One of the main conclusions drawn from Arsenal's business in the summer transfer window was that they were lacking strength in depth within the defensive department. The arrivals of Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers corresponded with the departures of Bacary Sagna and Thomas Vermaelen to Manchester City and Barcelona respectively.
This left the Gunners with just six senior defenders to cover four positions, although former Southampton starlet Chambers can operate at both right-back and centre-back. Arsène Wenger recently admitted that his side were "a bit short at the back", but maintained he was content with the quality of his defensive options.
Nevertheless, a serious looking ankle injury sustained by Debuchy in the latter stages of Arsenal’s pulsating 2-2 draw with reigning champions Manchester City has left them incredibly short. It’s a major blow for Wenger and Debuchy himself, who has acclimatised to life at the Emirates seamlessly thus far.
Fortunately, early indications suggest that there is no break. The 29-year-old Frenchman is set to undergo a scan on Monday to determine the full extent of his ankle injury, although Le Parisien are reporting that he’s set to be side-lined for two months.
The most obvious replacement for Debuchy will be the 19-year-old Chambers. The former Saints man has impressed with his performances so far; starting four of Arsenal’s first five matches at centre-back, before replacing an injured Laurent Koscielny in the early stages of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Leicester.
With just 22 first-team appearances to his name at Southampton, the £16m capture of Chambers was considered a gamble by some, however his composure and maturity has been a feature of his performances so far this season.
His defensive versatility was undoubtedly a major attraction for Wenger. Chambers played predominantly as a right-back for the Saints, but can also play at centre-back and in the defensive-midfield role.
Nevertheless, if Wenger preferred to utilise Chambers in the centre-back role, he could give the highly-rated Hector Bellerin an opportunity to shine. Bellerin was a product of the Barcelona academy, joining Arsenal three years ago at the age of 16. He has only made one first-team competitive appearance, but features regularly for the U21’s, whilst he also had a fruitful loan spell at Watford last year.
Bellerin started against Benfica in this year’s Emirates Cup and put in a particularly impressive display. The Spaniard is the epitome of a modern full-back, he has tremendous energy and is a genuine threat going forward.
He recently broke Arsenal’s 40m sprint record of 4.42 seconds, set by Theo Walcott in 2009. His accomplished passing combined with this electric pace could give Arsène Wenger’s side a new dimension on the right-flank.
However, with the quality of wide-players in the Premier League, there may be some question marks over Bellerin defensively, particularly if he doesn’t curb his attacking instincts. He has always tended to be adventurous going forward, but with growing experience, he appears to be gaining some defensive discipline.
Bellerin will be given a chance in cup competitions and he could be a very valuable asset against sides who set up very defensively, because his directness offensively will really test opposition defences. With Arsenal’s lack of depth, the young Spaniard will almost certainly get his opportunity to prove his worth this season.
Arsenal’s potential emergency option in the right-back department would be Mathieu Flamini, however, Wenger will be very reluctant to utilise the former AC Milan man in this role. Flamini played at left-back during Arsenal’s agonising 2006 Champions League final defeat to Barcelona and has also deputised at right-back previously, although understandably, the Frenchman’s athleticism has significantly waned since then.
There are doubts as to whether Flamini would be able to cope with the physical demands of a modern day full-back, his lack of pace being a genuine concern. Arsenal notoriously use full-backs as an attacking outlet and Flamini would now not conform with this philosophy.
Indeed, an even greater concern is Flamini’s ill-discipline; rarely does a game go by without the combative midfielder receiving a caution, therefore up against direct runners, the risk of a sending off would be greatly heightened.
If Chambers were to deputise at right-back, this would also leave Arsenal perilously short in the centre-back role. With the departure of Vermaelen, Chambers had been touted as Arsenal’s third-choice centre-back, behind Koscielny and vice-captain Per Mertesacker. As a result, the Gunners may be forced to rely upon the services of under-21 captain Isaac Hayden.
Hayden has only made one first-team appearance (last season in the Capital One Cup third-round clash at West Brom) when he played in the defensive midfield role. The 19-year-old is currently captaining the U21 side, impressing many with his commanding performances at the heart of the Gunners’ defence.
Hayden has been described as "intelligent and strong" by Arsène Wenger, nevertheless it’s a major ask to go from U21 level to playing in a side competing for the Premier League title.
Like Bellerin, you would imagine that Hayden will be used regularly in cup competitions, whilst he may be used sparingly against lower-ranked Premier League sides. Wenger’s hand may be forced, because any injury to Per Mertesacker or Laurent Koscielny could have major consequences to Arsenal’s season.
An alternative option for Arsène Wenger at centre-back is Nacho Monreal. The Spaniard was used at centre-back throughout pre-season, although with Kieran Gibbs’ persistent injury niggles, this may not be a feasible solution.
Monreal performed adequately at the heart of Arsenal’s defence, although his lack of presence and pace is a major issue if deployed there. Like Mertesacker, Monreal relies on his reading of the game and his tackling ability, but obviously lacks the height of the imposing World-Cup winner.
However, like Arsenal, Chelsea also began the season with six senior defenders, yet nobody is bemoaning their lack of depth. In that respect, you have sympathy for Wenger with his injury woes, although the lack of defensive depth is self-inflicted.
Squad management will also be pivotal to ensure key players are not burnt out this season. The addition of German medical expert Shad Forsythe will hopefully have a positive impact in that regard.
Arsenal still have a strong defensive core, however, they surely cannot afford any more defensive injuries if they are to have genuine ambitions of challenging for the Premier League title and in Europe.
The prospect of youngsters Bellerin and Hayden getting some game time is both exciting and a concern in equal measure. Both have immense potential and deserve the chance to prove their worth, but are they ready for the pressure of major European and domestic clashes? With Chambers doubtful for tomorrow’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund and Bellerin poised to start, we may soon find out.