The last time Arsenal worried about replacing a defender who was ruled out of season in April, they ended up winning only three out of their remaining nine Premier League games and crashed out horribly from the title race.
This year, Liverpool are already 12 points ahead and there are only eight games to play. Still, if you asked Arteta to write this season’s ending – realistically – he’d want his side to stick as close to Liverpool as possible, and hope the league leaders collapse in front of the finish line, setting an unwanted record. And he’d want them to beat Real Madrid in the quarter-final of the Champions League, and possibly go all the way.
But Arteta’s fairytale ending would be much harder to write without his Brazilian strongman at the heart of defence. So how will Arsenal replace Gabriel?
Jakub Kiwior is currently the most realistic partner for Saliba. It was the Pole who replaced Gabriel in the first half of Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Fulham on Tuesday. He is certainly “bloody willing” (Arteta’s words, not mine) to do his job. But the Brazilian is much better, so an obvious drop in standards would be unsurprising. Can Arsenal afford that at this stage?
Jurrien Timber was subbed off in the second half against Fulham with a knee problem and replaced by Partey at right back. There are hopes, however, that it is not too serious and he can recover quickly.
Ben White missed the win due to a niggling injury during training, but he might just be fit for the Champions League tie against Madrid. Takehiro Tomiyasu is out. He has hardly featured this season. Riccardo Calafiori sustained a knee injury during the international break and is not expected back for some time. According to Arteta, “it’s going to be a matter of weeks.”
So Arsenal’s backline, one of the meanest in the Premier League, is looking desperately thin.
Ben White and Jurrien Timber are Arsenal’s regular right backs. However, if fit, both would provide Arteta with solid options at centre-half. With over 180 minutes of football against Real Madrid and some of the world’s sharpest attackers looming, the Gunners boss would appreciate that.
