u/Crulista

let me put this into perspective because the conversation has been too calm about what's actually happening at arsenal right now...

saliba is out for the start of the season. saliba, arguably the most important player in their entire title winning run last season, the one who made the back four look genuinely unbreakable. timber is also out. both first choice defenders injured before a single competitive ball has been kicked

gabriel and white as the centre back pairing isn't a disaster but it's a significant step down from what arteta had available last season. gabriel is excellent. white covering at centre back instead of terrorising teams from right back changes arsenal's entire attacking shape on the right side and the response is linking koundé from barcelona..!

koundé is a good player but he's 29, primarily a right back, and barcelona's financial situation means any deal is complicated before you even get to the fee. this is not the clean dominant transfer window of last summer when zubimendi and gyokeres arrived with a clear purpose

the community shield is august 16 against city who have maresca implementing a new system with a full preseason behind them. three days from now arsenal go into their first competitive game of the season with a makeshift centre back partnership and their first choice defenders watching from the stands

the title defence hasn't started yet and it already looks fragile