Was Signing Willian a Mistake?

Was Signing Willian a Mistake?

By Fabio Duarte

As we approach the half-way stage of the season, the phrase ‘too early to say’ is beginning to lose some of its credibility. With just a matter of weeks left until the new year, it’s perhaps time to make an early assessment on the signing of Willian.

The Brazilian international’s arrival was generally seen as a coup. Willian was undoubtedly one of Chelsea’s top performers during the back-end of the 2019/20 campaign, yet turned down a contract from the Blues to make the switch to North London.

There were mixed opinions in both camps. The prevailing view from Chelsea fans was that Arsenal were handing out a bumper contract to a soon-to-be declining squad player. Meanwhile, the general outlook from Arsenal supporters was that the deal would weaken their rivals whilst adding much-needed quality in wide positions.

Three months on and one side’s assessment has grown considerably stronger…but is this likely to change, and ultimately, was signing Willian a mistake?

Troubling performances so far

The first place to start when assessing the success of this move is, naturally, on the pitch.

At the time of writing, Willian has played 836 competitive minutes for the Gunners. In the Premier League, only five players have featured more often, and the only forward to have seen more game time is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Willian had a hand in all three goals on the opening weekend against Fulham, but has added just one assist since, and is yet to find the back of the net. His raw numbers are obviously disappointing but in terms of goal contributions in the league, none of his teammates can claim to have dramatically outperformed him.

Perhaps a more damning statistic is the fact that Willian has been substituted in nine of his 12 starts to date. Mikel Arteta has seen fit to haul off his summer signing with over 20 minutes remaining in six of those games and the data backs up those calls.

Willian's attacking output has regressed from last season across many notable metrics. These include key passes, completed dribbles, and shots per game, all of which have dropped by at least 50%. Most alarmingly, these are his lowest outputs in any Premier League season to date.

Defensive metrics have also taken a hit with tackles and interceptions at a three-year low. Among all the statistical data, the one improvement was Willian’s Premier League pass success percentage which is currently at an all-time high of 86.9%. Sadly, this may simply be a side effect of a player less willing/less able to take risks in the final third.


Are there better options?

Given his age, time is not on Willian’s side. Perhaps what’s more galling for Arsenal fans is that for every minute the Brazilian’s on the pitch underperforming, younger players with long-term futures at the club are being denied vital game time. The potential of stalling the development of young talent was always a known risk but it’s all the more concerning when those same players arguably have earned their spots in the XI.

One such name who was frustratingly left out of the starting line-up against Leeds in order to accommodate Willian was Bukayo Saka. The 19-year-old’s shots per game, dribbles, and interceptions all dwarf Willian’s numbers.

A more like-for-like youngster whose path to the first team is being blocked is Reiss Nelson. Despite playing just 70 minutes of Premier League football this season (39 of which came after Pépé’s dismissal), Nelson still averaged more successful dribbles, fouls drawn, and clearances than Willian.

Was the financial burden worth the risk?

At this stage, the answer is a clear-cut ‘no’. Handing a three-year contract to a 32-year-old is risky at the best of times, but the reported wages could be a real stinger. It is disappointing to think that the club could be so financially reckless given the ongoing Özil situation, but this dilemma isn’t as cut and dry for the time being.

Willian may be underperforming but so are the rest of the team, and in that sense, he can’t shoulder all of the blame. Arteta is likely to persist with Willian for a while yet and during similarly underwhelming periods at Chelsea, the Brazilian had the ability to produce game-changing flashes of brilliance.

It is clear that things aren’t working out as of yet, but that doesn’t mean Willian cannot be an important member of the Arsenal squad. Having said that, most Arsenal fans would probably pass up on the deal if they had the final say today, and in that respect, signing Willian was a mistake.

 


Popular posts from this blog

What have we learned from Arsenal's pre-season so far?

Image
  Arsenal – what have we learned from pre-season? By Jack Lacey-Hatton It only feels five minutes since Euro 2020, but incredibly we are just one week away from the new Premier League season starting. Arsenal will travel to newly promoted Brentford for a London derby in front of a noisy crowd next Friday night, not the easiest of starts to the new campaign. But what sort of shape are Mikel Arteta’s side in, going into what could be a defining season for the manager? We took a close look at what we have learnt from the pre-season period and what kind of shape the squad are in.   The new signings are ready to go It has been a mixed transfer window so far. Some fans would have expected more both leaving and arriving at the Emirates stadium over the summer. But positives can be taken - Ben White has arrived from Brighton for £50million, and highly-rated full back Nuno Tavares has come in from Benfica. Albert Sambi Lokonga completes the 2021 summer singings so far. Cruc...
Read more

Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves

Image
Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves By Jonny Bray It is hard to believe that Ruben Neves is still only 25-years-old.   It feels as if the Portuguese international has been tipped for big things for nearly a decade now.  With the midfielder out of contract in 2023, it appears his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers could be coming to an end.  Understandably, with a player like Neves on offer for a reduced price, clubs around Europe are queueing up to secure the international's signature.  So, after all this time, should Arsenal move for Ruben Neves now, or is it time for the Gunners to turn their attention to a new target?  What would he bring?  Arsenal do not have enough defensive midfielders.  Martin Ødegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka give Mikel Arteta plenty of midfield options going forward, but the Gunners have been found lacking when out of possession this season. Thomas Partey has been in and out of the side due to injuries, a fact that has not hel...
Read more

Where will Arsenal finish this season?

Image
Where will Arsenal finish this season? By Alec McQuarrie Arsenal have made steady improvement over the last few seasons under Mikel Arteta. After finishing 8th in his debut season, the Spaniard oversaw a five-point improvement in his first full campaign.  And last year an eight-point leap followed, which was unfortunately not enough to pip Tottenham to fourth place.  Cruelly, the 69 points accumulated would have been enough to seal Champions League qualification in the previous two seasons.  Looking at the trajectory over the Arteta era, it would be fair to assume a continued improvement this coming season.  After all, with five signings already secured this summer and Alexandre Lacazette the sole first-team player to depart, surely fourth place should be a bare minimum expectation.  Oleksandr Zinchenko offers much-needed cover at left-back and competition for central midfield.  Gabriel Jesus is a proven goalscorer and brings a tireless work-ethic to fulfil...
Read more