Everyone seems to have forgotten about our young Greek defender Dino Mavropanos, who made such a good impression when given a chance in the Arsenal first team towards the end of last season. He has been injured since the summer, but it looks like he has finally returned to full fitness, as Emery pointed out the other day when talking about transfer targets. The Spaniard said that he may need: “… some players also at centre back. But now, Dinos Mavropanos is coming back after his injuries and I think I can use him in the next matches.”
Well that next match is here, and I am fully expecting to appear against Man United this evening. It is interesting because he actually made his debut against United last season, and had a very solid game. there was another hint that he could play tonight, as Arsenal.com published an article yesterday of Dino’s memories of that game. “I prepared myself well from the moment the manager announced I was going to play,” Mavropanos said. “This happened on the day of the game before leaving the hotel when he told us the starting XI and I was one of them. Since hearing that, the only thing that was in my mind was to get on the pitch and do what I know best.
“Of course I was a bit anxious and stressed because it was going to be my first game with Arsenal but I coped with it. I was focused on the instructions of my manager and was very happy with my performance. I just looked at the pitch and said, ‘This is what I’ve been dreaming of all these years’. The only thing I wanted to do was enjoy it.
“I can remember the entire game, in fact, even the moments before we arrived there. For me, it was probably the happiest day I’ve had so far in my life. We conceded a goal in injury time and we were very unlucky in that moment but I think we had a good game as a team. Me individually? I think I played well.
“I’m looking forward to coming back on to the pitch [now]. I believe it will be a fresh start, but I will come back stronger and give my best efforts to join the starting XI.”
So it looks like he will be playing tonight, but I seriously hope that Emery doesn’t make too many changes and gift the game to United. But I do believe the Greek youngster will grow to be an important player for the club in the future….
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Great news. Mavropanos’s height and strength are required to contain Man United’s tall and big monsters
He is useful when attacking in set-pieces as well. I hope Arsenal can get more tall players like him
He’ll be with Sokratis? Hopefully! I’ve wanted to see this for a while now ? COYG
While I’m excited that Movrapanos is fit again and ready to play, I don’t think tonight should be the game.
Koscielny has come on leaps and bounds in recent games and has developed a real partnership with Sokratis. They should both be starting this game and Mov can deputise against Cardiff.
If Mavro does rise through the ranks, and Guendouzi also keeps improving. And Torriera and Leno stay regularly playing for Arsenal over the next number of seasons …remind me again, why are we losing Sven.
Mavro does look to have good physical qualities for the CB role, and he’s quick for a big guy. The coaches will be putting allot of work into him, like how Keown mentioned v Chelsea, that all that defensive work we seen, was the players being coached all week with allot of time put out on the training pitch. It showed, esp in Kos case, and how the players were around him, they looked really tight.
With enough coaching, Mavropanos looks like he might make the grade, he looks a decent prospect and Sven would have been watching him since he was a young teenager. I wouldn’t want him to be thrown in at the deep end, but he did handle it the last time. Sometimes they flourish, but sometimes their confidence can take a hit, depends on your character and how you handled the pressure. Guendouz, shrugs that stuff off when he makes a mistake, like Parlour mentioned earlier about him. Only one way to find out I suppose.
In stage terms, Guendouzi has great presence – it is quite obvious – and relatively rare in youngsters in MODERN football, where so many are pure “snowflakes” with very little about them as people. I saw fledgling signs of that same quality in Mavrop too, prior to his injury.
“remind me again, why are we losing Sven.”
One possibility is the poor signings and how much he has spent, while he has found some good gems… He has spent a lot. Think about the wages of the ones I am about to mention… While Ozil is a bad wage, that can be blamed on Gazidis and/or Wenger, Sven is clean from that one.
Mkhi is failing to live up to expectations, he has had some good moments but if we are being honest, he hasn’t been a good Alexis replacement. He did do that PR stunt before we got Auba and then we went and got one of the best CF in the world… 6 months after already signing one of the best CF in the world. Laca has resale value while Auba… His value will be dropping unless he does a CR9. I’m a fan of them both and can’t say how pleased I am we got them, removing personal biased as best as I can then I think that is an issue.
We have seen Sokratis come to Arsenal, another player from BvB, while he has been a warrior… We have all pointed to the lack of pace in defense and the high line our manager wants to play. The player doesn’t suit the style of football we’re trying to move to, head of recruitment could have looked at other targets who did fit the criteria for our style of football. Was this to help please Auba? I can’t help but ask this question, we all knew Auba and Mkhi had a good friendship and we have seen Sven go for Dembele who was another player Auba shown a good friendship with. Is this Arsenal or Auba FC?
Sven was head of recruitment for Lich who has been a total failure.
While I say that, I was backing him and I would prefer to have seen Sven stay and Emery leave… Get a manager who can use the players Sven finds, someone who doesn’t dictate one style and play it even at the harm of the club.
If we look at how BvB played when Sven was a bigger influence and how Emery plays… They are different styles. Barca (with Raul) played the pressing game very well and it doesn’t surprise me that he would back someone who could bring that to us.
Wenger wanted Mkhit before Sven arrived, it was reported that way and Wenger spoke highly of him, but he chose utd. The freebie, or swap part, that seemed more of an Arsenal thing ..than a Sven thing. Sokratis, I get your point about Auba and him being mates. The way I see things though, is you never get every signing right, nobody ever does. But if you are a large part of the scouting side of things, and are finding capable young players, it means you are doing your job …hence my earlier remarks.
MAVROPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have hope for this young man, he has the physical build to dominate and he sounds like a hard working person. He looked really impressive when he played against UTD last time and I’m bouncing with anticipation to see if he can build on that performance and how sweet will it be that UTD is the team he can show his class against, again 🙂