Mavropanos should help Sokratis settle in at Arsenal

Arsenal’s newest defender Sokratis has only been at the club for two weeks since arriving from Dortmund and joining up with his old team-mates Mhkitaryan and Aubameyang. This is the veteran’s first time in England after spells in Greece, Italy and Germany but he obviously feels settled in already as he is hoping to help our other Greek centre-back, Dinos Mavropanos, to get used to life at the club as well. “I think this is my work and the work of the other guys with experience, to help the young guys,” Sokratis said on Arsenal.com. “From the first day, I will do everything so that the young guys feel like they have been here for a lot of years.

“[Dinos and I] spoke two or three times on the telephone, and also when he came here. I said to him that it’s OK, Arsenal is one of the big teams but he has to be happy and needs to put in a lot of work.

“I also saw some games. He improved a lot and I think that if he improves again in the next year, he can be one of the best defenders.

“The first year is difficult because it also depends if you speak the language or not. Now I’m here I also have to help him to be more calm, more easy, more friendly here with the other guys. I think we can have one good relationship together, we can be friends.”

The strange thing is that Mavropanos has already been in London for the last six months and even broke into the first team towards the end of last season, so I think we can assume that he now speaks English well and has integrated into the squad well enough already.

Perhaps the youngster can help the older Greek player to settle in??

Sam P

43 Comments

  1. Having his fellow countryman will make him settle down faster, but he also needs to keep up with the Premier League players’ speed and height

    Arsenal simply cannot afford Squillaci 2.0, hence a more powerful CB is needed, in case Sokratis cannot keep up with EPL challenge and if Mustafi produces many errors again

    1. Last time I asked someone that assuming we ignore Mustafi’s mistakes and look at defending ability alone isn’t he better than Chambers?He said Mustafi was better in that regard and the only excuse he could make for Chambers is that he was young.Mind you the same guy also wants Mustafi sold so badly.This should tell you how good Chambers is.In that, he’s not that good.
      Now let me also take people back to the transfer window before the 15/16 where Arsenal only signed Petr Cech.Do people remember that on the last day of that window we were linked to Sokratis and reports meant we were likely to sign him?Isn’t the 2015 Sokratis two times the current Sokratis?Yet even then people didn’t rate him how much more now.Our defence is a shambles right now and not as good as people think.Its very very debatable if Sokratis in terms of defensive ability is overall a better defender than Mustafi.Forget about mistakes and look only on defensive skills.
      I’ve watched the better Sokratis and I still rate Mustafi higher than him.

      1. I also want Mustafi sold so badly because him being is denying us the chance of signing someone better like Soyuncu who is being targeted by Ath. Madrid to replace Godin or David.This should tell you how good he is in terms of potential.He’s my dream signing this window.
        Though I want Mustafi sold I know deep down that in terms of defensive skills and ability alone he’s not our worst defender.

        1. Having now seen Sokratis in the flesh, I think he is in poor physical condition and I agree that his outlook fears me too with forboding. I will still support him , until PROVEN right and the above is just my own opinion/ impression. Like you I too want Mustafi sold “so badly.” The CB position worries me greatly , as it has also done ever since Sol Campbell left. But hope springs eternal, until crushing reality enters.

          1. The defense is a shambles.Mustafi is not our worst defender at all.In terms of defensive skills only he’s better than at least three current Arsenal CB’s.Mistakes is what is clouding people’s judgement of him.I don’t rate Mustafi too at all but trust me he’s not our worst defender.I want him sold too because I know we will get better.

            1. You seem to be forgetting in the past these defenders we’re coached by Wenger, with respect, a guy that had no interest in defence. Lets just hope they all look better under a proper defensive coach and an excellent Uruguayan holding midfielder.

              1. I never forget that.Not everything is the fault of Wenger’s coaching.Even Koscielny became world class under Wenger but people will tell you it’s only because Koscielny had potential and nothing to do with Wenger.Where I fault Wenger is for the poor mentality of the players and how it’s reflected on the pitch that he did nothing to change that.Poor decision making by players is not Wenger’s fault and as awful and clearly three of our current CB’s are not good enough and no matter the coaching will not live up to what people want them to be.

                  1. I agree with Kenny Rolfe and Tony Adams re coaching of defenders and organized, disciplined and structured defense. This season will reveal whether it is the players, coaching or combination of the two.

  2. Sokratis Papastathopoulos and
    Konstantinos Mavropanos

    Our future CB pairing?
    The Greek Connection

    Or maybe Holding and Chambers will be it
    Or maybe a combination

  3. I think its going to be Chambers and Mavropanos for the future..Holding has retrogressed a bit imho…I am not too excited about Sokratis tbh..He looks slow, overweight and panicky..At 30 years old, he is not one for the future too…Would love that he proves me wrong tho’

    1. Holding is just 22 how can he retrogress. What he needs is constant game time to continue his development which he did get before because Wenger went with experience. The same was of Chambers now everyone is changing their opinion of him.

      1. So far the one thing that bothered me about Sokratis, and others do it too, is how unprofessional it is to let yourself go the moment season has finished. He was carrying more than a few extra pounds, he didn’t look like he even lumbered up. He joins Arsenal, why would you not want to make a great first impression and get in shape while the deal was taking time to finalize. Cech looks bigger too, but am not sure if its muscle or if its fat, he looks huge. Cazorla, as much as I admired him, he was prone to this too. He’d return and he’d look Danny Devito like.

        I’ll admit I was never as keen on Dortmund defenders as much as others in here have been over the years. Even Hummels, I did want him by the end such was the furore around him, but in back of my mind was how similar Dortmund were with us at the time. Sokratis they say is old school, Martin Keown type, in the trenches and all that. Its good to have that type esp if its for an occasion. He’s aggressive they say, likes to attack his man rather than hold his ground. Mustafi’s a bit like that too, and I remember about two months back a lad in here pointed out to me that he believes both are very similar players to one another. We have Emery, he loves the forward play as much as a Sarri, Klopp, or a Wenger. We also have a new no1 coach, and he’s a defensive one like I imagine all the best managers use. Interesting too is that he kept Bould. I’ll hold off on making snap judgement’s on any of our players esp the new ones until I get an idea of what to expect.

        1. Not bad feet for such a big lad, he’s an English version of Diaby. Give the lad a chance, I too was thinking last season why we don’t just go with Niles in there, maybe because Niles has all round ability and we want him to try reach his full range of potential. Willock, we wont know what we have until we get a good look. What’s the point in targeting young Spanish, French kids and then completely ignoring young English ones. Someone might have an answer for that, but you know what I mean.

  4. Alex Iwobi is a subject of 20-25m Euro bid from Lazio . he’s set to replace Anderson

    1. i say Sell Iwobi to the highest bidder. its high time we stop selling our players for peanuts. if Jack grealish is worth 40m , Richarlison 50m , zaha 60-70m , then Iwobi is definitely worth more than that. Dont forget Iwobi(championsleague, europa league and worldcup experience) as opposed to those mentioned above is also just 22 years of age. 20-25m euro not even pounds is way little .

      I don’t even know how he’s even made it as a professional ffs duh

      1. It also depends on the season player had or had before.Iwobi has been too poor for anyone to even consider bidding £30m for him.The €20m-€25m may come in because they see him having some potential else it would be been far lower.If Arsenal want anything like £25m-£30m for him then they might as well keep him because no team will ever bid that for him.Arsenal should take any decent bid which comes in for him and run and also insert a buy back clause just in case.

        1. If Richarlison is 50m Iwobi is worth 50m and Welbeck is worth 60m it is as simple as that. Someone should please remind me what he had done that lwobi won’t do. lwobi plays for a team where her fans expect good performance and hence her players is under pressure to perform. Put lwobi in Watford and see his game improve. We all know why our players don’t improve was because of the man who never take them to task and who cuddled them. Where lwobi is betray his abilities and skills and also where he started. Iwobi is young so I will want Emery to work wit him before any decision is made.

          1. That’s your opinion and I respect that.If I was given £50m to spend on one of Welbeck,Iwobi and Richarlison I know who I’d have chosen and most soccer fans would’ve chosen.
            How many people do you think wouldn’t have chosen Richarlison out of those three?Even on the basis of potential I rate Richarlison higher than both Iwobi and Welbeck.Im talking of the good old Iwobi and not the current one too.
            Richarlison is a far far better prospect than both.But tbh I don’t really rate all three players and I feel they’re bit overrated.

            1. Iwobi, his price in today’s market is maybe 35m to 40m. But he’s right about Richardson tag, Richardson is good crosser and dribbler not much else. Iwobi – He’s quick, comfortable with the ball most of the time, can pass very well at times (eye of needle passes) he’s strong and he can tackle and press well when he puts his mind to it. His concentration lets him down eventually. Iwobi would be a very good purchase for some teams. They’ll believe that they can get the best out of him, and they’ll see that he’s got room for improvement as well as plenty of time on his side. I wonder how he’d fair under Klopp, who’s great at stroking players egos and getting his players excited. The clubs am thinking about though, are more your Eve, Wham, Bou, Bur, teams just past mid table or aiming to be.

      2. You have a good point about getting best price. But even better with this rank bad player , is to get him gone from us ASAP.

          1. Richarlison 38(6) 5 goals. Welbeck 28(16) 5 goals. lwobi 26(4) 3 goals. I don’t have any ideal as to what metrics or parameters are used to value players. But what i know is we do undervalue our players much in this era of high and inflated player price.

            1. We don’t undervalue our players.Some are rather overrated and this season shall prove that.Give Iwobi,Richarlison and Welbeck to the Barcas and Madrid of this World and who do you think they’d pick if they could choose only one?Simple.Its Richarlison and like you I don’t even rate Richarlison because he’s really overrated but if it came to choosing between them it’s a simple decision for me.

              1. Is Richarlison not over hyped. This is case of not value what have. It is as simple as that.

    2. he’ll be going no where near Lazio. certainly not at that price – tell us what exactly is he’s doing to be valued at that price? i will try my darnest not to say much more simply because of this kids age.

  5. If that will help us raise the cash needed to bring a better winger ( Coman. Vacquez, Lozano etc) then Iwobi should be shipped out ASAP…When Iwobi was introduced to us, I was so excited about him as he looked really good…I don’t know what happened to him, he looks slow,poor decision making and zero product…I read somewhere he sees himself as no. 10 but with the options we have now in that position, no way he will play there…So accept the damn bid unai!!!

  6. Holding >>>>> Chambers in terms of talent.
    Mustafi as have said now and again is a very good defender. His only problem is that he’s uncomfortable with the ball but all other attributes he excels.
    I suggest he be paired with more comfortable Mavropanos and Sokratis in a 3-man defence, then we mostly likely to leak << 20 goals next season.

    1. I am a good driver but I am “uncomfortable” with my car! (Actually , I am not) But how the hell ANY PLAYER CAN BE GOOD WHEN “UNCOMFORTABLE ON THE BALL, BUT IN ALL OTHER ATTRIBUTES BE EXCELLENT”, is clearly something only your superior brain can explain to we mere football fan mortals. Please help us lesser folk out therefore and explain HOW EXACCTLY that works! I am keen to know!

      1. Mere looking at a player one can tell his strengths and weaknesses.
        Just like how Chambers and Bellerin have no talent whatsover.
        I am sorry you’ll never know it because you aint a coach.
        I’ve pointed out that Otamendi is the one reason why city took the league (because he’s the most comfortable player with the ball along with Vertonghen) – they instigate attacks; but he had to be paired with a more aggressive, but less comfortable player with the ball in Kompany, Stones and Laporte.

  7. Also, Wenger’s problem with Holding was that he did not know where to play him in a 3-man defence. Holding should be played at the center of a 3-man defence and not on the left-side.

    Mavropanos (as i’am sure he’s going to be first name on the starting list) should be played at the center of the 3-man defence with Sokratis on the left and Mustafi on the right because he offers aerial prowess, comfort with the ball and organization.

    1. So , according to you, four players should play together in a three man defence , with two of them at centre. How exactly does that work? Clearly YOU know something no one else does know!

      1. Jonny Fox
        3-5-2 formation it is:
        Leno
        Musta………..Mavro………..Sokratis
        Lichtsteiner……..Torreira……..Mkitaryan…………Kolasinac
        Ozil
        Lacazette………………Aubameyang

        and i was only showing you that Holding should be first backup defender ahead of chambers.
        I thought this was easy to see with your 60+ experience in football.

        1. Herby , Why did you not say so clearly then in your original post? I value words and use them as actually written to make sense, or otherwise, of what people say. If you do not make yourself clear , because your use of written English is below par, misunderstandings are bound to occur. You , personally, can eliminate these misunderstandings by writing accurately exactly what you mean. Please re- read your own post and say, honestly, if it makes sense to anyone reading it for the first time and who is not also a mindreader.

  8. Nothing is wrong with Mustafi ball handling skill, what has been the issue is focusing for 90 minutes, most of his errors have been a loss of concentration. Mustafi is a good defender loss of confidence and public pressure is obviously a recipe for disaster.

    Emery is the right man to get him on track for the new season, my preferred pair to start the season would be Chambers and Mav, however, i want to see where Chambers is used in preseason, which will tell us something

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