Former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop is surprised that Arsenal are yet to add to their defence in the transfer window – and believes their reported big-money move for Lille’s Nicolas Pepe will not even be enough for a top-four finish.
Arsenal only missed out on a top-four berth by a single point last season, and have recently been linked with a £72m move for the Ivorian winger, who is now reportedly set for a Gunners medical.
However, ESPN FC pundit Hislop seems to be at a loss to explain Arsenal’s lack of recruitment at the back to this point, with little over a week remaining in the transfer window and their only defensive signing being William Saliba, who will play on loan at Saint-Etienne next year.
Hislop said: “This makes Arsenal better and gives them a little bit more depth going forward – they’ll score more goals, sure, but for this Arsenal team to really make a push at closing the gap on, not just the top four, but the top two – they’ve got to be better defensively.
“Given the noises we hear from the likes of Koscielny, who need replacing anyway – I’m surprised it has taken Unai Emery this long to see any kind of movement in terms of reinforcing their rearguard.”
The Gunners conceded 51 goals in the league last season – only Manchester United had a worse record among the top six. The argument that Arsenal need reinforcements at the back on that evidence alone would be difficult to counter.
However, logic suggests that given how close Arsenal were last season by virtue of points to their Champions League hopes, scoring more goals should help the Gunners towards that target as long as the level of performances in defence (which were error-strewn at times) do not drop further during the upcoming season.
Arsenal drew blanks against the likes of West Ham United, Leicester City and Everton in the league last season – and turning just one of those defeats into victory would have been enough for a top-four place.
So while qualification may have papered over the defensive cracks, hopes of a Champions League spot would surely not be hampered by adding someone boasting a recent record as good as Pepe’s to an already potent strikeforce.
