Nacho Monreal – combining pace with experience….

Nacho Monreal has arguably grown into not just one of the most consistent players at Arsenal but in the entire league since moving to the Gunners back in 2013.

Monreal was considered a strange buy from Spanish side Malaga back in the January transfer window of 2013 and although he had a relatively slow start to his Arsenal career, largely due to communication and adapting to a new style of play, Monreal has since grown into one of the most reliable players on the pitch.

Surely named as one of the first players on the teamsheet week in week out, Monreal is at the peak of his career right now and we have seen that on the pitch, especially in the past two seasons. Kieran Gibbs had maintained the left back position for a number of seasons without being challenged and I always thought he was a pretty decent left back. However now Gibbs can’t get a look in compared to the ability of Monreal, so much so that apparently Gibbs is considering moving away from Arsenal.
Monreal shows strength, confidence and ability at both ends of the pitch because he recognises when it’s safe to join the attack rather just racing forward like some full backs do. Experience dictates what decisions he makes and we have seen that whilst his defensive duties are always on point, he can also whip a good cross in, as well as occasionally have a crack at goal.

In a recent interview Monreal was asked about how he feels now that he is settled in and fully integrated into the starting eleven. Monreal told Arsenal.com: “When you’re young you just have so much energy and you feel great. As soon as you finish one match you can’t wait to play the next because you recover really quickly. On the other hand you lack experience. With time you lose a bit of physical fitness but you gain huge experience. You understand far better where to place the ball, how to read the game and what the team needs. I feel I am at a point now where I am combining well those two elements.”

At 30 years old Monreal is truly at the peak of his career and his experience has already shown these past two years, as he rarely makes a wrong decision on the pitch. The sad thing is is that we shall only get a few more years out of Monreal at his highest ability, before age starts to play a part on his style of play, at which point Arsenal will have to consider whether Gibbs (if he’s still with us) is ready to retake his position, or if a new player is needed. Perhaps that’s why Ricardo Rodriguez is being linked with the Gunners, as they look for a replacement sooner rather than later.

Liverpool FC transfer rumours: Reds plot Arsenal raid for Kieran Gibbs

Kieran Gibbs of Arsenal celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium on November 8, 2015 in London, England.

Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs has emerged as a surprise new candidate to solve Liverpool's troublesome left-back spot.

The Reds have struggled in the position for many years now and the patience of many fans was tested to its limit with current incumbent Alberto Moreno after his Europa League final horror show against former club Sevilla with his side surrendering a 1-0 lead to lose 3-1 in Basel.

According to Football Insider, the Gunners will listen to offers for 26-year-old Gibbs this summer after he lost his place to Spanish left-back Nacho Monreal.

Liverpool, who are also monitoring Leicester City's teenage left-back – who has made just three senior appearances for the Premier League champions – could turn to Gibbs instead as a more experienced alternative.

Born in Lambeth, Gibbs, who has been capped 10 times by England, has spent his entire career to date with the Gunners apart from a loan spell at Norwich City in 2007/08 when he turned out seven times for the Canaries.

He has played over 200 times for Arsenal and played in the 2014 FA Cup-winning side.

Liverpool face competition for Ajax's leggy winger Anwar El Ghazi says Gianluca Di Marzio.

The Italian transfer news hound reckons Crystal Palace and recently-relegated Aston Villa are also interested in the 21-year-old Dutch international.

Capped twice, El Ghazi has burst onto the scene over the past couple of seasons, reaching double figures in the goals columns in both campaigns.

At 6ft 2in he is tall for a wide man but is the kind of hard-runner that Jurgen Klopp so admires.

Jordi Alba of Barcelona and Anwar El Ghazi of Ajax battle for the ball (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Martin Skrtel is heading for the Anfield exit door and newly-promoted Middlesbrough could have a battle to convince the Slovakian to stay in the Premier League say the Metro as Besiktas and another unnamed Turkish club look to land the veteran centre-back who still has two years left to run on his Reds contract.

'We lost Sanchez,.it is a big blow' - Arsene Wenger

It has been yet another black November for Arsene Wenger and a disastrous month threatens to undermine Arsenal's whole season.

In addition to the losses of Koscielny and Alexis, Santi Cazorla also pulled up with a knee issue of which the Gunner's boss is also concerned about. Cazorla was able to play through the match but Wenger confirmed after the match that the Spaniard was only able to play with one leg.

"The players are there to play football and not to be rested, and it's not for the press to decide if they need to be rested", Wenger replied when asked about Sanchez's injury.

While Henry found his compatriot culpable for allowing Alexis to indulge in excessive game-time, he understands the pressure placed on Wenger that necessitates his constant use of the club's best players.

Koscielny and Alexis took Arsenal's injury tally to nine players. "It would be fantastic for the kid's career to go through, so I have to be honest and say that I would like the kid and Olympiakos to go on".

James Milner's 62nd-minute penalty, awarded for a handball by Neil Taylor, lifted Jurgen Klopp's side up to sixth place and increased the pressure on Swansea manager Garry Monk, who has overseen one win in 10 league games. "If he [Sanchez] played today [against Norwich] and he scored he [Wenger] would have said, "I was right to play him", but he got an injury so we are obviously going to say he should have rested him", continued Henry.

The Wales midfielder had been sidelined since October, but returned as a substitute in the Gunners' convincing midweek win against Dinamo Zagreb.

Dutch fitness coach Raymond Verheijen has the stuck the boot in - and called for the Frenchman to start taking some responsibility for Arsenal's problems. The Chilean worldwide has played in majority of Arsenal's matches of the English Premier League so far.

Wenger's worst nightmare came true on Saturday when Francis Coquelin limped out of the game at West Brom after only 14 minutes with a knee ligament injury.

Norwich City put a slight dent in Arsenal's title hopes on Sunday.

Norwich caused a few problems with some early set-pieces and Ozil should have opened the scoring for Arsenal when he was picked out in the box by Nacho Monreal.

Wenger puts fearless face on Arsenal injury crisis

Manager Arsene Wenger fears Alexis Sanchez is playing down a hamstring injury that he suffered in Arsenal's draw at Norwich City.

The Christmas period is one of the most hectic parts of the English season, and Arsenal have nine of their best players in the infirmary.

Meanwhile, Koscielny was still in obvious pain as the squad departed Carrow Road to head to the airport as Wenger, who also lost Kieran Gibbs to a calf problem before the game, gave a negative prognosis on Cazorla's knock. I am glad you (the media) are anxious for us.

"How bad it is I do not know, we will have to see in the morning".

Forward, Alexis Sanchez and Laurent Koscielny were forced off the game following an injury, with Santi Cazorla also taking a blow to his knee. He barely managed to get any rest after that, when he was thrown into the mix of the domestic season, playing nearly every game in the Premier League and in the Champions League.

"After the game Wenger said he had a slight issue with Olivier Giroud and Hector Bellerin but Sanchez is the most important player of the three and should have been brought off when the game was dead".

Arsenal icon Thierry Henry is among those to have questioned Wenger's choice to not reduce the workload placed upon arguably the club's most influential player, yet his fellow Frenchman insists that the media do not dictate team selection in such circumstances. Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck, Tomas Rosicky, Theo Walcott, Francis Coquelin and Mikel Arteta are now on the treatment table.

"We played against a Norwich side that was at the top level physically and focused".

"We have three injuries", Wenger told Sky Sports. He featured throughout Arsenal's win over Dinamo Zagreb in midweek, even though the Gunners were comfortably 3-0 in front with 20 minutes to go.

Norwich caused a few problems with some early set-pieces and Ozil should have opened the scoring for Arsenal when he was picked out in the box by Nacho Monreal.

"But I think you nearly don't have to ask him anything if you want to rest him".

The Spanish striker did not look a happy soul when, late on, he realised he was not going to be brought on as a substitute and, turning his back on the bench, tossed his warm-up bib behind him in disgust.

Joy for Arsenal as star agrees three-year contract

NACHO MONREAL has reportedly agreed a new three-year contract with Arsenal.

It emerged last month that Gunners chiefs were in talks with the 29-year-old and the Daily Mailclaim a deal has been struck.

Spanish side Athletic Bilbao were linked with left-back Monreal in the summer but a move failed to materialise.

Bilbao made their interest in the Spaniard known but Arsene Wenger refused to sell.

Monreal joined Arsenal from Malaga in 2013 for £8.5m.

He initially struggled for first-team action with Kieran Gibbs being the preferred option but has gradually established himself at the Emirates and has not missed a minute in the league this season.

His current contract expires in 2017 so the new deal will keep him in north London for a further season.

Mikel Arteta's future is less clear with his deal expiring at the end of the campaign.

A decision on whether to offer him fresh terms will be made later in the season.