How Ezri Konsa Became Arsenal’s Defensive ‘Blessing’ Under Arteta

For Ezri Konsa, the last-gasp tackle that denied Nottingham Forest’s Liam Delap on Sunday was simply part of the job. Nothing more, nothing less.

Mikel Arteta could only grin when recalling the 93rd-minute intervention, describing the sliding challenge as “unbelievable”. Konsa had sprinted back to reach Delap at precisely the right moment, preserving Arsenal’s hard-earned 1-0 victory and securing his fifth clean sheet in nine appearances for the club.

Perhaps the most appropriate description of the £55million summer signing from Aston Villa is the word tattooed on the 28-year-old’s left hand: “Blessed”.

Arsenal could scarcely have found a more suitable player to fill the sizeable William Saliba-shaped gap in their defence.

When Saliba suffered a serious back injury while on international duty with France at the World Cup, Arsenal were forced to reassess their plans. A like-for-like replacement quickly became a summer priority for a side that had produced the Premier League’s best defensive record in each of the previous three seasons.

Arteta’s teams are built on a rock-solid defensive foundation, often prioritising a wealth of versatile defenders over additional attacking options.

Arsenal considered several right-sided centre backs who could also operate at right back, including Jarell Quansah and former Tottenham captain Cristian Romero. Ultimately, Konsa emerged as their preferred target.

Arteta’s decision was shaped by several factors. Arsenal’s background checks were highly encouraging, while Konsa already had links to the club’s England contingent, including Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Noni Madueke.

His reliability at Villa was another major attraction, having been included in 96 per cent of the club’s matchday squads last season. For an Arsenal side competing for four trophies, availability is crucial. So is adaptability, something Konsa has already demonstrated by playing at right back for England at the World Cup.

He has made an immediate impression, starting six of Arsenal’s seven league games as well as both Champions League fixtures against Napoli and Lille. His numbers underline a centre back who is as composed in possession as Saliba and equally capable of producing decisive tackles under pressure.

Among Premier League defenders, Konsa ranks fourth for passing accuracy at 96.13 per cent and sixth for average distance carried with the ball at 14.8 metres. His willingness to advance possession has helped Arsenal’s full backs push forward and invert effectively, allowing Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori to join the attacking line as extra players.

Konsa leads Arsenal’s defenders for interceptions with eight and ranks second for recoveries with 20, behind Gabriel’s 21. Against Leeds, he made three tackles and five clearances while keeping Dominic Calvert-Lewin quiet. At Sunderland, he was tasked with containing the powerful Brian Brobbey.

On a cold night at the Stadium of Light, Konsa responded impressively after Gabriel endured a difficult evening. A penalty awarded against Gabriel for a tussle with Dan Ballard was later judged to have been given in error, while Konsa dominated the back line with his aerial work and timely challenges to help secure another clean sheet.

Then came the thunderous challenge on former Aston Villa team-mate Morgan Rogers, which helped Arsenal defeat Chelsea in Konsa’s first match at the Emirates Stadium and quickly won him the admiration of the home supporters.

Konsa has settled just as comfortably away from the pitch. He is considered a confident presence at Arsenal’s training ground, known for his sense of humour, and is a proud father to young twins with his girlfriend, Ronni.

His ease in adjusting to life at London Colney has been noticed by staff, and helped by those existing relationships, with Konsa especially close to Eze. There’s also a maturity he and fellow summer signing Bruno Guimaraes have brought to the squad, having operated at an elite level for a number of years. This was key in the absence of Saliba, who returned to individual training last week.

Arteta has a headache on his hands when the Frenchman is back fit, and isn’t set on a straight swap out. He’s challenged the England man privately to fight for his place.

For now, Konsa’s next task is to shackle his England skipper and Bayern Munich goal machine Harry Kane at the Allianz Arena in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Konsa boasts an impressive record against Kane, having faced him seven times. The defender has four wins against Kane’s teams and three losses, while Kane has only scored twice against him, both from penalties.

The seventh and most recent meeting came in October 2024, Konsa’s Villa beating Kane’s Bayern 1-0 at Villa Park.

‘The Villa-Bayern game… to beat them at home and keep a clean sheet… it was very special for the players and the fans,’ said Konsa. ‘I don’t really look much at those kind of stats (against individual players) but I am relishing the challenge.’

The talent has always been there. Konsa’s formative years were spent at Senrab FC, in Forest Gate, London, with alumni including former Arsenal Invincible Sol Campbell and John Terry. Konsa was labelled the next Rio Ferdinand in his youth.

Konsa has stepped up to meet the moment throughout his career as he’s risen from Brentford to Aston Villa, become an England regular and now taken to life at Arsenal with ease.

For all the attention on Kane’s extraordinary scoring record of 155 goals in 157 appearances at Bayern, Konsa has built his career on making life uncomfortable for the finest forwards in the game.

Erling Haaland, for example, has just one goal in six games against Konsa for club and country, and Delap was the latest to run into the England man’s defensive wall.

On Wednesday in Munich, he has another chance to prove that his calmness and knack for a decisive intervention can carry Arsenal through their toughest test so far this season.