So you don’t advocate Holding onto him?
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I disagree with you in respect of Holding and wouldn’t compare him to the likes of Chambers and AMN. Holding has been able to come in and do a job for us this season. Look at the Wolves A game and today. Not a first team starter, but someone who is happy to be on the bench and ready to help the team. Utd have had loads of players like that over the years that have helped them to win titles.
Chambers isn’t as good as Holding and AMN is very overrated IMO. We should have sold him to Wolves when we had the chance.
Next season we potentially have Gabriel, White, Saliba and Holding as our CB lineup…I am very happy with that for central defence options. If we get a better backup LB and RB we are seriously in business when it comes to the defence.
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Well it was a generalisation tbh and not on the individual.
However I see as Tomi as CB cover for him and a more mobile RB as a priority.
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Brilliant performance from Holding in that game. If he wasn’t MOTM, he should have been
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Arteta doesn’t want to play 5 at the back. We have switched to that when we have needed to, and during games but this is not the system going forward for us. Tomi IMO is much better as a RB than a RCB, but good to have the flexibility. We need 4 good strong CB options and Holding gives us that. If we can upgrade on Cedric and Tavares we will have a very strong defence next season.
hopefully or we may end up with Pablo Mari or Tavares
Holding is settled, no need to replace him
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I think Holding often plays well and is a good player. Maybe not a first choice but someone you don’t panic about as a squad option covering.
Modern football is a squad game and it’s hard finding good players who are prepared to be second choice but give their all when they are.
Completely different to a Tavares who gives you heart attacks when he comes in and who needs loaning out or selling.
The debate on Holding is whether he’ll be needed if Saliba comes back but as we’re in Europe I think holding Holding will be important.
Forward position and left back need priority along with a better midfield option than Lakonga.
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Retain…
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Absolutely has to be retained. He’s completely serviceable as a 4th choice CB
Reasonable wages, enjoys being at the club.
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So do you think it’s worth shopping him around and also add a CB in the list for the summer?
Personally, I’d like us to focus in key positions like in attack and midfield.
I said this already but if a good offer comes in say ~20m then yeah, sell him and get a replacement.
If we’re shopping him around to get 5-10m though while he’s on relatively low wages, it just doesn’t feel worth it this summer.
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I’m not sure we would get a new CB as good as Holding who would be happy to potentially be 4th choice.
Much better as you say to focus on our midfield and striking options.
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Not sure why anyone would want to sell him tbh
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You need squad players though surely. Players like Holding are serviceable. Don’t think it’s feasible to have 22 world class players unless you have recources like Man City.
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Don’t rate him kne little bit and think he’s a liability. I would definitely aell in the summer and we should get a decent return. White should also come back in next game.
That said, he has been excellent in his last two appearances and was crucial in seeing out the United game and helping is win yesterday. Definitely playing his part in this final push.
Be honest though people - how good is Holding? Which Premier League clubs do you think he would start at?
That sounds harsh, but he could be starting 15 - 20 games here next season plus.
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I’m much more interested in this part…
Than I am in this part…
He’s a solid, reliable squad player and has been for a number of years. No reason to move him on in my view as it’s still something we’ll need next season.
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One hot day doesn’t make a summer and for me a couple of gargantuan FA Cup games and a strong April 2022 doesn’t justify keeping a player who has never looked Arsenal quality in 5 seasons.
If we genuinely wish to become a Champions League team again, we need to look at some of our squad filler and question if this quality of player can be relied on in high-level games for 20 or so starts.
I’m a bit more neutral on El Nenny, but your Holding’, Tavares, Nketiah, Nelson, AMN etc. I feel we need to move on.
Gomez/Konate, Laporte/Ake are 3rd and 4th choice at the standard we want to reach. Sanchez/Dier, Bailly/Lindelof, Christensen/Chalobah are 3rd and 4th choice at the standard we are around. Holding is only better than Chalobah in that list and the Chelsea man has looked far better this season.
Mari and Holding shouldn’t be here in my opinion. I’d much rather a defender like Mina, Tarkowski as 4th choice and sell Holding.
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But these players may not want to be 4th choice lol.
Holding and Elneny clearly do and are competent players so why do you want to get rid?
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Gomez is crap these days
Konate is a £35-40m CB who’s being groomed to take over from Matip he’s absolutely not a third choice he’s just being bedded in slowly by Klopp because of his lack of top flight experience
Laporte and Ake is a £90m CB combination
Sanchez is a disaster, Dier is crap, Bailly can’t stay fit, Christensen gets spun every other week and Chalobah does diving header clearances when it’s easier to kick the ball lol
Holding, at £3m, is absolutely fine. He’s as reliable as you’d like to get from a fourth choice CB with the obvious hope being Saliba comes back next season to be the third choice
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I’d be happy enough with Saliba and Holding as our 3rd/4th, even compared to that list of other 3rd/4ths.
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