Arsenal faced another tough match in the Premier League this weekend, securing their position at the top of the table with a 2-1 victory over Chelsea. Left back Piero Hincapie showcased his skills again, leading to discussions about his potential to replace Riccardo Calafiori as the starting player.
Calafiori was performing well until he sustained a muscle injury. Although he is expected to recover and return to the starting lineup, he has remained on the bench while Hincapie continues to impress.
Hincapie’s permanent move from Bayer Leverkusen is essentially a formality now. With interest from various clubs in the Premier League’s Big Six, his athleticism and strong defensive attributes have made him a perfect fit for Arsenal, and he is determined to keep his starting role.
While Hincapie excels as a center back, he has adapted well to the left back position. Despite Calafiori being praised as a top ball-playing center back in Italy before his move to North London, Hincapie has matched and even surpassed Calafiori’s passing accuracy since joining Arsenal.
Hincapie stands out as a left back due to his energetic play. He overlaps frequently, is a strong athlete, and consistently wins the ball while contributing significantly in attack.
With an average of 2.8 combined tackles and interceptions per game, Hincapie poses a consistent threat to opposing forwards, making it difficult for them to launch their own attacks.
In the match against Chelsea, Hincapie recorded three tackles and interceptions, marking a slight dip in form compared to previous matches, where he excelled with seven tackles against Tottenham Hotspur and three interceptions against Wolves.
While Calafiori is a talented player and a capable left back, he remains on the bench due to Hincapie’s enhanced performance and abilities that provide Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with options that Calafiori cannot offer at this time.