Arsenal defender William Saliba put in a hugely impressive display during his first competitive appearance for the Gunners in Friday night's 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The France international partnered Gabriel at the heart of the defence and played a big role in helping Arsenal secure their first clean sheet of the season. His Arsenal debut had been a long time coming and Gunners fans have had to wait patiently to see him in action.
He joined the club three years ago from Saint-Etienne in a deal worth £27million but has been sent out on loan for each of his three seasons at the club. Finally lining up for Mikel Arteta’s men though, he put in the kind of commanding performance that was a staple of his time in France last season and his consistency for Marseille was a big reason why scooped Ligue 1’s Young Player of the Year award.
Post-match, Arteta praised the Frenchman’s calmness and stated he deserved ‘big credit’ for coping so competently against tough physical opponents.
"At 21 years old, debut in the Premier League, against this opponent, against physical players - and resolve that situation the way he has done it. With that composure, with that calmness and with that presence. So big credit to the boy.”
Saliba received plenty of plaudits for his dominance in terms of defensive duels both in the air and on the floor, however one of his more undervalued but equally important traits on display in the clash was his speed.
Palace boast plenty of pace in their frontline, which could have caused Arsenal issues, however Saliba was unfazed and coped well when balls were played in behind and he was forced to engage in a leg race towards his own goal. In fact, according to Viaplay, Saliba posted the fourth-highest top speed across the whole Premier League this weekend with 34.49km.
Speed has become a crucial component for central defenders playing for top sides. Possessing a strong turn of pace allows teams to play with a defensive line situated higher up the pitch which in turn helps them dominate the ball and pin opponents inside their own half.
This high line is also crucial to pressing more successfully and it shouldn’t come as a huge shock to note that Manchester City and Liverpool - both sides who play with high defensive lines - topped the charts last season in terms of PPDA, a metric used to analyse pressing intensity high up the pitch.
They almost exclusively recruit centre-backs who possess plenty of speed due to how crucial it is to how they play. Although not a carbon copy, Arteta tries to mirror the tactics of these two at the Emirates, and Friday was a reminder of how crucial Saliba can be to doing so this season.
