✍️ OFFICIAL Pablo Mari (Out)

[samshere]

That's exactly what I would have done this window. Put the £50m somewhere else - RB, CM, AM, striker even.

Anyway, I've made my peace with Saliba leaving, crazy as it seems and White is an exciting replacement if it happens.

Right? This is one thing that doesn't split opinion within the fanbase. If we have 50m it should go towards CM/AM. This is something that seems to come directly from Arteta, so i'll immediately get on his back if things don't pan out. He's on a knives edge, if we're out of the top four for 3 months time continuously then he gets the sack.

 

[Zaza]

Funny thing is this guy is the best option to pair with the likes of Saliba, holding and Ben White if we eventually sign him.
Arteta isn't going to sanction this sale unless Mari really pushes for it.

 

[GoonerBoy19]

To be honest, without Europa league he won't get much game time. Also Calum Chambers is back so it will be hard to accommodate everyone.

 

[14Henry]

3 of the best defensive partnerships in the last 20 years.

Carvalho and Terry
Rio and Vidic
Kolo and Sol.

Not a left footer in them. This idea that we NEED a left footed replacement if Mari is sold or Gabriel is injured is nonsense. It obviously has a few benefits but it isn't a necessity.

 

[Riou]

3 of the best defensive partnerships in the last 20 years.

Carvalho and Terry
Rio and Vidic
Kolo and Sol.

Not a left footer in them. This idea that we NEED a left footed replacement if Mari is sold or Gabriel is injured is nonsense. It obviously has a few benefits but it isn't a necessity.

Agree with this.

The reason Arteta wants one right footer and one left footer, is just to maximise playing out from the back ...but I don't think that should be a deal breaker either, when creating a partnership.

Even our best Emirates era defence (Kos-Per) were both right footers, and we played better football with them than we do now...though I do feel White-Gabriel could be something we could build on.

 

[Riou]

This is possibly the dodgiest transfer we have even done, at least with Cedric you could argue we needed cover at fullback, but with Pablo...

We knew we were giving Luiz a new contract, so we already had him and Holding, Arteta wanted to sign a new starting defender regardless of this deal (which was Gabriel) we had a big investment in Saliba returning from loan and we hadn't even sold Mustafi yet...but we decided to permanently sign a guy who was suffering from a long term injury, even though we had more than enough CBs and one that wasn't even proven in the league.

No fault of Mari's, but money was definitely changing hands behind the scenes in this deal.

 

[Malky]

3 of the best defensive partnerships in the last 20 years.

Carvalho and Terry
Rio and Vidic
Kolo and Sol.

Not a left footer in them. This idea that we NEED a left footed replacement if Mari is sold or Gabriel is injured is nonsense. It obviously has a few benefits but it isn't a necessity.

The leagues best CB pairing last season was John Stones and Ruben Dias - both right footed. Like you said, this obsession with a left footed guy for LCB is nonsense.

 

[truth_hurts]

Mari is good back up, but maybe he wants more than a back up role? He was a key player for Flamengo.

Would rather keep him, but losing him isn't going to affect our season much.

 

[yorch44]

This is possibly the dodgiest transfer we have even done, at least with Cedric you could argue we needed cover at fullback, but with Pablo...

We knew we were giving Luiz a new contract, so we already had him and Holding, Arteta wanted to sign a new starting defender regardless of this deal (which was Gabriel) we had a big investment in Saliba returning from loan and we hadn't even sold Mustafi yet...but we decided to permanently sign a guy who was suffering from a long term injury, even though we had more than enough CBs and one that wasn't even proven in the league.

No fault of Mari's, but money was definitely changing hands behind the scenes in this deal.

In this deal and in the Cedric, Pepe and Willian ones.

 

[Toby]

3 of the best defensive partnerships in the last 20 years.

Carvalho and Terry
Rio and Vidic
Kolo and Sol.

Not a left footer in them. This idea that we NEED a left footed replacement if Mari is sold or Gabriel is injured is nonsense. It obviously has a few benefits but it isn't a necessity.

It's definitely not a necessity but playing the left CB as a rightfooter does take some time to adapt to. Basically you have to learn doing everything in a mirrored way. Not everyone can do it and it does take time. From the top of my head for a more recent example of someone who did exceptionally well as a right footed left CB there's Mats Hummels.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Not a left footer in them. This idea that we NEED a left footed replacement if Mari is sold or Gabriel is injured is nonsense. It obviously has a few benefits but it isn't a necessity.

Up there with needing 2 keepers as the dumbest football trend. You don't need a left foot and right foot CB it makes no difference.

 

[Macho]

You don't need a left foot and right foot CB it makes no difference.

It does if you are trying to open up more natural passing lanes from the back which is pretty much the basis of Artetaball.

If it was just a matter of being a good defender then this position would be much more straight forward and the likes of Luiz would have been phased out ages ago.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

It does if you are trying to open up more natural passing lanes from the back which is pretty much the basis of Artetaball.

If it was just a matter of being a good defender then this position would be much more straight forward and the likes of Luiz would have been phased out ages ago.

Yeah but as said before Dias and Stones are both right footed and they do it fine and we all know Arteta is just tryna copy Pep.

Maybe I don't know anything about football but does it really make that much of a difference? I get that passing to the left is easier for a left footer but it can't make that much of a difference surely.

 

[krengon]

Yeah but as said before Dias and Stones are both right footed and they do it fine and we all know Arteta is just tryna copy Pep.

Maybe I don't know anything about football but does it really make that much of a difference? I get that passing to the left is easier for a left footer but it can't make that much of a difference surely.

Nah it's a bit overhyped, doesn't really make much of a difference. A lot of the best ball playing LCB's are right footed like Van Dijk.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Nah it's a bit overhyped, doesn't really make much of a difference. A lot of the best ball playing LCB's are right footed like Van Dijk.

Yeah exactly, it can't be that urgent when so many of the best CB pairings are both the same foot.

 

[Macho]

Yeah exactly, it can't be that urgent when so many of the best CB pairings are both the same foot.

It's more there really isn't any need to send the dude on loan when the left side of our central defence really isn't a problem at the moment.

Unless he's seriously pushing to leave they should focus on finding a starter for the right side of our central defence or other areas of the pitch.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

It's more there really isn't any need to send the dude on loan when the left side of our central defence really isn't a problem at the moment.

Unless he's seriously pushing to leave they should focus on finding a starter for the right side of our central defence or other areas of the pitch.

The fact we need a left foot lcb lcm and a right foot rcb etc is so amateurish to me.

 

[Macho]

The fact we need a left foot lcb lcm and a right foot rcb etc is so amateurish to me.

Well, tell that to Arteta who specifically requested a left footed CB at the time it wasn't us that signed two.

Arteta has reiterated his desire to have a left footed CB playing on the left.: In my opinion, it’s fundamental and helps aid progression from deep. Compared to a right footed CB, a left footed one on the left hand side provides better passing angles. Players in front would receive the ball in a more favoured position, and would reduce the likelihood of them adjusting their body angle and shape. It’s such a simple aspect but helps maintain fluidity of football in possession.

I personally didn't care that much I just think it made sense.

 

[El Duderino]

It's more there really isn't any need to send the dude on loan when the left side of our central defence really isn't a problem at the moment.

Unless he's seriously pushing to leave they should focus on finding a starter for the right side of our central defence or other areas of the pitch.

Maybe Mari really enjoys being a journeyman?

 

[Macho]

Maybe Mari really enjoys being a journeyman?

Possibly.

If we spend this summer trying to bring in two cbs I am going to be annoyed anyways. Especially if one of those signings is replacing cover.