William Saliba: Here to Stay ✍️

[Oxeki]

The likes of Mustafi, Sokratis and luiz getting game time and making mistakes after mistakes was a bitter pill to swallow when we had a top CB prospect rotting on bench. Look at Fofana who's clearly an inferior CB to Saliba and he's looked good in Leicester under Rodgers.

 

[Jury]

Yet playing in the U23s matters?

He’s not in the u23’s, he’s on loan in France...

No, doesn’t matter either because ultimately we want to see how he performs in the PL; they are the only games where we can judge him and then decide if he should be in the side or not. Until then, we can only hope he carries on developing. I’d worry more about the situation if he were stuck in the u23’s.

 

[Jury]

The likes of Mustafi, Sokratis and luiz getting game time and making mistakes after mistakes was a bitter pill to swallow when we had a top CB prospect rotting on bench. Look at Fofana who's clearly an inferior CB to Saliba and he's looked good in Leicester under Rodgers.

He’d only just turned 18... I’m glad we didn’t throw him into the meat grinder when we were a total mess... Can you seriously imagine? That would have awful. People would have been expecting him to save us and would have turned on him in typical fashion. Fofana at Leicester has no bearing whatsoever on what what we should be doing with Saliba. Maybe he’s got a better understanding of the PL than Saliba at this moment, despite being seen as inferior? Maybe they need him more? I can see how that situation could add frustration, but it really shouldn’t.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

I think it's a good thing we're delaying his Arsenalisation as much as possible tbh.

 

[Jury]

Arteta is a great developer of talent, I'm told.

Is it ‘your’ manager or ‘you’re’ manager, though? It’s just that you ran away in shame before you could answer...

 

[Oxeki]

He’d only just turned 18... I’m glad we didn’t throw him into the meat grinder when we were a total mess... Can you seriously imagine? That would have awful. People would have been expecting him to save us and would have turned on him in typical fashion. Fofana at Leicester has no bearing whatsoever on what what we should be doing with Saliba. Maybe he’s got a better understanding of the PL than Saliba at this moment, despite being seen as inferior? Maybe they need him more? I can see how that situation could add frustration, but it really shouldn’t.

There's literally nothing to suggest that Saliba won't have thrived under pressure. Martinelli came in and Started performing almost immediately, the likes of Saka are making mockery of that notion. If a player is very talented, you don't loan him to the french especially when he just came from there. You look for ways to integrate him into the team.

Most Arsenal fans would probably have felt much better if Saliba was loaned to a PL club. When he comes back next year, he's still not going to be further along in his development. It's all just pointless, I'm afraid. We can't be pissing a 30m asset away (who could probably be worth double or even triple in a few years time) especially when we're pleading poverty.

I don't think I can stomach another situation where an Arsenal prospect leave, goes on and play for a top CL club.

 

[Riou]

Think it's much easier to be a young attacker, than a young defender, especially for a club that has the pressure Arsenal are under.

Also you can't say Forfana is "clearly the inferior player", he is proven to a degree in this league while Saliba isn't...it's not William's fault, as he wasn't tried as of yet...but right now Wesley is the better player, until we see Saliba in this league.

 

[Jury]

There's literally nothing to suggest that Saliba won't have thrived under pressure. Martinelli came in and Started performing almost immediately, the likes of Saka are making mockery of that notion.

As Riou pointed out, it’s not the same for an attacker being thrown to a struggling side as it is for an 18 year old CB.

There’s literally (not saying this just for effect either!) nothing to suggest he would have handled it, as he’s yet to play a game for the first team under my conditions whatsoever.

You can’t say you have zero doubts because you’ve seen him do well in France... That’s dubious foundations.

 

[Oxeki]

Also you can't say Forfana is "clearly the inferior player", he is proven to a degree in this league while Saliba isn't...it's not William's fault, as he wasn't tried as of yet...but right now Wesley is the better player, until we see Saliba in this league.

In their time together at SE, Saliba was tipped by most people to become a World class. In their time playing together, Saliba clearly looked the better player.

Anyway, it's all moot now though. I don't see a future for Saliba here. Going forward, Arteta clearly see Holding, Gabriel,Mari and Luiz as his CB option.


It's all just frustrating. Saliba has the potential become the best CB in the League. It's not everyday you see a CB that has excellent in every area of his game.

Varane was 18 when he pushed Pepe out of the team at Madrid.

 

[Riou]

Pretty sure Pepe was still the starter for Madrid until Varane was around his early 20s, he was a squad player at Real for a few seasons.

Want to see Saliba given a chance, but we all have potential tbh...putting it into action will decide whether William is Sol Campbell or Johan Djourou, Tony Adams or that gimp Mustafi.

Let's see what happens, fingers crossed though, for Saliba and Arsenal.

 

[Oxeki]

Pretty sure Pepe was still the starter for Madrid until Varane was around his early 20s, he was a squad player at Real for a few seasons.

Want to see Saliba given a chance, but we all have potential tbh...putting it into action will decide whether William is Sol Campbell or Johan Djourou, Tony Adams or that gimp Mustafi.

Let's see what happens, fingers crossed though, for Saliba and Arsenal.

In 2013, I'm pretty certain mou dropped Pepe for Varane.

https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3277/la-liga/2013/05/07/3960791/mourinho-pepe-has-a-problem

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/22437162

 

[Riou]

In 2013, I'm pretty certain mou dropped Pepe for Varane.

https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3277/la-liga/2013/05/07/3960791/mourinho-pepe-has-a-problem

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/22437162

From the stats though, it looks like it wasn't until Varane was 22 that he started to play more games than Pepe.

 

[Batman]

From the stats though, it looks like it wasn't until Varane was 22 that he started to play more games than Pepe.

Who cares? We have Rob Holding and David Luiz in Saliba's way. Pepe is still better than both of them in the absolute twilight of his career. The way Saliba has been handled has been scandalous.

 

[Riou]

The way Saliba has been handled has been scandalous.

Agreed.

 

[TinFish]

I don't care if he doesn't put his sausage in the bun. Hope he gets treated better and still anticipates playing for Arsenal football club.

I'd even go as far to say I'd be happy if he became the PL's first openly gay player because what better place than banter FC Arsenal right?

Hope he has a fruity and prosperous career here.

 

[Ind0Gunnerz]

Arteta is a great developer of talent, I'm told.

Yes, he clearly sees something in Willian and try to always play him.

 

[Maybe]

So that's Saliba, Pepe, Douzi, Martinelli and Nelson completely locked out.

Not bad

 

[DasBootist]

So that's Saliba, Pepe, Douzi, Martinelli and Nelson completely locked out.

Not bad

In Artekka'z defence, Guendouzi does seem a massive twart

 

[dashsnow17]

"Their positive and progressive passing from deep has energised Nice’s use of possession, while their alert and astute defending has stemmed a steady flow of chances. Their 2-1 win over Rennes at the weekend showed their importance. Even though Rennes were able to score after Saliba misplaced a pass, both players were impressive in the victory. They also looked good in defeat at PSG, a game that Nice were unfortunate to lose. And a similarly imposing display, especially from Todibo, helped Nice beat a stubborn Angers 3-0 last month in just their second outing together"

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ir-todibo-ligue-1-arsenal-barcelona-transfers

 

[Gooner416]

"Their positive and progressive passing from deep has energised Nice’s use of possession, while their alert and astute defending has stemmed a steady flow of chances. Their 2-1 win over Rennes at the weekend showed their importance. Even though Rennes were able to score after Saliba misplaced a pass, both players were impressive in the victory. They also looked good in defeat at PSG, a game that Nice were unfortunate to lose. And a similarly imposing display, especially from Todibo, helped Nice beat a stubborn Angers 3-0 last month in just their second outing together"

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ir-todibo-ligue-1-arsenal-barcelona-transfers

I really like Todibo, I know he has flopped since his Barcelona move but he's superb on the ball, has pace and he's strong.