Nicolas Anelka had already made his full debut for Arsenal when Ian Wright, who had recently become the club’s record goalscorer, suffered a knee injury in January 1998.
It had taken the 18-year-old seven minutes to make his mark against Manchester United last September, and in the weeks and months that followed his promotion to Arsene Wenger’s starting XI, he proved an able deputy for Wright. While Arsenal won the Double, Anelka finished the campaign with nine goals.
Fast forward to the present and it seems increasingly possible that Arsenal will need to revive the spirit of that triumphant season. It may be too early to speak of a defensive crisis at the Emirates, given the enviable depth and versatility of Mikel Arteta’s options along the backline, but there is no denying that Arsenal’s resources are becoming scarce.
How Cristhian Mosquera became the latest addition to Arsenal’s defensive injury list
Wednesday evening’s 2-0 win over Brentford, in which Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié replaced the injured duo of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães at centre-back, was a good example. Mosquera succumbed to an injury shortly before half-time, forcing Jurrien Timber – who Arteta wanted to rest – to come off the bench. Things went well that evening and Saliba is set to return to Aston Villa on Saturday. But any further injuries to the defensive staff could cause Arteta a headache.
It raises the intriguing possibility that the Spaniard, like Wenger more than a quarter of a century ago, could turn to youth to fill the void. That could be welcome news for Marli Salmon, the 16-year-old centre-back who was promptly dubbed ‘the next Saliba’ after being named in Arsenal’s 30-man squad for this summer’s pre-season tour of Asia. It was, Salmon recalls, a “surreal moment.”
What Marli Salmon said about taking part in Arsenal’s pre-season tour
“Mikel called my name to play against Milan and Newcastle,” he said. “At first I thought he was calling someone else, but when it dawned on me I started shaking. I felt ready and adapted well once I came on. The first-team players were fantastic with me.”
Salmon, who like his contemporary Max Dowman was 15 at the time, made late cameos in both matches and gained valuable experience alongside first-team regulars such as Martin Ødegaard, Martín Zubimendi and Mikel Merino.
Arteta has used Dowman, a midfielder, five times already this season and while a promotion for Salmon may be less likely given the physical, mental and tactical demands of his position, it is worth remembering that Myles Lewis-Skelly was only a year older when he made his debut for the club, amid a plethora of defensive injuries.
Salmon quickly approached the six-foot mark, demonstrating his ability to withstand the physical rigors of competing against adults in Hong Kong and Singapore. Nor does he flinch in the face of perceived injustice, a fearlessness he demonstrated to less positive effect during last month’s under-18 derby in north London, when he was dismissed for violent conduct after a row with Tottenham striker George Feeney. However, there is more to the art of defense than brute strength, and Salmon’s technical skills and reading of the game have received widespread praise.
Marli Salmon ‘isn’t physically impressive at all’
“One thing I find fascinating about Marli Salmon is that he is not physically imposing at all,” Como scout Ben Mattinson wrote on social media earlier this year. “Usually, defenders who play for a few years are physically mature. Salmon is technically advanced and reads the game so well for his age. If he builds up some physicality, he can be top.”
That’s a recurring refrain as Salmon, who was scouted by Arsenal at the age of nine, has worked his way through the youth ranks.
The Woodford-raised son of a Jamaican father and a Mauritian mother, the teenager played for Arsenal under-21s at the age of 15 and also played for England under-16s. But he wasn’t always a defender. Salmon was a boyhood fan of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi and spent his early years as a centre-forward until Arsenal came calling.
How Arsenal made Marli Salmon a defender
“The switch to centre-back happened during that first trial,” says Salmon. “I was scouted as a striker, but the coaches pushed me into defence. I played well and it stuck. I was still young and just loved being at Arsenal, so it didn’t matter to me where I played. Wearing the shirt was all that mattered.”
All the evidence suggests that Salmon, who has put every step of his accelerated progress in his stride, will carry it for a long time. The defender signed a two-year scholarship deal earlier this year and will be eligible for a first professional contract in August.
“I’ve played at every level from under-16s through to the first team, and funnily enough I’ve found it gets easier the higher you go,” he adds. “The quality around you naturally improves your game, although the pace is much faster and you have to adapt quickly.”
Like Anelka before him, adapting quickly seems to be a given. Only time – and a growing list of injuries – will tell how quickly he needs to adapt.
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