EPL 2017/18: Arsenal 4-3 Leicester City, 5 Talking Points

#4 Defensive concerns remain for Arsenal

Arsenal v Leicester City - Premier League

"You pay for the education of young players with points. If I play a young central defender who is 20-years-old, I know he will cost me points in the season - and I have to stand up for that. If I play a less talented 28-year-old centreback, he'll cost me less points, but I'll not give a chance to that young player. At some point, as I manager I have to stand up for that young player because he deserves it."

Wenger's words just a few days ago looked incredibly prescient when Rob Holding had a bit of a nightmare start to the season, with his confidence visibly dropping at every skewed pass. The youngster had two left-backs alongside him though, so perhaps could be excused.

1.66 - Arsenal's expected goals conceded with a back three was 1.66 per game compared to 1.18 per match with a back four. Lucky.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 11, 2017

Petr Cech and Arsenal's defence copped plenty of criticism from the game, but the goals that Arsenal conceded came from situations that can be corrected, although that seems a familiar refrain. Still, with players like Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker, Gabriel, and Shkodran Mustafi still to come back, perhaps judgements on a defence that ended up with two left-backs in the middle, a right winger, and a right-back playing at left back should be held off.