Arsenal: Complete 2018/19 season player ratings

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LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 23: Sokratis Papastathopoulos of Arsenal battles for possession with Theo Walcott of Everton during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Everton FC at Emirates Stadium on September 23, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) /

Sokratis – 6.5

A little like Leno, there were plenty of naysayers dooming the Sokratis signing last summer. He played in a leaky Borussia Dortmund defence, was largely viewed as a reason for some of their problems at the back, and was nearing 30. Few were excited by the addition, even for the cut-price fee.

However, I think most would concede that Sokratis produced about as well as Arsenal could have hoped. Alright, there were some mistakes in there at times, a few rash tackles, some disciplinary issues that need to be ironed out. But he provided a steel and physicality to the defence that has been missing for far too long.

In the end, Mustafi was the only defender to play more league minutes than Sokratis, and that was because the Greek international was injured for three months. Is he a long-term solution to Arsenal’s defensive woes? No, he isn’t. But he did have a decent, if not perfect, first season in north London.