Nicolas Anelka had already made his full debut for Arsenal by the time 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 all of seven minutes to make his mark against Manchester United the previous September, and in the weeks and months that followed his promotion to Arsène Wenger’s starting XI, he proved an able deputy for Wright. As Arsenal went on to win the Double, Anelka ended the campaign with nine goals.
Fast forward to the present day and it looks increasingly possible that Arsenal may have to rekindle the spirit of that triumphant season. It is perhaps too early to talk of a defensive crisis at the Emirates, given the enviable depth and versatility of Mikel Arteta’s options along the back line, yet there can be no denying Arsenal’s resources are being stretched thin.
How Cristhian Mosquera became the latest addition to Arsenal’s defensive injury list
Wednesday night’s 2-0 victory over Brentford, which saw Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié deputise for injured duo William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães at centre-back, offered a case in point. Mosquera succumbed to injury shortly before half-time, forcing Jurrien Timber – whom Arteta had wanted to rest – to come off the bench. Things worked out on the night, and Saliba is in the frame to return at Aston Villa on Saturday. But any further injuries to defensive personnel could present Arteta with a headache.
It raises the intriguing possibility that, just like Wenger more than a quarter of a century ago, the Spaniard 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 drafted into 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 joining 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 sank in I was buzzing. 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, gaining invaluable experience alongside first-team regulars like Martin Ødegaard, Martín Zubimendi and Mikel Merino.
Arteta has already used Dowman, a midfielder, on five occasions this season, and while a battleground promotion for Salmon is perhaps less likely, given the physical, mental and tactical demands of his position, it is worth remembering Myles Lewis-Skelly was only a year older when he made his senior debut for the club amid a glut of defensive injuries.
Fast approaching 6ft, Salmon demonstrated his ability to withstand the physical rigours of competing against adults in Hong Kong and Singapore. Neither does he back down in the face of perceived injustice, a fearlessness he demonstrated to less positive effect in last month’s under-18 north London derby, when he was dismissed for violent conduct after wrangling with Tottenham striker George Feeney. There is more to the defensive art than brute force, however, and Salmon’s technical ability and reading of the game have earned widespread praise.
Marli Salmon ‘isn’t physically imposing at all’
“One thing I find fascinating about Marli Salmon is he isn’t physically imposing at all,” Como scout Ben Mattinson wrote on social media earlier this year. “Usually, defenders who play up a few years are physically mature, Salmon is technically advanced and reads the game so well for his age. As he builds some physicality, he could be top.”
That has been 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 was playing for Arsenal’s under-21 side at the age of 15 and has also featured for the England under-16s. But he wasn’t always a defender. A childhood admirer of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Salmon spent his early years at centre-forward until Arsenal came calling.
How Arsenal moulded Marli Salmon into a defender
“The switch to centre-back happened during that first trial,” says Salmon. “I’d been scouted as a forward, but the coaches pushed me into defence. I played well, and it stuck. I was still young and just thrilled to be at Arsenal, so I didn’t mind where I played. Wearing the shirt was all that mattered.”
All the evidence suggests that Salmon, who has taken each step of his accelerated progress in his stride, will be wearing it for a good while to come. The defender signed a two-year scholarship deal earlier this year and will become eligible to agree a first professional contract next August.
“I’ve played at every level from under-16s up to the first team and, funnily enough, I’ve found it gets easier the higher you go,” he adds. “The quality around you naturally lifts your game, although the pace is much quicker and you have to adapt fast.”
Like Anelka before him, adapting fast seems to come naturally. Just how fast he has to adapt, only time – and a growing injury list – will tell.
