Do Pablo Mari stats make him undroppable for Arsenal?

Earlier in the season, our big signing Gabriel Magalhaes made a very big impression on the Arsenal fans and is hotly tipped to be the mainstay of our defence for years to come. But since his absence due to Covid-19 protocols, Pablo Mari has stepped in beside Rob Holding and they have been awesome in our last 4 wins.

Mikel Arteta made a point of praising Mari at the weekend, as he told the media: “We had to throw him in because we had some injuries and suspensions, it probably wasn’t really fair for him because he’s missed a lot of football in the last year,”

“But he’s a leader, he’s someone that trains really hard, he’s a professional, a great communicator on the pitch and he gives you some security and stability.”

“I think he’s done really well with Rob [Holding], he was really good again today with David [Luiz], three clean sheets in a row and he fully deserves the chance to play.

“[He was] really positive when he wasn’t playing, when he was injured and when he is playing, he is the same person all the time, trying to help everybody, really professional, really eager to improve to give his best all the time in any capacity and any role and I think he is getting rewarded by his attitude.”

But now the boss has got a dilemma of choosing two of Gabriel, Mari and Holding, and of course he has great respect for David Luiz as well, but when he plays his favoured 4-2-4, and I’m sure he will be very aware of these awesome stats with Mari on the pitch….

I am sure Holding and Gabriel also have some good stats too, but I think Mari should surely be first choice now, don’t you?

Maybe Arteta could have one pairing for League games and the other one for the Cups!

Tags Arteta Pablo Mari

47 Comments

      1. I include myself In this but why is it people make an issue of 2 left footed centre backs saying they can’t play together but when are both right footed like Adams n keown, Campbell and keown or bould and Adams know one mentions it

        1. Its easy for two right footed to play together as centre backs but not two left footed besides Holding is doing well ATM so we need to let him improve because he is the youngest of them all…so I will go for Mari and Holding for league matches and Luiz and Gabriel for cup matches…IMO

      2. This perspective is over rated. Surely you select your two best in form CB’s regardless of their dominent foot. Being dominent with their left foot, doesn’t necessary mean that their right foot is useless.

  1. Trouble is that Gabriel and Mari are unlikely to play together as they are both left footers. Gabriel won three straight player-of-the-month awards, Holding has been pretty consistent too, and will only get better now he is finally getting game time and Luiz was first choice before his head injury. I genuinely can’t decide which pairing I would choose. A great dilemma to have.

    1. Yup, unless both Mari and Magalhaes play in a three-CB formation. Or convert Magalhaes into a left DM as Xhaka’s backup or replacement, since Magalhaes’ passes and dribbles are quite good

      1. good suggestion right their Gotanidia.
        A real defensive med. We may not need to buy a DM.
        He is also faster that Xhaka.

          1. Easier to pass forward from the defence where there there is usually more space than in the middle where spaces are more dire. However I see a lot of teams play cb pairing of two right foot players ,why do we always believe same can’t be done for left footers. Kolchieny and mert did for arsenal with the most intelligent right footed CB (Mert) playing from the left and the more aggresive one (boss) playing from their natural right position. I don’t see why we can’t pair our obvious best pair of Mari and Gabriel with Mari playing from the right side.

          2. @JohnAndrews Arteta’s left overload tactic requires players who can pass quickly and incisively to the left side, therefore we have a left-footed CB and a left-footed DM

    2. Th left footed Gabriel with the right footed Luiz…as the apprentice and Master combo.

      Mari with Holding as the other combo which admittedly…looks like the better combo at the moment!

  2. Arsenal had better not change the winning team, because their confidence is high currently

    Holding and Mari are lucky, because Lacazette, Smith-Rowe and Saka keep the ball better in 4-2-3-1. Had Arteta used 3-4-3 against smaller teams, I think our attackers would lose the ball more often and thus their dispossession would pressurize our CBs more

    Arteta’s 4-2-3-1 is like a three-CB formation in disguise, where Xhaka or Mari often drops back to replace Tierney and Bellerin cuts inside to act as an extra midfielder. Mari just needs to improve his pace and headers in attacking set-pieces

      1. You get get faster through training. Better running technique, improved fitness, less weight all can contribute to improve pace. agility and reactions can also be improved hence improving player pace. Sure it won’t be a big increase but every bit of pace and agility gained helps against speedsters and dribble merchants.

  3. Arsenal has sold my Lord(Mesut Ozil) so I have shifted my attention 2 my playing position 2 chose my Arsenal best player & currently, he’s Pablo Mari. The guy is so calm & very secure.Futbol is about form,let’s build a 2nd team with all our stock & trigger competition.

    1. How ironic for someone called Arsenal2win to have these as his 2 favourite players…you must be trolling!!!

      1. @TherealVieralynn, my choice can never be your choice cuz you are not me, so back off my opinions.

        1. so you can’t see the irony, considering your handle? If you can’t, I guess I should apologize because you obviously have some other issues going on that I’m obviously unaware of…take care of yourself

          1. Looks like we have a new candidate for the Mr Big head trophy on here .keep it up Mr loud that trophy will be yours in no time .

          2. Jealous much Dan Kit…it wasn’t that long ago when you actually thought you wore that crown, then your nuggets shriveled up after your Iwobi tirades almost got you canceled…now you’ve resorted to grade school banter like Mr. Loud or Mr. Big Head, like a little B…try offering some real substantive opinions again, instead of just trolling people that remind you of the good old days, when you had a pair

          3. Once again mr loud your post makes absolutely no sense at all ,all I see is a loud mouth who rips into fans with a different view from his own .
            Let me guess you will come out with the Irony post once again which I’ve seen you use 3 times in the last 2 days.
            Your just a Aggressive poster but when challenged you look like a complete Tool .
            And maybe stop trying to act like Jonny Rambo ,I’ve heard it all before it does not impress me .

          4. you’re like a frustrated gerbil on a wheel…you think you’re getting somewhere but that’s just because your brain is even smaller than your shrunken nards…take care little guy

          5. Haha good one
            The Irony ,trying to make a Poster look small and bullying him for a different Opinion to yours ,that Is something I can’t stand ,I might have strong opinions but I will never bullly someone like you have if they do not agree with me .
            Just look up at your post and tell me you are impressed trying to make him look stupid .
            Like I said a proper Tool

          6. You really don’t want me to do a deep dive into your old posts, especially after you got all old lady righteous about your stance on bullying…come on Karen, your whole gig was about bullying people with differing opinions…it’s clear to me now that you don’t even know what irony means…your firmly under my thumb now little guy

          7. Carry on mr loud
            You can dive as deep as you like , I would never look like a bully compared to you .
            I like the Iwobi post you did which makes me think you have come on here with a new name .
            New name but still a proper Tool .

          8. I love that you used Irony again ,what a Twat .
            I couldn’t give 2 fcks if your male ,female or a fcking ferret .

  4. Very small batch of games he’s played in though. At the moment it is working but hes been found out a few times by the more skillful players. Gabriel is the better option, even if his form did dip recently.

    1. I agree RSH.
      I also think Gabriel is the better option. He’s faster, aggressive and has goals in his game than Mari. Mari has been excellent but I will prefer Luiz and Gabriel partnership

    1. @ Mosing
      I totally agree with u.

      Or play Gabriel as a left back then move Tierney up as an LM or LF just like bale was converted.. After all Tierney and saka are our best bets for all attacks from the wings, and are fast and skillful

      Tierney lacazette saka
      Rowe
      Party
      Dhaka
      Gab mari holding bellerin

      Our team by form and determination, that team there would win a lot of games..
      All gab needs to do is focus on defending as Tierney work rate would cover…when bellerin overlaps, we cud easily switch to 3 CBs

  5. I would still go with Gabriel; hard to beat 3 player of the month awards. Mari hasn’t played enough for me to make the comparison yet.

  6. Stick with the team on form! Gabby an luis are perfect but should wait for their chance as others, they even make our bench tick!

    Crystal palace is more of an african national team, strong, aggressive and super fast.

    Our best must be on parade, which is the one that won at brighton.

    1. so let me get this straight, you think our best was on display against a Brighton team who didn’t even start a Striker…furthermore, you suggested that Palace are “super fast”, so you figure starting 2 of our slowest CBs would make the best strategic sense?!? Baffling, to say the least

  7. Whoever on this forum keeps mentioning bringing back David Luis have lost their minds. We’ve been winning since we’ve left him out. He should be nowhere near our starting 11 right now. I might be tempted to play Gabriel and Mari together. I feel like Mari is the most stable and defensive of the CBs and seems to clear everything that comes near him.

  8. I can’t remember when last we had a conversation like this…trying to figure out which pairing would be best because most of our CBs look good and in top form. But in contrary i want to interject with the statement saying left footers can’t play together defensively, they can and it’s a possibility. I mean why not play them together if both of them are good and solid. What do we have to loose into playing them? Absolutely nothing…this is a move that needs Arteta to implement. Gabriel Magalhaes and Pablo Mari would do wonders for us

  9. Mari is class and as the man in possession, must play. Holding plays too, never say die attitude is needed. Luiz please stay on the bench, your indecision kills me, always inviting pressure, not trusting midfielders and playing inaccurate long passes to forwards, wake up!

  10. Isn’t it ironic that we went from having defective defence to having a dilemma on who among the 4 very decent, perhaps solid defenders should be paired per match, that is real progress, however it behooves the Coach to manage them well and not show favoritism as it were. They should all be made to contribute as we have loads of matches lined up. Let their desire to play be the key to their selection per match.

  11. As alluded by Mr Mish, Crystal Palace is more of an African national team. Super aggressive and strong opposition who can course serious problems to our brothers in defense. Therefore this calls for experienced CB backs who can thwart these attacks at source. Currently there is a dilemma in CB pairing not forgetting our greek tank Papa is also at our disposal. I would therefore go for David Luiz and Pablo Mari combination as they have more experience, have a bigger stature and are good in the air than Rob and Gabriel Magalhaes (though i think either pair can get the job done) ..i also wish we had a reliable RB coz Bellerin just does not meet the required quality in that area He often leaks too much leaving our CBs badly exposed to crosses and cut backs from opposition. AMN who is a good man marker should be introduced at RB to thwart and quiet Zaha who is their main threat in this game. Though its clear HB will get the node ahead of him. This is absolutely tricky game and its a derby. A win will be a good sign for the difficult tasks ahead ie the 2nd leg.

  12. Arteta gameplan includes overloading the left side of the pitch so having a 2 left footed partnership could actually be good assuming one for them atleast has a decent right foot. IF we can play 2 right footed cbs why not the reverse. Might even confused opponents who are not used to press 2 left footed cb.

  13. Holding and Mari all the way but my main concern is to get willock of the club even nketiah they are not improving

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