Evaluating Takehiro Tomiyasu's start to his Arsenal career

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Evaluating Takehiro Tomiyasu's start to his Arsenal career

By Jonny Bray

Takehiro Tomiyasu has enjoyed an outstanding start to his Arsenal career.
The Japanese international signed for the Gunners from Bologna for a reported £16 million in August and has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water.
Not many Arsenal fans may have heard of the defender – but he's already established himself as Mikel Arteta's first-choice right-back in the space of four games.
He was one of our best players in the North London Derby, and before that, had solidified the Gunners' defence after some disappointing results at the start of the season.  
So, how did a relatively unknown player make himself one of the first names on the Arsenal team sheet?

Small shoes to fill

Arsenal haven't had a top-quality right-back since Bacary Sagna left the club back in 2014.
Calum Chambers has looked like an encouraging prospect at points, but he has never proven himself to be a top-quality Premier League defender over a consistent period.
Similarly, Hector Bellerin has looked like a solid long-term option in that position at certain moments.
However, it wasn't meant to be, and over time it became abundantly clear that the Spaniard didn't offer enough to be trusted as a starter in Arteta's side.
Several other players have attempted to fit into this position, from Ainsley Maitland-Niles to Shkodran Mustafi – which is an indicator of just how much a problem position this has been for the Gunners. 
In Tomiyasu, Arsenal have finally found an option at right-back who can make the position his own.

Instantly fitting into a more settled back four

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It feels like Arsenal's defence has been a mess for a few years now.
However, the Gunners seem to finally have a settled back four with players who can be relied upon not to make big mistakes at crucial moments.
While players like David Luiz, Bellerin, Rob Holding, and Sead Kolasinac all had their moments in the red and white of Arsenal – but were all prone to making calamitous errors.
Now, with Tomiyasu, Ben White, Gabriel, and Kieran Tierney in front of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, Arsenal appear to be the strongest they've been at the back for years.
First, they need a run of games to settle even more into a cohesive unit – and the faith of the Arsenal fans if they make any errors in the meantime.
The speed at which Tomiyasu has acclimatised to the pace and power of the top-flight has also meant that Arteta has far fewer defensive concerns to worry about, meaning he can focus his attention on developing an impressive midfield. 
If this back four can produce performances like the ones we've seen against Norwich, Burnley and Tottenham, then the future could be bright for the Gunners.

More to come

Perhaps the most exciting thing about Tomiyasu is that he has so much more to offer in an Arsenal shirt.
Firstly, he offers positional flexibility that could be key if Arsenal pick up any injuries in defence.
He can play on the right side of the defensive three, meaning Maitland-Niles could be moved to right-wing-back if Gabriel or White are injured.
Tomiyasu is unique in that even though he plays in a back four, he allow’s Arsenal to build play in a back three, with Kieran Tierney pushed forward on the left hand side.
He could potentially play in a two as well.
His clearance stats have been very impressive in his three Premier League appearances, with a record of 14 aerial battles won and just two lost.

Conclusion

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All of Arteta's summer signings have hit the ground running, but none have adapted to life at the Emirates quite like Tomiyasu.
But we've been here before – and it's important not to overhype Tomiyasu after three good performances against three struggling sides.
For Gunners fans far and wide, hopefully he proves this is his normal performance level in the coming season – and not just a spout of good form.

PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

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