Walcott rated central defender: Saliba beats Van Dijk

Tuqiu.com reported on May 3 that in the bright starry sky of the central defender in the football world, who can shine to the top? Former Premier League player Walcott gave his answer in his recent interview - Arsenal's William Saliba.

Walcott did not hide his admiration for Saliba: "Oh my God, I really hope to fight side by side with Saliba! With him in the team, the championship trophy will come one after another. In my eyes, he and Van Dijk can be called the top central defender in football today. If I had to choose one of two, I would firmly stand on Saliba's side." In my words, there was a high recognition of this Arsenal defensive star.

Saliba, who is only 23 years old, is like a rapidly rising supernova, shining dazzlingly on Arsenal's defense line. Walcott emphasized: "Look at his age, look at his rapid growth, and the calmness and patience shown on the court, which is rare for a central defender. Saliba waited for the opportunity to prove himself, but waited for too long, and now he has finally accumulated a lot of strength." Patience is a necessary quality for an excellent central defender. With this characteristic, Saliba can always calmly judge the situation on the court and make the most reasonable defensive decisions. Saliba on the court is like a strong fortress that scares the forwards. Walcott added: "He made all forwards not want to face it. Isaac may have had a brilliant moment in his confrontation with him, but overall, Saliba has caused great trouble for every offensive player." Saliba has a tall figure of 1.93 meters, with outstanding speed and strong physical ability. When defending one-on-one, few people can break through his defense; when stealing and interception, he predicts accurately, and can complete key damage with one stretch of his legs. At the same time, in terms of ball control, Saliba is confident, has delicate skills under his feet, and has a high dribbling success rate. He can steadily attack the team while defending. At Arsenal, he and Gabriel had a tacit understanding, and the two complemented each other and greatly consolidated the team's defense line.

Not only that, Saliba has already gained a foothold in Arsenal and has become an indispensable and key link. He actively supports Skelly while defending on the left and demonstrates excellent teamwork. Walcott praised this: "Everyone regards him as one of the best central defenders in the world today. For him who is so young, this is undoubtedly a high praise."

Indeed, Van Dijk is also a great central defender. He has excellent physical fitness, sharp defensive awareness, and heading ability. He has won many honors in Liverpool in the past and is the decisive needle of the team's defense line. However, Walcott is more optimistic about Saliba's future, believing that the young player has unlimited potential and is expected to achieve higher achievements. Saliba's growth is not only related to the stability of Arsenal's defense, but also indicates that the football world will usher in a shining superstar in the future.