Arsenal needs calmness and a defender that is comfortable playing out from the back, enter Pablo Mari.
Arsenal has just completed the signing of Pablo Mari from Flamengo and the Spanish defender comes at a time when Arsenal is struggling at the back and desperately need a calming influence there.
This transfer has several critics and it seems even Arsenal has reservations about if he will adapt to the Premier League or not and that is why they have decided to go for a loan move initially.
However, I believe that he is the right fit and he can even become the model of defenders that Mikel Arteta buys henceforth.
At 6’3, Mari represents a player who can contest and win any aerial duels in the Premier League, his huge frame would also make it hard for attackers to bully him.
He is also one of the few ball-playing defenders around and Arsenal desperately needs a good one.
Since the reign of Unai Emery, Arsenal have been keen to play from the back and that has been a struggle for the current set of defenders.
Mari has been playing out from the back at Flamengo and he has shown that he is adept at that, I reckon he would bring calm to the gunner’s defence while playing from the back.
He may not have played for Manchester City or even won any trophies in Europe, his winning experience with Flamengo still makes him one of the few players in this Arsenal dressing room that has tasted title-winning success, especially on the continental stage.
I expect Mikel Arteta to demand a lot from Mari, but he should thrive.
An article from Ime
Would have preferred Matviyenko who looks a star in the making and would complement Saliba perfectly. Hope we still get him.
Will be interesting to see how Mari goes considering he’s 26 and never played for a big club and has only been starring in the Brazilian league. I hope it’s a good pick though.
The way football’s going, a footballer will be considered old as soon as he’s had his first pubes. For effs sake, the lad’s 26, it doesn’t mean he’s old, it means he’s hitting his prime soon.
Mari will bring physical presence to our defence and should help us to combat the aerial bombardments we get from the Burnleys of the PL.No disrespect to Burnley who play to their strengths.I share the views of Roshan concerning Matvienko who looks a class act and is very versatile in that he can play CB,DM,or left back.Perhaps we can line up a move in the summer window.
Never mind that he hasn’t played for a big club in Europe at his age (26). Some players do start reigning at old age and I hope he grows to become one of them.
Let’s just keep our hope alive on arteta
Very true,he assisted Flamengo win the S.American version of the UCL, no mean feat.Our players on mega wages could not “assist” Arsenal to lift the EL, a second division competition of the UEFA and there was just one consolation goal scored by a youngster just coming on the pitch!Bring back our old Arsenal where we had unknown names signing for us and gave us joy with trophies and entertaining games. Except Leno, Auba and maybe Sanchez, none of the so called “stars” on mega wages brought us any joy. Our FA cups won in the recent past was by Giroud and Ramsey.Slate them day and night, but these fearless men played with passion and pride.
Arteta must have seen something in him that makes him fit the bill. The main thing is that he is a left footed defender and a ball playing one at that. He will also be good in aerial duels although he may take some time to jell with the PL. Up the Gunners!
@gunnerforlife The fact he is a left footed defender will help a lot to narrow the play and possibly help Xhaka flourish more for what Xhaka is really capable of.
I think this is one of the best January in premier league history
@Healer,😁.