Aspiring Champions League defender admits last season's struggles brought the squad to its knees.

Rob Holding held out a sliver of hope until the very last moment that the most grueling of years could be extended. If anyone was looking for positives from Arsenal's season, they might have pointed to his increasingly consistent, mature performances at the heart of their defence, but they weren't enough to earn him his first senior England call-up for Euro 2020. As soon as the squads were announced, he had his eye on them. The search began because "you never know." My first attempt was unsuccessful, but I'm not deterred or discouraged by it."

Chelsea and Manchester City had better defensive records than Arsenal in 2020-21, but that was never going to be much consolation after such a fruitless campaign. Holding's year wasn't exactly a breakthrough, but it was a step in the right direction. After undergoing an anterior cruciate ligament surgery late in 2018, he was expected to be sent out on loan in the fall of 2018. A new contract in January and 39 starts for Mikel Arteta in the league suggest that neither party is eager to move on.