Arsenal: Initial Pablo Mari report – Very, very good

New Arsenal centre-back Pablo Mari made his debut in Monday night’s 2-0 win over Portsmouth. The initial report is that is very, very good.

No one really knew what to expect from Pablo Mari when he arrived at Arsenal in the January transfer window. Even those that had watched him extensively in Brazilian football may have extolled his skill and high level of performance, but they were unable to translate that to English football. How might he perform in the Premier League? The answer rests on more than just his level of play in Brazilian football.

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So when the centre-half made his debut for the Gunners in Monday night’s 2-0 victory over Portsmouth, many watched with a keen eye to see how he would adapt to his new team. This was his first senior outing, and the initial reports are very encouraging indeed.

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What was immediately noticeable was how comfortable and composed he was in possession. With a ranging left foot, Mari was more than willing to step into midfield and slice through the Portsmouth ranks with searching passes, both through the air with big switches of play and on th ground, into the feet of more advanced teammates. He dealt with pressure consummately, showed to receive the ball at all times, and helped tick over Arsenal’s play in possession.

Defensively, he had just two awkward moments. The first was a bouncing ball down the left side that he failed to meet and then backed away from, ultimately having to simply head it out of play for Portsmouth throw-in. The second was more concerning: a ball was played over the top. Mari had a simple pass back to Emiliano Martinez to recycle possession but instead opted for a looped clearance over his head. It was a curious and unwise decision and something that Mikel Arteta, who orientates his game around dominating possession, will be keen to alter.

Mari was strong in the air, he was rarely troubled on the ground, showing good pace to recover his position when through balls were slid into channels behind him, and he patrolled proceedings nicely, especially in the second half. But do not just take my word for it. His display impressed those around him, too.

Speaking in his post-match interview, his central defensive partner David Luiz said:

"“I think we did great tonight, everybody was 100 per cent focused and we didn’t concede. I’m so happy for Pablo, he’s a great guy, a great player and he had an amazing game.”"

In his post-match press conference, Arteta echoed the same positive sentiment:

"“I think he looked comfortable. He is very vocal and very comfortable on the ball, always commanding the back four and he looked like he’s played here for months. I think we have a good player.”"

Obviously, any meaningful conclusions must come with the hefty caveat that this is one game against League One opposition. Mari must be judged over a larger sample size against more threatening teams. But the initial report is very encouraging indeed, and at this stage, that is all you can ask for.