By Billy Rodgers
After another poor start under Arsene Wenger, Arsenal fans are quick to blame the manager. Currently sitting in sixth place, with only 17 points out of a possible 33 points, Arsenal need a big win to kick start a season that was said to have so much potential. As it has gone in the past years, when Arsenal start off poor, Arsene Wenger is targeted by the fans and media. Some say he has lost the plot, others say the game of soccer has changed too much for him. Arsene Wenger should leave Arsenal as a hero, on his own terms. For this to happen it is imperative that there are changes made this January when the transfer window opens as well as on the field.
It seems that every transfer window is crucial for Arsenal. This is one area where the game has passed by Arsene Wenger as he never seems to bring in everyone of Arsenal’s needs. This summer , two defenders were brought in, Calum Chambers and Mathieu Debuchy, two natural right backs who were to fill the shoes of departing Bacary Sagna. Even with these two signings, Arsenal are playing with a very weakened defensive line. Laurent Koscielny and Mathieu Debuchy are both missing due to injury, which greatly contributes to Arsenal’s current defensive struggle.
In the past week they went up 1-0 to Swansea City, only to throw the lead away, as Swansea scored twice in two minutes to win the game 2-1. Before Swansea, Arsenal had a Champions league home game against Belgian side Anderlecht. They took a 3-0 lead but ended up tying the game 3-3, something that should never happen, especially at home. The underlying problem continues to be defense. Without Debuchy and Koscielny, Wenger has been playing Calum Chambers at right back and Nacho Monreal at center back. Chambers has played right back before but has nowhere near enough pace to cover speedy wingers. Monreal has some experience from preseason playing center back, but not even close to enough.
Along with these two current crucial weaknesses, center back and right back, defensive midfield is also a big problem. Mikel Arteta, who usually plays in this role, is having a stop and go season. He usually seems to thrive as a more holding midfielder but with his age he cannot be depended on. When he is in, it seems that Arsenal dominate possession, defend counter attacks, and play as a team. It showed, when he came off with a hamstring injury against Anderlecht, Arsenal then fell apart. Arsenal need a large presence who can sit next to Arteta, like Nemanja Matić does for Chelsea. Below are two possible signings that Arsenal could make this January to cover their struggling defense.
Center Back: Mats Hummels
This summer, Arsenal sold skipper Thomas Vermaelen but they never really replaced him. It was assumed that Chambers and Debuchy came in to replace Sagna and Carl Jenkinson (On loan at West Ham United).
It clearly shows that Arsenal are one center back short, and Hummels would be a fantastic addition. Borussia Dortmund is currently sitting in 15th place in the German Bundesliga. With a large offer, Hummels may be willing to part with Dortmund, just as Mario Götze and Robert Lewandowski have done. This would be a fantastic signing for Arsenal, Hummels could pair with German counterpart, Per Mertesacker. He will not be an easy signing as he will most likely have a lofty price tag and there are other teams who are looking to secure his services. If Arsenal can pull of this signing, once Koscielny is back, they could have three of the most solid center backs in the Barclays Premier League. Below is a link to a video of Hummel’s best passes, goals, tackles, etc.
Defensive Midfielder: William Carvalho
Mathieu Flamini is currently Arsenal’s “enforcer” but he does not possess the right skill set to cover a back four and intimidate opponents. He is often irrational, very error prone, and loses his positioning at crucial moments. Arsenal need a large, intimidating presence who can help to hold a 1-0 lead. Carvalho fits this role perfectly. At 6 foot, 2 inches (187 cm) and 196 pounds (83 kg), Carvalho is a force to be reckoned with.
He could slide right in next to someone like Jack Wilshere or Aaron Ramsey, which would allow them to venture further forward without worrying about potential counter attacks. Apparently Arsenal were in negotiations with Sporting this summer over Carvalho but a deal never materialized. Hopefully Arsene Wenger realizes that this is a signing that MUST happen. Below is another video of some of Carvalho’s skills, passes, tackles, etc.
These two signings, if made, would be perfect for Arsenal. They would easily slide in to Arsene Wenger’s tactics and they would help the team in every way. Thank you for reading this and look out for more!
Views From the Touch Line 
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