Mikel Arteta says William Saliba looks ready for action after taking the decision to stay in London during August to prepare for the new season.
The Frenchman, signed from Saint-Etienne last summer but then loaned back to the Ligue 1 club, played his first minutes in Arsenal’s colours on Tuesday as we ran out 4-1 winners against MK Dons.
Having not played football since March, the 19-year-old looked surprisingly sharp and caught the boss’ eye.
“He’s been training really hard,” said Arteta when asked what he has made of the centre-back.
“He stayed here in London to do a better preparation and you can tell that he looks ready.
“Obviously there are a lot of things that are new for him and he will need to adapt but certainly he has the right qualities for this football club and as well the right attitude to keep improving and showing the player he can be for our future.”
With preparations for Saturday’s Community Shield clash with Liverpool up in the air as a result of players only just returning for pre-season, the boss admitted the match isn’t ideally timed.
“We’ve had two training sessions so you can imagine that this game comes straight in the middle of our mini pre-season, but as well we haven’t had much time to lose a lot of the condition.
“Obviously it’s not an ideal moment to play in this final but the players are motivated. Obviously it’s another opportunity to win a trophy and we will go for it.”
He looks really composed for his age! It’s hard to tell because he was playing against MK Dons, but I have a positive feeling about this player. I like the way he progresses the ball forward. Will he make mistakes? Sure. We just need to cheer him on in his good moments, and support him during the bad ones.
“support him during the bad ones”
You do know what you’re asking, right? This is football mate, those values are like religious scripture, always referenced, never really followed..
Let’s hope he doesn’t have too many, eh. The phrase “defensive cock-up” has been used far too often over the past seasons and we won’t really progress until that is addressed.
Yeah, I do know that. But every player has their setbacks and patience is the key. I also don’t like the fact that if a player makes one mistake, the entire fanbase goes in meltdown mode and wants to buy a replacement. It’s a materialistic way of thinking and it doesn’t make room for a player to come back stronger. I do concede, my love of the sport has made me too idealistic. I do hope Saliba works out and I think he will with the right support system.
We’re a fickle group, aren’t we? At least speaking for myself. Trying to better in this regard.
I havent felt this hopeful about a teenage centerback ever since the emergence of Phil Senderos. Gabriel and Saliba could become what Djoroue and Senderos only showed glimpse of becoming: an world class Arsenal CB pairing for the next 10 years.
Djourue and Senderos? That is your benchmark? Please don’t remind me of that catastrophe.
Lol well remember our CL run to the final in 2006. Senderos was a constant in that run. What other young defender was as good as him back then? Kept Zidane, Ronaldo, Robinho, Beckham and Raul in his pocket all night at the Benabau stadium!
Good old days…?
My good old days are Campbell and Keown or even earlier, Adams and Bould. If our new CB’s are half what those guys were then we have a real rock to build on. As for Senderos, all I have to say is one word: Drogba.
I used to like Senderos.
not as much as Drogba!!!
He said showed glimpse of becoming…n I dare say they both came highly recommended when we got em both.
Haha!
Also, did we get Messi yet?
This guy just has an air of confidence about him. Can’t wait to see him absolutely body Harry Kane.
Has the right qualities and age on his side. BUT we paid too much and then left Emery without option as he was loaned back out. Ridiculous purchase. Worse had to cover with Luiz …usual people having a laugh then touting Sideshowbob as a brilliant move. Hope it starts to pay off this season. Risk is we are going to have to gel 3 relatively new and unproven Cbacks in Mari, Saliba and Manghales. The sooner we can get Manghales in and Mari fit the better for Arteta to work out the defense before the start. In other (less reported)… Read more »
You know what, it’s easier to type Gabriel.
I like the part where you typed a book and were wrong about everything. Well done.
And it’s usually only the typos that he gets right…but not this time
You’ve got to admire Santori. He does get savaged in the thumbs down department every time he posts. But he just keeps posting.
Reminds me of a Sp*rs title run. It starts ok but quickly seems out its depth, becomes completely incoherent and ends by pointing blame at someone else.
Though I disagree with him a lot of the time, I do admire Santori for putting his opinion forward here despite the near-total lack of regard with which it is viewed. And yet, to be honest, against my better judgement, I always read them. A tip of the hat to the reasoning therein.
…but he reports things as FACT, rather than just his opinion. I go to auto-pilot and just thumb him down immediately these days.
I wish I knew as much as you do, santori.
how do you manage to write the dumbest comment in every article? i’ve had to read you for years and still haven’t heard you say anything that makes sense. what’s wrong with you?
“Arseblog.com without Santori is like Pinky and The Brain without Pinky,” – Harrowk, 2020.
The real question is: whatever happened to Rambling Pete!
Seconded! Where’s rambling Pete?
This has got me thinking that we should make a Facebook group for Arseblog. It would be fun to get to know the men (and women) behind the mask (username).
True. Would love to have a nice half hour convo with Santori about how Emre Can is the answer to world peace
Santori is alright leave him be.
“I believe that he has the right qwaliteee…”
Vintage Arsene. ?
Perhaps the thing I’m most excited about is his physical presence. Can’t remember the last defender we’ve had with his combination of pace, power and height.
Soon we may have two like that.
Yup, looks a lot like a younger Varane.
Even if he achieves half of what Varane has, Arsenal will have their first European trophy ?
I think Saliba already looks more physically dominant than Varane. Like Saliba, Varane also looked mature beyond his age when he started. I just hope people have more patience with a 19 year old boy who is going to play his first season in the toughest league in the world.
Yeah, Varane is tall but he’s more elegant than physical (maybe Varane is more of a reader than a 1-on-1 defender).
Early doors, but Saliba looks both athletic and technically sound. I don’t think I’ve seen any Arsenal centre back with both qualities – it’s either been one or the other – so I hope that is the case.
I think Tony Adams had both a physical presence and was quite technical as well not to mention his astute reading of the game.
We’ll begin to find out pretty soon now. One test will be how he does on wet and windy nights in winter. If he can turn in consistent, quality, performances then he’ll be a huge asset for the club. I think he will be, but nobody knows yet.
All the qualities of an Arsenal legend
Always nice to hear Arteta been positive in saying its another trophy up for grabs but we will do well to compete on Saturday with a 2nd string against a near fully fit Liverpool 1st team. Hope im wrong, ridiculous timing
I noticed his pockets are big enough to fit Kane, Salah, and Agüero.
He looks very promising but I can’t help but feel that 19 is very young especially for a CB. A 19 year CB playing week in week out? I guess if he’s good enough…
Yes, and what if he gets injured? We’ve got absolutely nobody to replace him!