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When Rob Holding signed for Arsenal from Bolton Wanderers in summer 2016, he was something of a surprise acquisition. It’s not often someone ends up playing for a big club like Arsenal immediately after making just 30 appearances for a side that was relegated from the Championship
What’s the situation?
Holding, now in his third season at the North London club, is emerging as a player the fans want to see in the starting XI. New manager Unai Emery has started the season with a defensive partnership of Skhodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos, before the Greek got injured in Arsenal’s Premier League match against Everton.
That meant the 23-year-old Holding got the nod to start last Saturday’s match against Watford alongside Mustafi, keeping a clean sheet as the Gunners claimed a hard-fought 2-0 victory.
The former Bolton man made his first start of the season in Arsenal’s opening Europa League match against Vorskla before also starting next to the German defender in the Carabao Cup match against Brentford.
Big season ahead
With Sokratis having made a solid start to his Arsenal career the pressure could be mounting on Mustafi to start pulling his weight in the first team. The 26-year-old has shown lapses of concentration in some matches this season that have raised question marks over his ability to handle situations when on the back foot.
His vulnerability as a centre-back has often been exposed in his time at the club and giving Holding more game-time could benefit both club and player. Arsenal have only kept two clean sheets so far this season, both in the Premier League, and that was when Holding was on the field.
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With Sokratis now back in the fold, the ideal option in the current circumstances would be to play him and the 6 foot 2 Holding together. Arsenal face Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Premier League on Sunday – so who would you pick to start at the heart of defence? Let us know by voting below…
