Best Defender in the League
Arsenal’s Mr Consistent. Rarely puts a foot wrong and after a shaky start to his Arsenal career, Nacho Monreal has become one of Arsenal’s most important players defensively and in attack.
So far this season, Monreal has made 3 tackles per game, ranking him third of all defenders in the Premier League. He is also the joint best defender at making interceptions, tied with Laurent Koscielny on 3.5 per game.
His influence on the pitch may not be as obvious as Koscielny, as seen in the Bayern games last season. However, he is undoubtedly one of the best defenders Arsenal have had in recent years.
He also has clear chemistry with Sanchez, after years of linking up on the left flank. That may be an invaluable influence with the uncertainty surrounding the Chileans contract talks.
Most Improved Player
Since his arrival in 2012/13 Monreal has steadily improved. He recorded 1.3 and 1.7 tackles per game in his first two seasons, respectively, and a similar number of interceptions.
However, in the seasons that followed, perhaps thanks to the arrival of Sanchez and more regular football due to injuries to Gibbs, Monreal significantly improved.
He has never recorded fewer than 2 tackles and interceptions per game, and this current season is his highest ever. Despite this, Monreal is still criminally underrated by football fans.
This couldn’t be clearer than in the aftermath of the FA Cup final vs Chelsea. While the country was (quite rightly) marvelling at the exceptional performances of Mertesacker and Holding, Monreal was equally impressive in that makeshift backline.
His stamina is outstanding, meaning he can run more than any of his defensive counterparts, even in the latter stages of the game. His straight-line speed has also improved, even with age. This means that every member of the conventional Arsenal back five (Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Bellerin and Kolasinac) is blessed with pace.
No Pushover
Over the years, Monreal may have been targeted by the opposition, most notably in the 3-0 defeat at Goodison Park in 2013/14, when Lukaku was deployed on the right to exploit the Spaniard.
More recently, attackers have a much harder time breaking through the significantly more physical Monreal, as his reading of the game has improved too.
His clearance off the line against West Brom on Monday night is proof enough of this intelligence. Averaging 3.15 clearances per game during his Arsenal career, and a whopping 5.4 recoveries per game.
As each game passes, he learns more about how to defend in the Premier League, and the number of recoveries and personal battles with attackers is proof of this. 5 duels won per game, compared to only 3.7 lost, is the highest award a defender can be given.
The Spaniard has given a lot to Arsenal, having entered his sixth season with the club, and as the stats show, he has made himself one of the best defenders in the league. It may be time to give Nacho Monreal the admiration that he deserves.
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