Arsenal: 4 players who still have a big role to play this season

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta gestures from the side-lines during the English League Cup third round football match between Arsenal and AFC Wimbledon at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 22, 2021. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

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TOPSHOT – Arsenal’s German-born Portuguese defender Cedric Soares contols the ball during the pre-season friendly football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) /

3. Cedric Soares

Takehiro Tomiyasu is the first choice right-back. Hardly much of a revelation. But you need two right-backs, even if Arsenal have four.

As the season has progressed it’s become clear that Calum Chambers is no longer second in running having been left out of Premier League matchday squads and been resigned to the bench for the most recent EFL Cup outing.

Cedric Soares has taken his place.

In the long season ahead, it seems strange to think that Cedric will be the direct replacement for Tomiyasu in league outings given the different profiles of the players. Considering Chambers can’t make the bench behind the aforementioned duo though, that looks like being the plan.

And in the case of Tomiyasu not featuring for whatever reason, there will surely be a change of approach: Thomas Partey or Sambi Lokonga may drop into the three-man build-up. In either case, Cedric will be featuring more than his English teammate whether or not he’s someone fans would like to see in the team.

Same as all the rest, with the hectic winter period coming in December and Tomiyasu going to need some time out of the lineup in his first English football venture, Cedric will get his chance. Any backup or number two for a position in any squad will have to be called upon at some stage and Cedric is set for plenty of involvement this term.

Continued…

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