Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will no doubt be glad that he has built his Gunners side with considerable strength in depth.
On Saturday, Arsenal have a Premier League match away at Bournemouth, and the Gunners have to deal with numerous injuries.
This could see the return to the Arsenal of a player who was indispensable in his first season but has since slipped down the pecking order.
The player in question is Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has made just two starts this season in all competitions.
Arteta has often opted for Ben White at right-back, Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back, and a centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
This has left Tomiyasu having to make do with appearances off the bench. However, in wake of Arsenal’s injury crisis, the “horribly fast” star could now get a start on the south coast.
Saliba is a doubt going into the game and, even if he is available, Arteta has to have an eye on next week’s fixtures against Lens and Manchester City..
With that in mind, the Arsenal boss could potentially opt for a back line of Zinchenko, Gabriel, Tomiyasu and White.
Tomiyasu shone at the back for the Gunners in the midweek Carabao Cup win over Brentford and was lauded as a “warrior”, “amazing” and “genuinely world class”.
Takehiro Tomiyasu is Tremendous
Speaking at his pre-match presser at London Colney ahead of this weekend’s match, Arteta was full of praise for Tomiyasu.
“I always say that I’m really confident the moment Tomi has consistency, because it’s going to be a tremendous asset for us,” said the Arsenal boss.
“He can play in any position in the backline,
Any formation in the backline – we don’t have a player like him.
“His defending is probably one of the best that I’ve seen in many situations. His principles and the way he applies them, the way he goes into duels.
“Now he needs a run of games that get him physically at his best. When Tomi is at his best.
we’re going to have a player who is going to be so important for us.”
This certainly seems to suggest that Tomiyasu is in line for more game time and maybe even some starts.
The £16million ace is a player of the highest calibre.
He’ll no doubt be raring to go and give Arteta even more of a selection headache once everyone’s fit. Cherries beware.
