Arsenal drew 0-0 with Atalanta away from home in the first round of the Champions League which ended early this morning. After the match, former legendary Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand spoke on TNT Sports' commentary and spoke highly of Arsenal's backline, especially the center back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel.
Ferdinand said, "Saliba and Gabriel are now definitely one of the best center-back partnerships in the world. Their performances in the past few seasons have fully proved this. Not only are they determined and tenacious, but they are able to accomplish their defensive tasks in many different ways. They work well together, with Saliba relatively calm and adept at covering and sweeping, while Gabriel is more forward and aggressive, in a style similar to Martin Keown of yesteryear. This combination makes Arsenal's backline impregnable."
Ferdinand also emphasized that the solidity of Arsenal's back line is not only due to Saliba and Gabriel, but also to Ben White. He was able to quickly recover to the middle, and the two formed a solid three-man defense. In addition, the goalkeeper David Raya also played well, for the team to keep the goal.
"I think it's one of the best backlines in the Premier League," Ferdinand continued, "and we'll see them excel in the Champions League this season because it's a different and more competitive competition this year. Arsenal have a good core of really competitive players and every striker who meets them will feel it's a tough game. If you're Arsenal boss Arteta, that's what you want - a backline that puts the opposition on their heels."
