Arsenal: Sokratis to guide Konstantinos Mavropanos, then?

Arsenal gave us our first taste of the future, and there were plenty of talking points, not least of all the defensive pairings that were used.

Arsenal‘s defense remains the biggest question on the team. Of the three positions – attack, midfield, defense – we have two of three filled in to damn-near perfection.

The attack is a gorgeous machine that I can’t wait to see in action. We got a taste of it at times in the second half of last year and, but it was only a taste. Give that a full season and who knows what can happen.

The midfield is more of the same. It could be a beautiful thing come next year, with the additions that were made and the remaining talents.

But that defense… that defense is the question. It’s what needs assessing. The additions haven’t been all that conclusive. Most of the hopes are hinging on the young players already at the club. The ones we want to see more of.

And against Boreham Woods, we got to see them all. Curiously though, the partnership turned to from the off was that of Sokratis and Konstantinos Mavropanos.

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Many suspected that it would be Calum Chambers and Sokratis to start the season, but Chambers came on in a defensive midfield role.

I wouldn’t read into this too much, as it is only the preseason and, for as fun as it is to see the club run all over another club, we shouldn’t read too much into it.

That pairing, however, is a bit of a curious point, and I wonder if this is a show of intent. Konstantinos Mavropanos is largely up in the air as far as his future is concerned. We have all the hope in the world for him, but a little guidance goes a long way.

Sokratis couldn’t be much better of a guide, and I’m happy to see the two paired up from the off. That Greek connection can go a long way towards making a player feel at home, and there’s no underestimating just how important that is.

Again, without wanting to read into this too much, I’d like to believe that there is something here to invest in for the long haul. All young players can use a mentor, and maybe Mavropanos has his.

Next: Arsenal's End Of Season Player Rankings

Now I’m just curious to see who starts the season at centerback.

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