By ’Tayo Amosu
September 17, 2014
It seems Arsenal would have to manage 3 senior team defenders out of the 6 available this season, against Borussia Dortmund for the UEFA Champions’ League group stage opener against Borussia Dortmund tonight in Germany.
Following the injury to Mathieu Debuchy over the weekend against Manchester City and the recent slight injury to Nacho Monreal ruling him out of the tie, Calum Chambers, the impressive 19-year-old versatile defender, who was signed from Southampton this summer, has also had to battle tonsillitis.
Chambers however, has been put at a 50:50 chance of playing but was put on the plane to Germany. The report this morning is that the player is struggling to be fit for the encounter against the Jurgen Klopp side.
Chambers’ versatility would be missed if not passed fit to play this match as he has played in 3 out of the 4 positions at the back.
He automatically should have the right full back role for the duration of Mathieu Debuchy’s absence through injury but with this injury worry, Hector Bellerin would be called to action if he isn’t considered fit enough for this UCL encounter.
When signed, he was thought to be the Mathieu Debuchy deputy at right back but has been deployed in the centre back pairing with Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal and Per Mertesacker from pre-season till now.
It is now looking more like Calum Chambers himself would be the one to decide the position he’d hold down in the nearest future for Arsenal, because he most likely would be subject to experimentation by Wenger till he cements a role permanently.
For this match, Hector Bellerin, the speedy defender, would be put on standby for the right full back position with this development.
Arsene Wenger spoke of Bellerin and insists the player would handle the pressure well if drafted into the team. The manager said: ‘‘Bellerin is a boy with personality. He is not fazed by the pressure. That’s important when you are a young boy. His transitional game is fantastic. He is quick and his final ball is good. He lacks a bit of experience but he is very dangerous.’’
Bellerin would have to see this as a chance of a lifetime and his performance this period may influence Arsenal’s decision to shop for another defender in January.
The way it appears now, even Kieran Gibbs and Laurent Koscielny are very susceptible to injuries and Hector Bellerin may get a chance of playing elsewhere in the defence other than the right back position.
The defensive issue Arsenal is going through presently is just a shame because the manger had the opportunity to buy defenders after the departure of Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona, Carl Jenkinson on loan at West Ham and Johan Djourou to Hamburg.
Many also wondered why the manager let all these defenders including Ignasi Miquel leave the Emirates when he knew he wouldn’t sign any other defender apart from Chambers and Debuchy.
It would be very impressive and surprising if Arsenal survives a defeat in this match against Borussia Dortmund as the team’s defensive confidence is at an all time low as a result of the absentees.
