%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
Arsenal: Cedric Soares debut far bigger than it seems
By Josh Sippie
Cedric Soares is in line to get his Arsenal debut, and this is a much bigger deal then it’s getting credit for. This is one professional rightback, people!
Sometimes I belabor a point so much that I start to wonder if maybe I am a little crazy. That’s been the case with Arsenal bringing in Cedric Soares. As soon as it was announced, I wanted it to be made permanent.
Injury and all, I don’t care. Anyone who’s been following the Premier League over the past half-decade is familiar with the name Cedric Soares because he has been a consistent presence at Southampton for five years now.
That’s a big deal. To be at any Premier League club for that long, consistently starting, is a big deal. First off, it’s a big deal for a club to be around that long in general, but if you’re holding down your place, it means you’re a Premier League caliber player.
Related Story. 3 Players Arteta Needs To Step Up. light
Cedric Soares is. Most importantly, he’s a rightback, which has suddenly become such a premium despite the fact that we’ve got about five guys that can play the roles.
More from Pain in the Arsenal
- 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
- Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win
With Hector Bellerin struggling and Ainsley Maitland-Niles at odds with Mikel Arteta, Sokratis has been playing rightback. And after every match where Sokratis is forced to play rightback, we are all reminded that Sokratis is not a rightback.
Cedric Soares is. This isn’t going to be some experiment. It’s not like we’re going out on a whim, hoping that he can play the role properly. He can play the role properly. I know that because I’ve been seeing it first-hand for the past five years. So have you.
People have been downplaying the signing, calling him substandard, not up to our caliber, yadda yadda. Wrong. You just wait and see. Just having an actual rightback playing rightback is going to be such a welcome change that you’re going to fall in love with the move. Even though you should have already.
And when Bellerin does settle back in following his injury, Cedric can be the dynamic rotational option that we’ve been lacking. The guy that can play both fullback roles with complete confidence. Which, by the way, is something else we’ve been lacking.
dark. Next. 3 Positives From West Ham
I’m so ready for this debut. So ready. Mikel Arteta has said that it’s coming, so depending on what the status of Bellerin is, we may see him suiting up against Brighton this weekend.