Who should be Arsenal’s first-choice left-back: Kieran Gibbs or Andre Santos?

Opinions seem to be constantly shifting when it comes to Arsenal’s summer signings. First a number simply weren’t up to snuff, for instance, Per Mertesacker didn’t seem to be providing Arsenal with the defensive prowess that most fans had been hoping for. Over time however, most of the newbies have established themselves and become embedded within the squad. Such was the case for Andre Santos, who at first appeared to be adept at marching forward but a bit of a liability when it comes to defending.

Given a run of games in the first team however, it seems he’s finally getting to grips with his role in the team and the pace of the League.

He’s come a long way since his abysmal performance against Blackburn (though no member of Arsenal’s defence really ‘performed’ during the 3-4 loss). At that stage many Arsenal fans would have been forgiven for wondering why Wenger has plumped for a left-back who was even worse than Clichy at fulfilling his defensive duties. Since that result, however, he has grown in confidence and prowess, improving both offensively and defensively.

The Chelsea game appears to have done him a world of good when it comes to his confidence. During the first half he looked at odds with the pace of the game, but when he came out for the second half he looked a different player. His tackling was top notch and he didn’t allow Chelsea to fashion any chances down his side of the pitch.

Given his improvement, I have to wonder: when Kieran Gibbs returns from injury will he slot straight back into the left-back slot or has Santos now made that position his own?

First we should note that it can only benefit Arsenal to have two players fighting for one position. Both Gibbs and Santos will have to work extremely hard because if they don’t they’ll find their place in the first-team up for grabs.

I have extremely high hopes for Gibbs who will no doubt have a big future for both Arsenal and England. My feeling, however, is that he’s not there quite yet. Thanks to a series of injuries he has struggled to get a run of games together in the first team and this has caused his career to stagnate somewhat. Of course there is plenty of time for him to come good, but at the moment Santos appears to be the better prospect. His little flicks, quick passes and Brazilian flair will always give opponents something to think about.

So long as he continues to improve defensively, I’d favour Santos over Gibbs for now.

But what’s your take? Who should be Arsenal’s first-choice left-back: Gibbs or Santos?

Follow @ThePerfectPass on Twitter for details on all the latest updates and various football-related musings.

Introducing the neat little app that’ll pay you to view content tailored to your interests:

ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.