Hello everybody. Hope we are all doing well? Ever since our game against Portsmouth on Monday night, a lot of people have been singing the praise of our new boy, Pablo Mari. Many people say he did so well on Monday that, if given the opportunity to play regularly, he would deliver; others feel he is not ripe and fit enough to play for the first team. So many divided opinions on our new defender, you will say. Well, does he deserve all the accolades he is getting, but should he be given an automatic shirt based on his performance on Monday? No!
Before you crucify me, can you hear me out please? Mari played well on Monday night and I am not going to come and pretend as if he didn’t; but he played against a team that didn’t really threaten our goal posts. Our game against Portsmouth was so drab and boring and void of scoring opportunities for both teams. He had a good game with David Luiz (who was pleased with his partner) by his side but that doesn’t mean he has earned the right to play in every game. He needs to fight for his spot again, despite the good reviews he is getting at the moment.
Pablo Mari once signed for Manchester City, but he never kicked a ball for them as he was loaned to several clubs during his three years contract at the Citizens. He was not considered good enough to play in the Premiership by Man City, and that is why he was probably loaned out. Now, he is back to the Premiership for Arsenal and I still expect him not to be ripe yet to play in the Premiership. Against Portsmouth, I noticed some flaws in his game and if he is not guided, those flaws would cost us points against good Premiership sides.
I know Arsenal is looking for that defender with steel who can stand his ground against Premiership oppositions, but I am sad to say that we have not gotten who we seek yet. He is a good player no doubt but he needs to build on his stamina some more because based on what I saw on Monday, he is going to have a hard time chasing after Premiership attackers whose pace are electrifying. Can he cope with fast paced players running past him? Won’t he be forced to make rash decisions and commit fouls? Mikel Arteta was pleased with his new signing against Portsmouth, with reservations, but he should not yet earn an automatic spot in the team, based on his performances in one game alone.
We are Arsenal and we are proud.
Sylvester Kwentua
I think we should give him a shot tbat will boost his confidence and i think playing him will take some burden off xhaka
I don’t think he will get a prem spot yet ,Arteta is not stupid and i would be very surprised if he felt Mari is ready for that at this stage ,however I saw enough to think he can handle it,just because it was Portsmouth does not mean he will struggle against top teams,it is just as difficult to play against these lower league teams as it is against a prem team,they will fight tooth and nail to beat you and they have nothing to lose,Mari will be a good player for us when Arteta thinks he is ready I am sure of that.
@Tommo,I read your comment after posting mine, looks like we both agree he’ll be a good potentially a very good player for us going forward and also second what you said about playing Portsmouth!
👍 👍
First of all I am pretty that MA will make this deal permanent,you can see what he is doing with him, slowly integrating him in the team first U23,s,cup games in which he impressed,I’m not sure how much of him we are going to see this season but next season he will be an important player for us.
Just as salah wasn’t good enough when he was at Chelsea and Kelvin
@Best
Exactly… 👍🏿👍🏿
Remember he played against Liverpool in the club world cup and bossed it… He’ll come good I reckon
I wanted to remind him about that too.
Since when have you been Mikel Arteta!
Your opinion doesn’t count,it’s time you started backing the manager!
I think he will be signed, i do not see us spending anymore money on defensive reinforcement, unless there are some major exits. Arteta had him from Mancity therefore i do not see it as a loan without buy, in the case of departures, probably Sok base on his comments and Mustafi may have some suitors base on his performances recently. I am seeing midfield and attack being areas to strengthen
It is about time your generation understand fitness in football. The fact he has trained for weeks and played a couple of games means he is fit enough for any league. I played for 20 years and believe me the worst clubs can do is wrap these players in protective clothing. Get them playing now and just think of the alternatives we have?? I think he will establish himself as essential very soon and will become one of an exciting group we will have by next july, Dont forget Saliba, Mavropanos, Chambers, Holding and even Mustafi plus any new buys made. So, stop treating these players like wimps amd get them playing every week.
He is ,IMO, clearly far better than Sokratis, who is in my view the very worst of our current CB’s. I would put him above Luiz too and Mustafi is now likely to be out injured for a while as I understand things. That means he should be first choice CB pick.