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Micah Richards and Gary Lineker in full agreement about Arsenal duo who are doing something ‘mental’

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Two Arsenal players have been the subject of pundits’ discussion after week ten of the season, with Gary Lineker and Micah Richards joining the party.

It’s no surprise that Arsenal are earning high praise after making it seven consecutive wins in all competitions without conceding a goal.

Arsenal are so good that they’ve been described as unusual, as no team are close to the Gunners right now when it comes to squad depth and defensive excellence.

In week ten of the Premier League season, Burnley didn’t even have a shot on target against Mikel Arteta’s side, a match that Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber starred in.

Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber celebrate after the latter scores for Arsenal
Photo by Alan Walter – Arsenal FC/Getty Images

Gary Lineker and Micah Richards are in agreement about Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber

Alan Shearer focused on Calafiori and Timber when analysing Arsenal’s victory at Turf Moor.

It’s unsurprising to hear that his co-hosts on The Rest Is Football podcast, Gary Lineker and Micah Richards, have done the same.

Speaking on the latest episode of the podcast, Richards described the pair as some of the best full-backs he’s seen.

“Yes, Calafiori and Timber, some of the best fullbacks I’ve seen in the system,” Richards said.

Lineker echoed the former Manchester City defender’s claim, honing in on the positional versatility the duo offer.

“Amazing how they get in positions like they’re playing basically upfront at times, it’s mental.”

Lineker called Timber ‘exceptional’ after the win over Burnley, but didn’t forget to praise Calafiori, who was arguably better than his teammate at Turf Moor.

Many times since his arrival at Arsenal in 2024, Calafiori’s ability to play in attacking roles has been discussed, with the Italian showcasing his skillset against the Clarets.

Burnley v Arsenal - Premier League
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images

What Mikel Arteta said about Calafiori after Arsenal’s win at Burnley

It’s not only Lineker, Richards and Shearer who applauded the work of Arsenal’s full-backs on matchday ten.

After his team’s victory, Arteta spoke about Calafiori’s impact, noting the attacking ability the full-back has in his locker.

“Very good. He’s been really stable, some big performances,” Arteta said to Arsenal’s official website

Riccardo Calafiori vs Burnley
50 touches
91% pass completion
100% tackles won
6 clearances
2 fouls drawn
1 shot on target
Riccardo Calafiori vs Burnley – Sofascore.

“He’s a big contributor to what we’re doing defensively as well. He gives us a lot in attack with his position and his threat. He continues to create chaos for the opposition.”

Creating chaos is just what Calafiori does, as the opposition just can’t live with the Italy international’s durability on the left side.

What is crucial is that Arteta manages to keep the 23-year-old fit for the majority of the season, as if there’s one issue with Calafiori, it’s his injury record.

For now, things are going swimmingly for the Italian and the Gunners, who have struck gold with their full-backs.