Arsenal and Sokratis: Warrior or wobbler?

Sokratis Papastathopoulos has been described as a ‘warrior’. That seems perfect for Arsenal, who have lacked such players for a painfully long time. But is he also a wobbler?

While it has taken a painfully long time to come to fruition, it seems as though Arsenal are on the verge of signing Borussia Dortmund centre-half Sokratis Papastathopoulos for a deal reported to be in the region of £16 million.

Catch the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal podcast right here

Getting a player of such experience — nearly 400 club appearances — for such a price is a nice bit of business, and it is presumed that the 29-year-old will swan into the Emirates as the leading centre-half in a team desperately lacking in them. But the reaction to the news has not quite been as positive as that.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

‘I’m not sure he’s necessarily going to take the Arsenal defence to the next level.’ That is the viewpoint of Rapha Honingstein, an expert on all things football in Germany. And it is a sentiment that has been echoed by many fans and pundits alike over the past few weeks while the move has tentatively and slowly limped towards the finishing line.

Such fightback to the signing prompted Sarah Winterburn of Football 365 to question the priorities of the fans, and of Honingstein, stating that Sokratis, while unflashy and a little hardened and rough, is the perfect signing for the Gunners, using Honingstein’s words to conclude:

"“‘He’s a fighter, he’s a warrior…very tidy, very energetic, tough in a tackle.’ He sounds bloody perfect.”"

It is a nice piece that deserves your time. In it, Winterburn discusses comments from former teammates and manager Mats Hummels and Thomas Tuchel, who speak of Sokratis’ ‘defensive work’ in training, of his being ‘obsessed with defending’, of his hunger to face duels and ‘protect the goal-line’. As Winterburn rightly highlights, that is the type of player that Arsenal need. But that type of player does not necessarily make a good defender.

Philippe Senderos was a ‘warrior’. He wasn’t a good defender. Phil Jones will scrap for every ball, even throwing himself head-first into challenges. But does that make him a good defender? The same could be said for John O’Shea or Linvoy Primus or Sebastien Squillaci. Remember him? There is a pattern developing here. I hope you can see it. Just because a player is a ‘warrior, does not mean he is a good defender.

And that is the point that Honingstein, and many other fans and glorified bloggers like myself, are trying to make: Sokratis is indeed the type of character and individual that the Gunners require, but his game has been littered with individual mistakes, his positional play is lacking, and he has been a part of a leaky Dortmund defence that he has contributed to. He may want to fight, but does he actually win?

Next: Arsenal: Top 3 midfield solutions

This, for me, is what Winterburn misses. Being a ‘warrior’ is not enough. Sokratis looked far more reminiscent of a wobbler last season. Arsenal needed more than just a fighter.