da poker： The injury curse at Arsenal never seems to go away, does it? Taking players in their prime, and often cruelly derailing them just when they seem to have built up a head of steam. Having seemingly stalled in his progression under Arsene Wenger, Hector Bellerin had begun to enjoy something of a renaissance under new manager Unai Emery, but typically, fell foul to a devastating ACL injury and has been ruled out for the foreseeable future. The Gunners have since seen Ainsley Maitland-Niles fill in admirably (the less said about Stephan Lichtsteiner the better), but the England U21 international still remains a square peg in a round hole. So step forward, Thomas Meunier.
da cassino online： The PSG right-back has been ‘Mr Reliable’ in his time in France, and offers such a dependable presence in defence. A rare breed of full-back in that he is as solid going back towards his own goal as he is the other way, Meunier can bring a much-needed resilience to the Arsenal back-line. The Gunners have been saved time and time again from their defensive frailties by their star forwards Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. If Emery’s side are to challenge for the major honours like the Premier League next season, Meunier would go a long way in addressing some of the balance between attacking and defending.
Indeed, a move to the Emirates (as has been touted by France Football via the Metro recently) would see the Belgian reunite with Emery after the pair worked so successfully at PSG. Valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, the 27-year-old proved his versatility under the Spaniard by playing in a variety of positions, including as part of the French side’s midfield three or as more of a right-sided midfielder. If there is one takeaway from Emery’s first season in charge at the Emirates, then it has to be his tactical flexibility. Signing Meunier would cover more than just one base, and provide a valuable option with his versatility.
Whilst Maitland-Niles and Bellerin have pace to burn, sometimes their end product can be called into question. Promising build-up play often left down by the pair’s inability to pick a man out. But in Meunier, the Gunners would add someone with the composure and technique to add a real goal and assist threat from full-back. This season, the former Club Brugge star has scored five times and provided a further seven assists across all competitions, and has enjoyed a fine understanding with Kylian Mbappe down the PSG right.
Standing at 6ft 3in tall, Meunier brings a huge physical presence for a position notoriously occupied by the ‘little guys’. For a side that struggles to deal with crosses into the box, having the big Belgian there at the back post or as another formidable presence from set-pieces would be a big boost. And having played under Emery before, the defender would have no problem adapting to the tactician’s coaching methods.
So whilst the Gunners may have other priority positions this summer when it comes to potential signings, addressing the elephant in the room and bringing in a quality right-back like Meunier to challenge or take the injured Bellerin’s first team spot, would be a statement that the side are ready to become defensive powerhouses once again.
Gunners fans, would you back a move for Meunier? If not, why not? Join the discussion by commenting below…