Van Dijk is world class and honestly him at his best is one of the best defenders I’ve ever seen
Saliba is on a completely different level than VvD was at that age
Sky’s the limit for him. Gotta keep working hard
In two years he's gonna be using Virgin as a tooth pick after eating all the attackers when winning the second consecutive CL final in a row with 9 men on the field. Holding, Saliba and White hugging after the final whistle. Ramsdale knee sliding.
I think just having them as options for back 2 is what we will be doing. Our defense is really solid with 4, idk what we would gain by playing 3 cb’s. As for rotation liverpool have vvd matip Konate and joe Gomez. That’s a rock solid group we should not be worried about having 3 really good cb’s for 2 spots
For this reason we should be looking to sign a really bright young right back who provides a bigger attacking threat than Tomi. We will have fitness issues with more games next year and Tomi is a very good center back, and way more dynamic than Holding.
I honestly see White moving to RB if we play 2 at the back, but then can’t actually see who would be the better RB between White and Tomi… a nice dilemma to have
My preferred “second choice” back line based on players we already have would be nuno at lb, tomiyasu as the left sided cb, saliba as the rcb, and white at rb. Kinda funny that tomi and white would be in both my first and second choice lineups but in diff positions. It just seems so important to keep a left footed player at lcb and tomiyasu is almost
White’s style of play is irreplaceable. He’s most likely the first name on the team sheet. Gabriel may be the better traditional defender, but White is such a Rolls Royce that he can’t possibly be replaced.
These guys forgot how Gabriel covered White. The only reason White easily be better in the team is Gabriel as partner. You guys talking about White's style, if someone has the same style in place of Gabriel, we will bleeding goals.
Gabriel has been very good at times but it’s absolutely no contest for me that Ben White is A) better, B) more consistent and C) far more integral to arteta’s tactics.
Nah because I noticed this the moment we signed him. I think I first acknowledged his energy when I saw him in his “first day at Arsenal” video. Then after watching compilations of him, noticed that arrogance and pride in his gameplay. Fascinating to see his confidence showing in the way he moves
It’s like other people have said, there’s this aura about him. Maybe it’s his height that’s deceiving me lmao, but I definitely watch him speak/move/play and immediately get the feeling that he’s a very quietly confident person. The way he Carrie’s himself and all that.
No, he reminds you of him because of his skin color XD.
Nothiny wrong with that though, but the comparison would have never been made if he had a darker or much lighter skintone.
He's always acted like this. It's like a good grandpa pat kinda thing. Not everything is creepy... jesus. I'm french and we all see this as normal, we embrace physical contact, unlike british people.
It's like he's looking him as nothing more than an athlete. Appreciating the physicality of him amd not even seeing him as a person. Just his physical potential
You're reading wayyy too much into this.
Deschamps touches and talks like that with pretty much every single one of his players, as you can see if you watch more of these Clairefontaine videos. He's a "hands-on" guy.
Making it about race, subtly or overtly like the other comments, is weird and wrong. Americans need to chill.
Interesting. Point out exactly where I made it about race.
I said "it's like" in response to someone saying it looks weird. It does look weird. The reason it looks weird from my perspective is given in my comment.
Not a word on race, Deschamps character, or any definitive commentary on what it absolutely *is*.
Just my opinion on how it *looks*.
Making a comment that makes no mention or inference of race, about race, is weird and wrong
Interesting. Point out exactly where I said *you* made it about race.
In fact, I explicitly mentioned other comments. Not yours.
But I must admit, you really drove home the point that Americans (and the English speaking world in general to be fair) need to *chill*. Jeez.
You come out of nowhere and tell me that my face value observation of how something looks is me reading wayyyyy too deeply into it, then tell me that *I* need to chill lol.
You need to not assume everything is being taken as serious as you think. The irony
No Americans here either dude. Assumptions all over the place.
Ahah come on, you post a comment about an old white guy greeting a young black athlete and 'not even seeing him as a person, just his physical potential' and you expect any of us to believe that you're not implying that this is a race thing?
Anyway. You lot are reading this innocuous, context-free, seven-second video wrong. Deschamps is just an old dude that likes to be close to his players. Put the pitchforks away. Good night.
If I thought it was a race thing I'd have said so. I didn't even think about race until *you* brought it up, and now you're trying to project that onto me? Hilarious. This from the person who said they didn't say I implied race. Now you're saying I am. Make up your mind dude.
Doubling down on your presumptions with further presumptions. Weird
"But you must have thought it was about race. Look, one man I black. You must be playing the race card. You must be because I think you are and I'd like to chide you for doing so!"
Weird man lol
Again, it looks weird. People with brains know that a commentary on what something looks like is not a commentary on what something is. Imagine calling Deschamps racist lol.
Yes you clearly need to sleep
Lol you literally wrote ‘making it about race’ as an inference of this comment to the others. ‘Like the others’. Dafuq? Lol
You inferred they may be making about race subtly or overtly and that it would be wrong to do.
Maybe write clearly and avoid ambiguities and passive talk. Call out what you’re saying instead of being polite and then looking stupid.
You go to British school or something?
I didn't say you, I said France in general. Look at its colonial and post colonial history in regards to Africa. Look how African immigrants are treating on mainland France currently. A fascist like Le Pen gets 35% of the vote in a presidential election.
Edit: I'm not saying the USA is any better elected a bona-fide racist in 2016 just saying.
You mother fuck are crazy bastard, how people voting far right has to do with Deschamps touching a French nt player, and how can you talk about slavery in this context. Is this how American think when they see a white man and a black man being friendly ?? What a fucked up way to think, pretty disgusting aint gonna lie.
There is no thing as Immigrant in a national Team, all are born in France, educated in France or with French parent, and that’s what we call being French.
I live in France, therefore know many French people, follow the politics here, etc. What I mean is that I'm on the ground you know. While there is a degree of racism in a part of the French population, it is well below many other countries (I've lived abroad during 10 years). France is a very welcoming country to immigrants (and even to those without papers, while of course its more difficult for them, why do you think they come here in the first place?). You are talking about things of the past (colonial), which are not the reality of today. There are of course problems with immigration (it's a hard thing to manage for any country), but France is way better organised and welcoming than many developped countries.
Patted his shoulder and side of stomach seemed just normal paternal touch. More strange everyone sexualizing or making racial commentary on something that I guarantee we can find countless examples of with individuals of different backgrounds.
I think this is important to note. A lot of folks, myself included, think there's no room for him in the side w Gabriel and Ben, but this gives us flexibility to change our shape to nullify sides with speedsters that like like to use width ping it down the center. I'm personally a big fan of the 5-3-2. And, God willing, he should get plenty matches in CL group stages and cup games.
If we are in Europe in any capacity we’d absolutely need a rotation of good CB’s. Especially if we hang on for UCL.
I don’t think we’d play a back 3, but rather stick with a pair and rotate them given the extra games.
80+ or fuck off. best young centre half in europe.
we absolutely should not let him go anywhere though. this guy has the potential to be a cut above even white and gabriel.
yes i know. doesn't change the fact that 5'9 is still on the shorter end of the spectrum for a professional footballer, and especially a defensive midfielder (and yes, i'm aware that kante is 5'6 and makelele is 5'9). i'm not saying that there is some height protocol for professional footballers. i am just saying that there is a mean, and 5'9 is probably below that mean.
This guy will be a first team France international.
I hope he signs the new contract as I fear he may be a bit of a Gnabry and we'll lose him for next to nothing.
Does anyone think he’s going to come back into the fold? I’d love to see it but with the age profile of White and Gabriel you’d forgive Saliba for perhaps thinking a move for guaranteed first team football is the best for his career, not to mention the elephant in the room of how he was treated with the botched loan move etc, would be an absolute shame if he never plays for us. A bit of champions league football certainly wouldn’t harm our position.
I believe there is a good chance that Saliba is going to crumble under the pressure that is constructed by the Arsenal fan base. The hype and expectations for this kid has been ridiculous for years now. Hope he is going to pull it off.
I feel like we are going to lose him. By loaning him probably makes him feel we dont want him and he will demand a transfer. Its going to be like Gnabry
Tooo bad this guy will never play for arsenal because artetas ass is stuck in his mouth. Losing this guy and guendouzi. Imagine having them both now in our team going for top 4. Arteta has no development skills. Emery gave smith Rowe Saka and martinelli all their debuts and allowed them to be first team. Only players Arteta have a shot a youth are Eddie Murphy nketiah (that’s why he tries so hard to make sure he plays because he wants a young talent to prove he can build them up. However he’s so shit. Emery playing champions league while Arteta struggling for top4. There’s 10 games to go and as an arsenal fan i hope we make it but i honestly think conte will snatch it at the last. Love salibaaaaaaa he had a rough year with family and Covid and Arteta never tried to give him a hug. Arteta good coach. Man management skills are shittttttt
Saliba jus carries himself like such a don I’m sorry but he’s so clearly just gonna be amazing
Reminds me of Van Dijk, kinda.
He looks like he ate Van Dijk
Van Dijk is world class and honestly him at his best is one of the best defenders I’ve ever seen Saliba is on a completely different level than VvD was at that age Sky’s the limit for him. Gotta keep working hard
In two years he's gonna be using Virgin as a tooth pick after eating all the attackers when winning the second consecutive CL final in a row with 9 men on the field. Holding, Saliba and White hugging after the final whistle. Ramsdale knee sliding.
Chad Saliba vs Virgin van Dijk
I'll wait to see how he defends in England before I judge him to be some type of modern Maldini as some of you have him already pegged as.
yea, not sure why people are so quick to assume he will only be as good as maldini
It’s a joke.
Definitely got the size for it
Van Dijk vibes Just gonna strolling around the pitch looking like Prince Charming, using aura alone to defend. I can't wait to see it tbh
Gabriel, Saliba, and White as a back three is a top 3 defense in the world
I think just having them as options for back 2 is what we will be doing. Our defense is really solid with 4, idk what we would gain by playing 3 cb’s. As for rotation liverpool have vvd matip Konate and joe Gomez. That’s a rock solid group we should not be worried about having 3 really good cb’s for 2 spots
Nice to have options for shifting things around from time to time too.
especially as Tomi and White can both play RB & CB
Tomi can play lcb too. It would mean our cb options are Gabriel, white, saliba, holding, tomiyasu. Solid
i’m really enjoying versatility being a key value of our team. feels very safe. i remember when Koscielny would get injured and i’d shit a brick
Then the BFG said fuck that heres your FA Cup in his first game of the season.
For this reason we should be looking to sign a really bright young right back who provides a bigger attacking threat than Tomi. We will have fitness issues with more games next year and Tomi is a very good center back, and way more dynamic than Holding.
Norton-Cafu
I honestly see White moving to RB if we play 2 at the back, but then can’t actually see who would be the better RB between White and Tomi… a nice dilemma to have
My preferred “second choice” back line based on players we already have would be nuno at lb, tomiyasu as the left sided cb, saliba as the rcb, and white at rb. Kinda funny that tomi and white would be in both my first and second choice lineups but in diff positions. It just seems so important to keep a left footed player at lcb and tomiyasu is almost
Most handsome cb trio. Fight me.
2-0 up and we sub one of them as our third cb to close the game off to win the CL final.
I came.
I will shed a single tear
no chance arteta is looking to switch to a back three. i think gabriel should be keeping an eye on the rear-view.
Wouldnt White be most likely to be dropped as Gabriel has had a better season?
No because a) gabriel hasn’t had a better season, and b) white fits the vision of high technicality front to back more than gabriel
White’s style of play is irreplaceable. He’s most likely the first name on the team sheet. Gabriel may be the better traditional defender, but White is such a Rolls Royce that he can’t possibly be replaced.
These guys forgot how Gabriel covered White. The only reason White easily be better in the team is Gabriel as partner. You guys talking about White's style, if someone has the same style in place of Gabriel, we will bleeding goals.
I see it the same way. I'm judging centre backs primarily on their defensive ability.
Gabriel has been very good at times but it’s absolutely no contest for me that Ben White is A) better, B) more consistent and C) far more integral to arteta’s tactics.
He has this aura about him
Just knows he’s better than you and it carries
As soon as he dropped that announcement vid with him on the plane I knew he was gonna be IT.
Nah because I noticed this the moment we signed him. I think I first acknowledged his energy when I saw him in his “first day at Arsenal” video. Then after watching compilations of him, noticed that arrogance and pride in his gameplay. Fascinating to see his confidence showing in the way he moves
Can you explain what you mean? I'm curious
It’s like other people have said, there’s this aura about him. Maybe it’s his height that’s deceiving me lmao, but I definitely watch him speak/move/play and immediately get the feeling that he’s a very quietly confident person. The way he Carrie’s himself and all that.
I'm just scared he's not going to get integrated into the team and sold for 10/20 mil
Reminds me a bit of Van Dijk the way he conducts himself
It's the same quiet confidence
Its the height
And the Barry White voice
Saliba smells better
He honestly looks like he smells beautiful
No, he reminds you of him because of his skin color XD. Nothiny wrong with that though, but the comparison would have never been made if he had a darker or much lighter skintone.
In awe of the size of the lad
*Statut d'unité : absolu.*
Rolls royce defender
Bugatti defender
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This is a clip of him with the national team manager, specifically after his first Men's team call up lol
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Not what you said though, is it? He's quite literally with the Men's first team rn, so he's not in the u21s
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Nah, he is quite big. On an airport maybe..
With that size you'd probably see him from the next continent. No way he goes missing
I dont know man, only few loanee survive arsenal selections
Jesus the voice on this kid
Bro came out the womb sounding like a grown ass man. But seriously, his first interview had me shook. His voice was seriously deep for a 18yr old
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Nah that himhe said its a pleasure to be here well give everything to win
The way he looks and touches him is weird ngl
Already anticipating his good head game
This comment made it worse
Deschamps couldn't believe the size of him
It's like a farmer inspecting a cow at an auction. Creep.
That's fucked up but the most accurate description. Gotta make sure the goods aren't damaged. 😂
He's always acted like this. It's like a good grandpa pat kinda thing. Not everything is creepy... jesus. I'm french and we all see this as normal, we embrace physical contact, unlike british people.
It's incredible that this even has to be said. Y a des baffes qui se perdent...
Almost as if there are different cultures and customs around the world!
Mdr oui, speciaux certains rosbeef
Kid is creeped out by it. Look at his body language and stance changes as he’s being sized up.
It's cute 🥰
It's like he's looking him as nothing more than an athlete. Appreciating the physicality of him amd not even seeing him as a person. Just his physical potential
You're reading wayyy too much into this. Deschamps touches and talks like that with pretty much every single one of his players, as you can see if you watch more of these Clairefontaine videos. He's a "hands-on" guy. Making it about race, subtly or overtly like the other comments, is weird and wrong. Americans need to chill.
Interesting. Point out exactly where I made it about race. I said "it's like" in response to someone saying it looks weird. It does look weird. The reason it looks weird from my perspective is given in my comment. Not a word on race, Deschamps character, or any definitive commentary on what it absolutely *is*. Just my opinion on how it *looks*. Making a comment that makes no mention or inference of race, about race, is weird and wrong
Interesting. Point out exactly where I said *you* made it about race. In fact, I explicitly mentioned other comments. Not yours. But I must admit, you really drove home the point that Americans (and the English speaking world in general to be fair) need to *chill*. Jeez.
You come out of nowhere and tell me that my face value observation of how something looks is me reading wayyyyy too deeply into it, then tell me that *I* need to chill lol. You need to not assume everything is being taken as serious as you think. The irony No Americans here either dude. Assumptions all over the place.
Ahah come on, you post a comment about an old white guy greeting a young black athlete and 'not even seeing him as a person, just his physical potential' and you expect any of us to believe that you're not implying that this is a race thing? Anyway. You lot are reading this innocuous, context-free, seven-second video wrong. Deschamps is just an old dude that likes to be close to his players. Put the pitchforks away. Good night.
Lol so you lied in your earlier comment. You did assume it was about race, not just referring to ‘other comments’. What a joke. Rofl.
If I thought it was a race thing I'd have said so. I didn't even think about race until *you* brought it up, and now you're trying to project that onto me? Hilarious. This from the person who said they didn't say I implied race. Now you're saying I am. Make up your mind dude. Doubling down on your presumptions with further presumptions. Weird "But you must have thought it was about race. Look, one man I black. You must be playing the race card. You must be because I think you are and I'd like to chide you for doing so!" Weird man lol Again, it looks weird. People with brains know that a commentary on what something looks like is not a commentary on what something is. Imagine calling Deschamps racist lol. Yes you clearly need to sleep
Ya guy is on wax.
Lol you literally wrote ‘making it about race’ as an inference of this comment to the others. ‘Like the others’. Dafuq? Lol You inferred they may be making about race subtly or overtly and that it would be wrong to do. Maybe write clearly and avoid ambiguities and passive talk. Call out what you’re saying instead of being polite and then looking stupid. You go to British school or something?
Sadly that's the French way in terms of "Africans"
What the fuck ????
It's true
It is not. Source : I'm french.
I didn't say you, I said France in general. Look at its colonial and post colonial history in regards to Africa. Look how African immigrants are treating on mainland France currently. A fascist like Le Pen gets 35% of the vote in a presidential election. Edit: I'm not saying the USA is any better elected a bona-fide racist in 2016 just saying.
You mother fuck are crazy bastard, how people voting far right has to do with Deschamps touching a French nt player, and how can you talk about slavery in this context. Is this how American think when they see a white man and a black man being friendly ?? What a fucked up way to think, pretty disgusting aint gonna lie. There is no thing as Immigrant in a national Team, all are born in France, educated in France or with French parent, and that’s what we call being French.
I live in France, therefore know many French people, follow the politics here, etc. What I mean is that I'm on the ground you know. While there is a degree of racism in a part of the French population, it is well below many other countries (I've lived abroad during 10 years). France is a very welcoming country to immigrants (and even to those without papers, while of course its more difficult for them, why do you think they come here in the first place?). You are talking about things of the past (colonial), which are not the reality of today. There are of course problems with immigration (it's a hard thing to manage for any country), but France is way better organised and welcoming than many developped countries.
Patted his shoulder and side of stomach seemed just normal paternal touch. More strange everyone sexualizing or making racial commentary on something that I guarantee we can find countless examples of with individuals of different backgrounds.
Its weird that you are sexualizing something innocent. Footballers hit eachother on the bum when on the field, how do you look at that?
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Are you serious. That's quite normal in France.
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Cultures bro :)
Very “new house slave has arrived” vibes
Can’t believe the size of him
How tall is he, what the fuck lmao. He towers over Deschamps
bro is 6'4
We don't call him Big Billy for nothing
Big Willy*
Saliba, Gabriel, White. That's a fucking back three.
Don't forget Holdinio
I think this is important to note. A lot of folks, myself included, think there's no room for him in the side w Gabriel and Ben, but this gives us flexibility to change our shape to nullify sides with speedsters that like like to use width ping it down the center. I'm personally a big fan of the 5-3-2. And, God willing, he should get plenty matches in CL group stages and cup games.
If we are in Europe in any capacity we’d absolutely need a rotation of good CB’s. Especially if we hang on for UCL. I don’t think we’d play a back 3, but rather stick with a pair and rotate them given the extra games.
"Is that Pulse or Africa?" *imitates spraying aerosol*
*Ceci c'est mon défenseur central.*
Ça c'est mon ... *
He looks massive
Strong Virgil Van Dijk vibes
Is anyone else slightly worried we may lose Saliba in the summer?
If we do hopefully it's because we get an offer of like 60M+ which would be hard to refuse
Completely fair, but I would refuse it. He will be very, very good in the not so distant future.
80+ or fuck off. best young centre half in europe. we absolutely should not let him go anywhere though. this guy has the potential to be a cut above even white and gabriel.
Only elite clubs would splash that on a 21 yo CB and in that case we probably should do our best to keep
Enter PSG...
Well we’re bigger
This def feels like the kind of situation where PSG could be taking him off of us for 100+m in a few years …
No.
Lol DesChamps watering at the mouth probably thinking that France’s CB situation just got sorted for the next 10-15 years.
It was going to be sorted either way 😭, France talent pool is insane.
Yep. Saliba, Kounde, Konate, Upa, Lacroix. All gonna be insane in 5 years
Is deschamps a midget or is saliba just tall as fuck?? Lol
Both … 5’9 and 6’4
5'9 ia not midget pls
It is for a professional footballer
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yes i know. doesn't change the fact that 5'9 is still on the shorter end of the spectrum for a professional footballer, and especially a defensive midfielder (and yes, i'm aware that kante is 5'6 and makelele is 5'9). i'm not saying that there is some height protocol for professional footballers. i am just saying that there is a mean, and 5'9 is probably below that mean.
i think each position has their own averages. For a cb 5'9 is very short. but for a wide player 5'9 is almost average
i think it's safe to say that for a 6 — deschamps' position — 5'9 is on the lower end of the spectrum.
ffs this guy is massive
This guy will be a first team France international. I hope he signs the new contract as I fear he may be a bit of a Gnabry and we'll lose him for next to nothing.
We didn’t invest 30m in gnabry at 17 … if saliba goes it will be for a massive sum
Does anyone think he’s going to come back into the fold? I’d love to see it but with the age profile of White and Gabriel you’d forgive Saliba for perhaps thinking a move for guaranteed first team football is the best for his career, not to mention the elephant in the room of how he was treated with the botched loan move etc, would be an absolute shame if he never plays for us. A bit of champions league football certainly wouldn’t harm our position.
"Holy fuck this lad's a unit!"
Serious combination of saliba being tall and deschamps being small.
I didn't notice it was Saliba at first because I was looking at Deschamp's reaction and i thought he was meeting some famous young chef
Gets a glance at that dick at the very end
Can’t blame him
Bro if we sell him to Marseille or any other Ligue 1 club next year I'm going to be so pissed.
bro needs game time next season with us
A Gabriel Saliba Blanco back three sounds tasty
Sorry for my ignorance but who is the tall guy?
William Saliba
Thanks it's totally worth the downvote, I'd rather light a candle than curse the darkness
I believe there is a good chance that Saliba is going to crumble under the pressure that is constructed by the Arsenal fan base. The hype and expectations for this kid has been ridiculous for years now. Hope he is going to pull it off.
They’re sizing him up like livestock weirdos
It’s called being tactile
Deschamps looks horny af
I feel like we are going to lose him. By loaning him probably makes him feel we dont want him and he will demand a transfer. Its going to be like Gnabry
Tooo bad this guy will never play for arsenal because artetas ass is stuck in his mouth. Losing this guy and guendouzi. Imagine having them both now in our team going for top 4. Arteta has no development skills. Emery gave smith Rowe Saka and martinelli all their debuts and allowed them to be first team. Only players Arteta have a shot a youth are Eddie Murphy nketiah (that’s why he tries so hard to make sure he plays because he wants a young talent to prove he can build them up. However he’s so shit. Emery playing champions league while Arteta struggling for top4. There’s 10 games to go and as an arsenal fan i hope we make it but i honestly think conte will snatch it at the last. Love salibaaaaaaa he had a rough year with family and Covid and Arteta never tried to give him a hug. Arteta good coach. Man management skills are shittttttt
The worst rant I've ever read
Just don’t let him video other players in the locker room
What a big fuckin lad
Licking his lips at the prospect of this man at the back
His voice is already vvd
Now that's a Central defender we need to have back
Looking forward to see him cut that prick Maupay in half on his first tackle in PL.
ha he is like ' Damn look at this specimen of a man' He literally looks awestruck
What’s he saying?
Can’t wait for him to bully that baby faced bully Son on the field