When the transfer window re-opens in January, I hope to see the club bring in a left-back, as we can’t rely on Andre Santos.
Kieran Gibbs, who is currently out injured but expected to be back for the game against QPR next weekend, is our only recognized left-back, which is worrying to say the very least.
We do have Santos as a cover option but judging on his performance on Saturday evening against a struggling Norwich side at Carrow Road, I honestly believe Wenger needs to strengthen this position by signing a full-back capable of challenging and filling in for Gibbs when the England international is unavailable as the Brazilian is simply not up to it.
To me, Santos looks out of shape and lacks defensive discipline. I know Vito Mannone should have done better with the initial shot from Alexander Tetty, but the Brazilian’s inability to step up kept Grant Holt, who pounced on the parry, onside.
I like how the 29-year-old bombs forward, as he offers us another attacking option, but his desire to get back and overall defending is appalling and frustrating to see.
If Gibbs were to suffer a setback or be out of action for a long period of time, can we honestly bank on Santos to fill in? I don’t think so.
Wenger really needs to consider acquiring a proper left-back who can defend, as well as push forward, in January. If the Frenchman manages to do this then he can think about offloading the Brazilian to Galatasaray.
Leighton Baines anyone?
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everyone was bad on Saturday, Santos is good cover for Gibbs
He’s Brazillian and since 1950 their philosophy is if you score 2 we will score 3. It’s in his DNA to mainly go forward. I bet any car built in Brazil wouldn’t have a reverse gear!
We should never have bought a wing back. We should have bought a defender !!
D whole ws bad dat saturday, e is a fyn player, pls dont judge him wit one match
I can’t see that Wenger worries too much about defending .His claim that the Norwich game is the only one that we have played badly in this season proves it.
He will just carry on trying to outscore every side we play against by two goals or more – we will never win anything with the current squad that we have playing like this. 4 or 5 top players are needed you only had to look at who Wenger sent on to try and rescue a point against Norwich late in the game. A 17 year old kid playing his first Prem game. Now what other top manager would do something like that? No wonder Ferguson and Mancini talk Wenger up – you don’t hear them praising Di Matteo though. I wonder why that is.
Good point. Unfortunately some Arsenal fans just don’t understand.
The problem i felt with Santos’ performance against Norwich was more in the offensive third. Too many times he went inside podolski where Norwich had a lot of cover instead of timing his run outside where the defence could have been stretched. His propensity to come high towards the centre of the pitch and lack of pace meant he suffered positionally in defence.
I havent really been impressed with him since his arrival but lets not forget he is just a deputy left back. ask yourselves apart from man city who really has 2 top left backs? Also as well as santos, vermaelen koscielny sagna jenkinson coquelin miquel have all played left back at some point whilst jernade meade gets better every week. i would have no problem selling santos and giving meade or any of the others a run as deputy left back until gibbs returns.
His just a “bunch of no good”..his 1st start in d epl dis season made me sick,i h*te him.