Former Liverpool defender Phil Babb is convinced that Arsenal's defensive problems stem from issues besides their centre-backs and has called upon Mikel Arteta to build his side around Lucas Torreira.
The Uruguayan quickly became a fan favourite last season after his arrival from Sampdoria to play as the aggressive midfield enforcer that many supporters felt had been missing for many years.
A prolific winner of the ball, he formed a promising partnership alongside Granit Xhaka to leave the Swiss to find space and play passes while the leg work was covered by his tenacious sidekick.
However, Unai Emery took the bizarre decision to start deploying Torreira higher up the pitch prior to his dismissal as head coach in November, and the Uruguayan became the subject of exit rumours.
It was claimed that he was unhappy with his treatment, role and the amount of game time offered to him after a promising first season.
Despite the obvious value he brought to the team in front of the back four, Emery even left out of his starting line ups, much to the bemusement of supporters unhappy with the team's direction under the Spaniard.
Hopes are already high that Arteta can get the Gunners back on track to find some stability, consistency and lay foundations for an almighty rise back up into the Champions League places with an exciting style of play.
According to Babb, Torreira must be central to this vision for a new era at the Emirates Stadium, and the regular complaints over poor defending at Arsenal must be addressed by finding the right balance in midfield.
"Whatever centre-back pairing they have, they always get exposed," he he said on Sky Sports' The Debate programme. "Lucas Torreira is the only ball winner in that side.
"You play another nice elegant player like Matteo Guendouzi in midfield, very pretty on the ball and with the hair, but you need steel, and you think about the players Arsenal have had in midfield - Vieira and Petit.
"There is no protection for those centre-backs and that is why people say the defence but there are problems in front of that defence too."
Arteta is expected to try and move Arsenal closer to the Pep Guardiola blueprint that he has worked to realise as assistant coach at Manchester City.
The champions have anchored their midfield with their own enforcer in Fernandinho and in a squad that lacks the same depth in quality Torreira appears to be the closest to matching what the Brazilian offers.
