When we were first linked with Riccardo Calafiori, I was left scratching my head. I had never heard of the Bolonga defender, and it felt like we were being used to force through his move to Juventus; a tactic we had seen previously with Manuel Locatelli.
Whilst I have faith in both Mikel Arteta and Edu, I was unsure if a left sided centre back come left back was what we needed – afterall we had Gabriel and Jakub Kiwior as central defensive options and Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber at left back. Add in Kieran Tierney (who I expect to leave) and we are well stocked on the left hand side of the defence.
So just why are we looking to spend £35m on what some have described “a Paolo Maldini regen”?
To start with, this will not be a technical analysis. I do not know enough about him and, unlike others, I do not get AI to write my blogs. This is about where he fits into the squad.
Gabriel replacement
My first thought as the links strengthened was that he could be a replacement for our Brazilian beast.
Last summer Gabriel got tempted by a move to Saudi Arabia. He ended up being dropped by Mikel Arteta, not starting any of our 3 games. Some would argue his flirting with the Middle East cost us the title – we drew 2-2 at home to Fulham in those opening games. A victory might have changed everything.
It would be surprising if a Brazilian international, entering his peak years playing for a Premier League title chasing club would just up sticks and go to Saudi Arabia. But then you have to factor in the money they are offering.
Aston Villa’s Moussa Diaby is about to make the move after just once season in England. He would rather earn loads money then play in a Champions League side.
You also have Ederson.
At just 30-years-old, the Brazil number 2 could make the move despite being at Manchester City. It is all about the money.
Can you really blame a player for having their head turned by a £30m a year tax free contract?
I do not think Gabriel will go, but once you flirt once can you fully be trusted to not consider cheating again?
Jakub Kiwior replacement
The signing of the Polish central defender came from nowhere 18-months ago.
Kiwior has been solid cover for Gabriel, but has never really pushed on to be a genuine challenger in that position.
Arsenal are likely more than happy with him as Gabriel’s cover, but maybe Kiwior has ambitions to play week in week out elsewhere?
Last summer he was heavily linked wit Napoli, this summer it is Inter Milan. There is certainly plenty of interest from top teams who would be able to provide him a starting berth.
But would we be spending £35m on a back up central defender when we have other positions that require more immediate attention.
The Ben White role
Zinchenko has shown he is a bit of a liability defensively at times, and I have long held view that his future in this team lies in that left handed 8 position, replacing Grant Xhaka.
Timber and Tomiyasu are excellent options, but neither are natural left backs nor played there for long parts of their career. Could Arteta be looking to replicate what he did with Ben White on the other flank?
Calafiori is predominantly a left side central defender – it is where he played for Bolonga last season and Italy in the Euro’s. But a quick scouting report will show you that he has played nearly half of his senior appearances at left back. And this is where the “Maldini regen” comments come in.
A lot of fans would have Maldini down as one of the greatest central defenders to play the game when infact he spent most of his career at left back. Just because you are 6′ 2″ and like defending more than attacking does not automatically mean you are a centreback.
We have seen Pep Guadiola move Josko Gvardiol to left back. He has also played Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji at left back. In fact, I can not remember the last “proper” left back they had – and by proper I mean someone who stays wide, gets chalk on their boots and gets up and down the line.
We know Arteta is a pupil of the Pep-way, and maybe a big part of that way is having technically gifted central defenders playing in those wide positions. thus creating a more narrow, compact defence and reducing how many goals you concede. You sacrifice a bit of a full backs forward play for clean sheets.
Ben White does this superbly at right back, whilst also being cover for William Saliba in central defence. Could Arteta be looking to replicate this with Calafiori at left back?
The Italian would then become your first choice left back, whilst also providing cover for Gabriel if Kiwior leaves.
Risky business
The big concern with having Calafiori and White as your first choice full backs, whilst also being your first choice cover at centre back is that the defence can be very thin of options very quickly. It would be a bit of a risk.
But Arteta has potentially offset this risk by signing versatile defenders:
Both Timber and Tomiyasu can play right back, left back and centre back. If either Ben White (why do we always say his full name?) or Calafiori are needed at centreback, one of these will fill in at full back. And if both are needed, we just end up with Timber White Calafiori Tomiyasu as our back 4. And we would still have Zinchenko as an option.
We would have 7 players for 4 positions. With 4 of those players having the capability to play outwide or in the middle. You would also have Declan Rice and Thomas Partey who can play as emergency central defenders or full backs if needed:
Right Back: White, Timber, Tomiyasu, Partey
Left Back: Calafiori, Tomiyasu, Timber, Zinchenko
Right Centreback: Saliba, White, Tomiyasu, Timber, Rice
Left Centreback: Gabriel, Calafiori, Tomiyasu, Timber, Rice
Invert the other side
Playing Olexsander Zinchenko as an inverted full back was a big reason we were title challengers in 2022/23, and it is not a plan that Arteta would have give up on.
In games where we look to dominate possession, the option will still be there to play Zinchenko at left back whilst dropping into midfield for an extra creative option. Gabriel, Saliba and Ben White then push over to make a back 3.
Calafiori incoming means we could invert the right hand side instead – you have Timber coming in for White, whilst Calafiori plays at left back.
You would invert the right side if the opposition were strong offensively on their right (our left), and invert the left side if the opponents left side was their strongest attacking point. More options. More different ways to set up and cause the opposing manager a headache.
Writing this blog, I have become more comfortable with the impending acquisition of Calafiori.
We have seen Josko Gvardiol and Ben White that having big, strong full backs that defend first is the way to win the Premier League right now. Calafiori will give us that option at left back whilst also covering Gabriel in the centre.
I also like the idea of having the choice of either Timber on the right side, or Zinchenko on the left as inverted options. It might not be every game, it might not be the whole game. But it is another option.
In this market, we are getting Italy’s first choice central defender for £35m. That is a great deal. And ultimately, we should not be scared of a bit of competion!
Guardiola is able to keep John Stone, Ruben Dias, Gvardiol, Akanji and Aka happy. Arteta will have to do the same if we want to become champions once more.
UTA.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 