Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta should not be pondering a position change for Riccardo Calafiori despite his intriguing performance against Nottingham Forest, according to Charles Watts.
The Italy international benefitted from Myles Lewis-Skelly‘s absence through suspension to start in last week’s goalless draw with Nottingham Forest, where he often struggled to cope with the pace and direct attacking play of Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Calafiori was withdrawn at half time as a precaution after picking up a yellow card, but he had Arsenal’s best chance at the City Ground, hitting the post with a curling strike from inside the box as he ventured forward throughout his short time on the field.
Watts has advocated for Arsenal to switch to a wing-back system during their attacking injury crisis, but he does not feel that Calafiori is the type of player who would benefit from such an alteration.
“When I look at the wing-backs, I don’t really see Calafiori as a wing-back,” Watts told Sports Mole. He likes marauding centrally, and that’s where his real strength is. I don’t really see him as an overlapping type full-back. I still think Arsenal have got better options if you’re going to play that system.
“But I thought it was Calafiori encapsulated in 45 minutes against Nottingham Forest. Defensively, a little bit exposed, got caught out by the pace of Hudson-Odoi, that early booking left him walking a tightrope. But attacking wise, he’s picking up some really interesting positions.
Watts: ‘Forest did not know how to deal with Calafiori’
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“Forest did not know how to deal with him. He was really popping up in those pockets between midfield and defence or between midfield and attack. Forest defenders didn’t know who should be picking him up, and the chance that he hit the post was all his own work.
“The moment that he slid the ball through for Ethan Nwaneri and Nwaneri decided not to shoot, what he probably should have done, he just drifted into that central area and played the ball.
“At times Merino was playing as the left inverted full-back and Calafiori had filled in for him. It was very fluid. It was a shame when he came off. I can absolutely understand why Arteta did it, he said he could not take another red card, but it definitely impacted Arsenal a little bit because the most threatening player in attack was Calafiori.
“I was kind looking forward to seeing that continue in the second half. So I think it was a shame that the match situation that Arsenal were in meant that they had to take him out earlier than they wanted to.”
The goalless stalemate at the City Ground marked the second game in a row where a striker-less Arsenal had failed to find the back of the net, as Mikel Merino once again struggled to cut the mustard as Arteta’s emergency number nine.
Neither Kai Havertz nor Gabriel Jesus will play again this season, while Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli – the latter of whom would arguably be the next best thing up front – are not expected back from their hamstring concerns until after the March international break.
Why Calafiori is not a solution up front for Arsenal
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If the Merino experiment continues to yield negative results, Arteta’s only out-and-out striker alternative is 22-year-old Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, who has only played once for the first team and seemingly does not have the trust of his manager.
Asked if Calafiori could be another makeshift option either up front, on the left wing or as a number eight, Watts did not shoot down the possibility of the Italian occupying the latter role but stressed that his current left-back position is his best one, even if his defending can sometimes leave a bit to be desired.
“One of his strengths is coming from deep, if you’re talking about him being the forward where he’s going to have to play with his back to goal, it’s a completely different kettle of fish in terms of what you’re asking him to do,” Watts added. “Maybe the left eight role, but Declan Rice is probably still stronger in that one.
“I think where he plays now, I think that works and it is working from an attacking point of view. I think if you mess with it too much, I think we’re in that position where it’s just like, what can Arsenal do? Who can they play somewhere to try and score a goal?
“It’s all square pegs in round holes, isn’t it? If you’re looking at Calafiori as a left-winger or as a forward, it’s very much we’ve fallen into that category now. I know needs must, but I think you probably leave him where he is and that’s where you’re going to get the best from him. Defensively, potentially not, but certainly from an attacking point of view.”
Calafiori is expected to lose his place in Arsenal’s starting lineup for their Champions League last-16 first-leg encounter with PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday night, as Lewis-Skelly is back from the domestic ban that kept him out of the Forest stalemate.
The former Bologna man has provided two goals and one assist in 23 appearances for Arsenal since his summer arrival, but he has also missed 14 matches through injury, allowing Lewis-Skelly to stake his claim at left-back.
