see him start more often that not.

Still some kinks to iron out but I agree mostly. There was a horible clearance from him and then a fumble around the box. We were well under pressure at that point and it was probably the only little whoopsy he had.

 

[Ewarwoowar]

Arsenal's Rob Holding v Chelsea's Diego Costa: FA Cup final key battle
Last Updated: 24/05/17 4:08pm

Rob Holding versus Diego Costa could be the key battle on Saturday
The clash between Rob Holding and Diego Costa could be the key battle when Arsenal face Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Laurent Koscielny's red card in the final day of the season victory over Everton puts extra pressure on Arsenal's defence when they face their old nemesis Diego Costa and his Chelsea colleagues in the FA Cup final. But the form of Rob Holding offers some hope.

The young defender, who is capable of operating at full-back or centre-half, arrived from Bolton in a £2m deal in the summer to little fanfare. However, he found himself in the Arsenal starting line-up early in the campaign and impressed against Leicester.


"Unfortunately no one speaks about the performance of Rob Holding," said Wenger of the youngster's efforts up against Jamie Vardy. "You should be happy, he is English and 20 years old. I am sorry he didn't cost £55m, so he can't be good."

Arsenal's Per Mertesacker is hoping to feature in the FA Cup final
Holding was a bit-part player for long periods after that but after showing he could cope with the pace of Vardy he has since demonstrated his ability to withstand the physical test too - competing well against the likes of Troy Deeney and Peter Crouch.

In the win over Stoke he even won the most aerial duels of anyone on the pitch and had a good warm-up against Everton on Sunday, putting in a strong display against Romelu Lukaku. Indeed, Holding made more clearances than any other player as Arsenal made light work of Koscielny's sending off to win 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium with 10 men.

There was one slip up. Holding's handball resulted in a penalty to Everton which Lukaku duly converted and the defender will need to be at his most vigilant to ensure he does not produce a similar lapse on Saturday because Costa is sure to test the concentration levels.

Costa has a track record of scoring decisive goals for Chelsea
More experienced Arsenal team-mates have failed that test in the past. "I know I made a mistake," admitted Gabriel when sent off following an altercation with the Chelsea forward in September 2015. Per Mertesacker was red carded for a lunge on Costa in the return match the following year - Wenger subsequently claiming the striker had been "clever".

Costa went on to score the winner in that game and his knack for delivering decisive goals is a feature of his work. While the Spain international did not produce the volume of goals of Harry Kane over the past Premier League season, his efforts were actually directly responsible for more points. Costa is so often the difference maker in games.

Antonio Conte will be counting on him again at Wembley. But if Holding can stand up to the threat then Arsenal could have a platform from which to play because the 21-year-old has already demonstrated his qualities with the ball at his feet in the new back-three formation.


Arsenal and Chelsea FA Cup finals
The London rivals will meet each other for only the second time in an FA Cup final since 1993 - but both clubs have dominated the competition

"I enjoy it, getting on the ball a bit more and you have a bit more safety with the other two there," said Holding recently. "It plays into the way that I play because I like to be on the ball and move it forward. It's been going well so hopefully it continues."

One moment in the FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester City summed it up. Holding kept pace with Sergio Aguero running back to his own goal before twisting and turning to twice elude the Argentine forward as he confidently brought the ball away and up the pitch.

Conte will be looking to his star forward to prevent those antics and it remains to be seen whether Holding will dare attempt such a move with Costa on his heels. Whoever gets the better of this particular battle could be clutching a winners' medal at the full-time whistle.

http://www.skysports.com/football/n...-chelseas-diego-costa-fa-cup-final-key-battle

 

[Arsenal1508]

Holding's errors are not being overlooked. They're being viewed in the proper context. He was a player who was brought here to develop and we didn't expect him to be a starter.

Kos was older than Holding and came here to be a starter. His mistakes used to cost us matches because we were not expecting him to make them.

Holding has different expectations, and rightfully so. We all know that Holding gave away a fluke PK today, but do we honestly think that he's going to keep on making that type of mistake?

Holding in a shorter period of time has already started to make fewer errors than more established players. This is a good sign, but obviously, we still want him to get better and make even fewer errors.

Eh?

Was I watching a different match last Sunday when Monreal was the one with the fluke handball for the PK?
I mean...do Holding and Monreal resemble each other?

 

[Ewarwoowar]

Eh?

Was I watching a different match last Sunday when Monreal was the one with the fluke handball for the PK?
I mean...do Holding and Monreal resemble each other?

I was miffed from the off, I saw Holding do it but the cameraman was convinced it was Monreal because of his miserable reaction to the penalty kick being given and the commentators were in like flynn with their anti Arsenal reaction wanting us to fall on our ass, even though they bought the line that Monreal had done it, when it was Holding all along, desperate stuff really, commentators showing complete lack of observational skill.

 

[OnlyOne]

What a class player this guy has been. Deserves a trophy. Love you. Can't wait to get my Holding shirt next season.

 

[SuperGoon]

Doubt he'd have thought this time last year he'd be playing in an FA cup final against the champions and winning. Superb potential. What a steal.

 

[Impact]

Roberto Holdini with another good performance today against a world class striker in Costa.

Made some errors but never let his head drop and stuck to his task well. Was good to see him get physical with Costa without losing his head too.

 

[El Duderino]

2 million. Whoever scouted him needs to be given a raise

 

[Kingslayer]

 

[SteveEvets]

Loved when he got into it with Costa early on, Costa tried his usual rubbish and Holding got up laughed and gave some abuse straight back. Refused to be bullied. Stuff like that tells you just as much as his actual footballing, which is very good. Has a lot to learn of course, but the signs are there, he can go as far as he wants.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

2 million. Whoever scouted him needs to be given a raise

Yeah. And they need to get out more to find more like him.

 

[karl]

Loved when he got into it with Costa early on, Costa tried his usual rubbish and Holding got up laughed and gave some abuse straight back. Refused to be bullied. Stuff like that tells you just as much as his actual footballing, which is very good. Has a lot to learn of course, but the signs are there, he can go as far as he wants.

Yes, finally a player that won't be pushed around. He has shown this steel a few times this season