Despite their impressive attacking play in their victory over Spurs, Hislop still has reservations about the defence. There is a time and a place for it.
Peter Mujuzi, the club's DJ, had a bright idea when William Saliba was heading towards the dressing room after his first victory in a North London derby. He played a song called "Tequila" from The Champs, which has turned into a song called "Siloba" by the fans of the club.
The stadium chanted his name as he was about to leave. The defender grinned as he applauded the fans in front of him. The Paris-born and bred player has been one of the best centre-backs in the league so far this season and is already a fans' favourite. If you know the former Saint-Etienne defender, his success and quick adaptation to one of the best leagues is no surprise.
Since he made his debut in September of last year, Saliba's talent has been clear. He'd only moved to the club's academy two years earlier after playing for many years with Bondy, in the north suburbs of Paris, where he is from, and with a father of Kylian Mbappe as a coach.
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His personality makes him different from other players. He is confident in his ability and doesn't get flustered by pressure. Growing up in the Paris banlieues was difficult because he had to play against bigger and stronger boys. Otherwise he wouldn't have made the cut. He had the same confidence when he joined the team.
When he returned to London, he didn't know many people at the club. After signing for 30 million, he spent his entire time out on loan to three different places. In the last transfer window, Marseille tried to get him to stay on a permanent deal, but they were unsuccessful. Other big European clubs, like Barcelona, had him on their list, but he was never going to be allowed to leave. He was called up to the senior side in March and they liked what they saw from him.
It only took a few training sessions for everyone at the club to realize how good they were. Quietly, but impressively, he is establishing his place in the team and he is already being compared to another player.
So far, his statistics are frightening. No opponent dribbled against him against Spurs and Kane. He recovered the ball more than any other defender this season. He made six passes into the final third, won five battles, made three clearances, and was a threat on set pieces.
Two weeks after shutting down Ivan Toney at Brentford, he did the same with Kane, and this weekend presents another challenge, with any one of the other players lined up against him. He's happy to have finally broken through atArsenal where he can do his job with commitment and confidence He always wants to test himself against the best, learn and improve with the World Cup around the corner. He has only made seven appearances for Les Bleus, but all of them have been in the year 2022.
The entire season, Saliba's statistics are outstanding. He hasn't made an error leading to a goal and hasn't been beaten on the dribble. He has won possession the most among defenders, but is also in the top five for the most carries with the ball.
Arteta and the team rely on Saliba's pressure in the middle of the field to help them. He's already signed a long-term contract with the club. Talks have just begun over an extension for his current one, which is due to expire in June 2024.
There was only one spot for Saliba when the team photo was set up. In the middle of it all, big, imposing, solid, right there. His character is this one. His self-belief is strong. The "Tequila" chant has been sung in the dressing room by his teammates and they will hope to do the same this weekend as they watch the emergence of a special player.
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