The Defender's Holding the Forward's Wood?

[Rowls]

Burnley linked with loan bid for Arsenal defender Rob Holding.

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[DAVETHEVICAR]

Would be an excellent signing imo.
Think SD could get the best out of the young centre back like he has done with Tarkowski.

[Grumps]

Would he play though?

[Pearcey]

Would he play though?

I would hope not. Our centre halves have been superb and Long has been excellent back up.

[cricketfieldclarets]

We need backup and need to restart the conveyor belt. On paper looks perfect. But never looks a defender to me when i see him. Too lightweight and always loses focus.

That said if anyone can sort him...

[andyh]

Don’t get it unless we’ve agreed a perm move in the summer

[burnley007]

Depends upon option to buy.

[agreenwood]

Makes little sense to me as a loan deal.

He’s not very good as things stand. He won’t play very often. Arsenal will probably think he’s as well on their bench as he is on ours. It’s a loan, so we’d barely get any benefit for any improvements that were made through training with us for 4 months.

[Mattster]

Doesn't make sense for either team IMO. Would probably get more game time at Arsenal than he would with us (how far have we come?). Wouldn't think we'd have a chance at a perm deal either so the time and effort drilling him on the system would be better spent on someone "on the conveyer belt" so to speak.

[MrClaretandBlue]

He's been shocking every time I've watched him play albeit only a handful of times.

[BurnleyPaul]

Unless this is a loan with a view to a permanent signing then it makes no sense.

Holding isn’t wanted at Arsenal so this loan might actually be an extended trial (of sorts)- simply to see if he fits into our squad / way of doing things.

If Dyche thinks that Holding is a player that will improve our squad and he fits in to our mentality, wage structure etc then let’s do whatever we can to get this one over the line.

[Bfcboyo]

Would he play though?

No.

[claretspice]

As a player for us to target, he makes a lot of sense. It's in a similar mould to Keane.

I agree the loan thing is odd - it's a bit different to NKoudou because he can get lots of game time off the bench. Even if it was with a view to a permanent deal, you can't imagine Holding would be too smitten with a trial consisting of 4 months of waiting for Mee or Tarks to get injured.

Unless of course one of Tarks or Mee has a niggle we'renot aware of which might disrupt their second half of the season.

[DesmondHaynes]

Arsenal are interested in Tarkowski. Holding as a possible replacement?

[agreenwood]

As a player for us to target, he makes a lot of sense. It's in a similar mould to Keane.

I agree the loan thing is odd - it's a bit different to NKoudou because he can get lots of game time off the bench. Even if it was with a view to a permanent deal, you can't imagine Holding would be too smitten with a trial consisting of 4 months of waiting for Mee or Tarks to get injured.

Unless of course one of Tarks or Mee has a niggle we'renot aware of which might disrupt their second half of the season.

Would Holding come in as immeadiate 3rd choice? You could argue that Long did enough at Man U and Huddersfield to maintain his place as next in line, at least initially.

[claretspice]

Would Holding come in as immeadiate 3rd choice? You could argue that Long did enough at Man U and Huddersfield to maintain his place as next in line, at least initially.

One for Dyche, but having seen him a bit this season (admittedly not at United) and given that he was bumped down the conveyor belt previously when we signed Tarks, I'm slightly doubtful about calling Long as the next cab off the tank.

[agreenwood]

One for Dyche, but having seen him a bit this season (admittedly not at United) and given that he was bumped down the conveyor belt previously when we signed Tarks, I'm slightly doubtful about calling Long as the next cab off the tank.

It would be unlike Dyche to throw a young defender in without the benefit of a month or so of adapting to “the framework”. More so Holding, who looks pretty raw still and has had some very public criticism for some of his performances.

[summitclaret]

We must sign a cb now. We have been pushing our luck all season re injuries/suspensions. Long is ok as 4th choice/back up and has surprised me. This only makes sense if it is Holding on loan now to get used to us prior to signing in July. However, sadly it could mean Tarky to them in July.

[claretspice]

It would be unlike Dyche to throw a young defender in without the benefit of a month or so of adapting to “the framework”. More so Holding, who looks pretty raw still and has had some very public criticism for some of his performances.

Can see that argument AG.

[jrgbfc]

No point him coming to sit on our bench till the end of the season, unless there's the chance of making it permanent.

[TheFamilyCat]

If this is the start of the chain that sees Tarks go to Arsenal it makes sense.

If SD is suitably impressed with him, Arsenal throw him in as part of the deal and we have Tarks' replacement handed to us on a plate. Means the deal can be done early allowing for both players to have full pre-seasons with their new clubs and can also then focus on other targets.

This is only an if of course.

[FactualFrank]

Ablue will be pleased

[EarbyClaret]

As others have said the only way this makes sense, if true, is that it's part of a deal which takes Tarkowski to Arsenal in the summer.

In the short-term, Mee either was or still is carrying an underlying injury which seems to surface from time to time and as we've seen already with Tarkowski he plays to the limit a lot of the time and can pick-up cards.

Again we don't know how much truth is in this but it might mean we've changed our minds about buying an emerging Championship centre back, like Worrall, and developing them in the same way as we did with Tarkowski.

[mickleoverclaret]

Anyone who says Holding has been shocking every time they've watched him obviously didn't watch the cup final, he was excellent in that. Would certainly be a good addition as back up but as said can't see Arsenal letting him go to come and sit on our bench.

[mkmel]

Ablue will be pleased

Ablue and pleased in the same sentence.

That's a first

[piston broke]

Could only be coming to play 3 at the back or as a nibble for Wenger to get Tarks in Summer.
As I can't see us changing systems mid stream it would be the latter.
The rider being that the OP link is the daily liar.

[NRC]

Ablue and pleased in the same sentence.

That's a first

ABlue will be along shortly exclaiming how this is more like it...... oh wait..

[Spike]

I can’t see the Window Holding open long enough for Arsenal to buy a replacement band then us to get sorted.
Wenger when asked said he didn’t see it