Mathieu Debuchy impressed in Arsenal’s win at West Ham.
Arsenal recorded an impressive away victory against West Ham, in no small part thanks to their defence standing tall.
Andy Carroll’s impact was limited, with the return of centre-back Laurent Koscielny key in keeping him quiet.
But was Koscielny statistically the best defender in the Arsenal side? According to Opta data, he was edged by his Arsenal and France teammate Mathieu Debuchy:
| Match | Won Tackles | Interceptions | Aerial Duels Won | Accurate Crosses | Shots Blocked | Assists | Goals | Total | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathieu Debuchy | West Ham vs Arsenal | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 90 |
| Laurent Koscielny | West Ham vs Arsenal | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 90 |
| Per Mertesacker | West Ham vs Arsenal | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 90 |
| Nacho Monreal | West Ham vs Arsenal | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 90 |
Debuchy won as many tackles as the rest of the defence combined, and performed strongly in terms of making interceptions and winning aerial duels.
He has been superb since returning to the side, whether it be in his preferred position at right-back where he starred against the Hammers, or in an unfamiliar central defence position as he has been called into recently.
Now Koscielny is back, it was almost Arsenal’s first choice defence on show against West Ham, with Monreal in place of Gibbs the only one which would be reversed when the Englishman is fully fit.
If Arsenal are to kick on and win away to Southampton, maintaining their strong defensive record is key, and keeping their first choice defenders fit is essential.
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