6ft 6ins man would become Arsenal’s tallest player if he signs in January

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You really can use statistics to prove anything.

A case in point: Arsenal have kept four clean sheets in their last five games, conceding just one goal in around 450 minutes of action. That means their defensive crisis is over. Doesn’t it? 

Well, not quite.

Mikel Arteta’s side certainly look a lot more solid than they did at the start of the season, when Manchester City, Chelsea and even Brentford steamrollered the Gunners without much in the way of resistance. But three of those clean sheets were secured against bottom-of-the-table Norwich, blunt Burnley and a third-tier AFC Wimbledon side in the EFL Cup. 

And if Graham Potter’s Brighton had brought their shooting boots to the party, Saturday’s goalless draw at the Amex could very easily have turned into a morale-sapping defeat.

So while the Ben White-Gabriel Magalhaes partnership certainly looks promising, Arsenal fans have seen enough false dawns to last a lifetime.

Gabriel has struggled to maintain fitness and form throughout his Arsenal career, while Pablo Mari, Calum Chambers and even Rob Holding are not exactly elite-level back-ups. 

Fortunately, no one at the Emirates is allowing complacency to set in just yet.

Is Pape Abou Cisse on his way to Arsenal?

According to the Mail, plans are already being drawn up for the January transfer window, with scouts working on behalf of Arsenal, Everton and Liverpool watching Olympiacos defender Pape Abou Cisse during last week’s 3-0 Europa League thrashing of Fenerbahce. 

A 6ft 6ins giant of a centre-half, Cisse is comfortably taller – and therefore stronger in the air – than any of Arsenal’s current crop.

While his distribution is not quite up to Ben White’s impeccable standards just yet, the Senegal international does pride himself on being able to play the ball accurately out from the back. 

Cisse is not a new name on Arsenal’s radar either.

90Min reported back in July 2019, when Arsenal were in the midst of tying up a deal for William Saliba, that the Gunners were also eyeing a move for Cisse, believing that the former Saint-Etienne loanee would set them back as little as £10 million. 

How much Olympiakos would demand now, with two more years of experience and a Greek Super League title under Cisse’s belt, remains to be seen.

But Cisse’s height, physicality and presence at set-pieces could prove invaluable, while adding some much-needed cover for the developing White and the injury-prone Gabriel.