Where will Calafiori play if he is chosen for Arsenal’s home game against Wolves? | OneFootball

A few weeks ago, Arsenal finalised Riccardo Calafiori’s transfer from Bologna. In a £38 million deal, the Italian defender moved to the Emirates Stadium. Speculation regarding the Italian, however, did not stop with his signing.

The position in which he would play, and when he’d make his Arsenal debut became a source of contention. While some were concerned about why he did not feature in the preseason friendly against Liverpool and then Bayer Leverkusen, others were speculating on which position he would play, with some believing he’d be the ideal left-sided centre back ahead of Gabriel given his success in central defence for Bologna.

Well, last Sunday, Mikel Arteta “clarified” the situation with Calafiori. He ultimately gave him his debut, quelling suspicions about why he wasn’t playing and hinting that he’d be available for the Premier League opening. He also replaced Zinchenko as a left-back, and he only played the LCB position when Gabriel departed the field. This clearly demonstrated, in line with the common belief, that Calafiori is considered a left back, and Arteta would only use him in centre defence when necessary.

Gabriel established his worth last season by making fewer mistakes and maintaining his calm, both of which were initially holding him back. Along with William Saliba, they established an amazing defensive partnership. His efforts from last season have earned him a new deal and a promotion to the Arsenal leadership group as the defensive leader.

Big Gabi performed admirably last season, and he has continued where he left off. Calafiori made an impressive debut in the Emirates Cup, which Arsenal won 2-0 against Lyon. Arsenal now has the strongest backline; isn’t this what the Gooners wanted? They should then enjoy it and allow Mikel Arteta to make the tactical decisions he so wishes.

It is certainly going to be interesting to see how Arteta sets up his starting XI against Wolves…

Peter Rix

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