Ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Stoke at the Emirates on Sunday, manager Arsene Wenger has been highlighting the lack of defensive leaders in the Premier League.
The Frenchman is hoping to recruit exactly that type of player to North London and says he has got some names on his shortlist but it won’t be easy getting them.
Stoke ruffled Arsenal in their 3-2 win at the Britannia in December and Wenger clearly wants players in his team that will not fade in the face of such opposition.
The Arsenal boss is longingly glancing towards the options available to London rivals Chelsea.
“John Terry is a coach on the pitch, he’s a Tony Adams, basically, organising the team because he has huge experience,” he said.
Wenger feels Terry’s defensive partner, Gary Cahill, can become that type of player in time, but he has warned that such players are harder to find nowadays.
“Maybe Cahill in five, six, seven years will be like that as well. He is the right age and you do not find many anymore. You had more before than you do today,” he added.
Defensive lapses have cost Arsenal dearly this season; nowhere more so than in the loss to Mark Hughes’ side.
Arsenal are 1.47 to gain revenge on Stoke (6.97) at the Emirates with the draw at 4.06. Stoke have lost their last 12 visits to Arsenal in all competitions.
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