What to do about Saliba's injury

Holding in or Partey at right-back?

The international break has passed and I took a little break and prepared a piece on the run-in and whether it’s too early to call it that.

But then this took priority with the ‘news’ on Saliba on Thursday, so I’ve whipped something together on that.

I’ll update and send the run-in piece out later this week for everyone but the full version of this one — looking at why Holding is a bad fit to replace Saliba and whether we could entertain playing Thomas Partey at right-back — is just for paid subscribers.

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If only Arsenal had kept Cédric Soares in January, right?

I’m kidding. Mostly. Had we known back in January that we’d simultaneously lose Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba to injury, I’m assuming Cédric would’ve stuck around and he would have a good chance of now starting as long as Saliba is out.

All season, a consistent back four (or three of the back four, at least) has been the foundation of Arsenal’s success. Gabriel and Saliba have played more Premier League minutes than any other outfield player at the club so far this season. Ben White sits seventh, with the gap to Saliba in second roughly the same as the gap to Partey in eighth. Arsenal have had seven players as good as ever-present and three of them are in the back four.

If you want to change as little as possible, the only real option is to play Rob Holding until Saliba is back. But the mere mention of that is putting Arsenal fans on edge. Saliba has been vital this season and Holding is not only a big downgrade but also not really a like-for-like swap.

Pressing high successfully has been crucial in Arsenal controlling games this season, winning the ball back by the halfway-line at the latest and sustaining pressure. When Arsenal do press high, it often looks like this as they force the goalkeeper to one side …

… and Saliba’s role, regularly backing up Ben White and exposing himself wide, one-on-one, is crucial.