Cedric Soares has revealed that Arsenal’s full-backs have struck up a close relationship in recent months and are working hard collectively to improve both offensively and defensively.
The 29-year-old may not have played that much football since joining the club from Southampton in January, but with 125 Premier League appearances to his name and a Euro 2016 medal in his pocket, he has plenty of experience playing with and against the best in the business.
While he’s keen to share his knowledge, the Portugal international also acknowledges that the right-back role is evolving all the time and that he too must keep honing his game.
In an interview with Gaffer magazine, Soares said: “The role of a right-back has changed. When I started playing football, it was not a fancy position.
“I was a midfielder all of my youth career, but as a professional you see how important the new generation of full-backs are. You’re the extra man. Everyone always has the quality and wants to attack, but defence is my first job.
“If you play as a back four, a full-back needs to be complete, to defend well, especially in the Premier League. It’s a demanding job physically.”
Having game-changing, versatile full-backs has proved integral to the success of Liverpool and Manchester City in recent seasons and it’s something Mikel Arteta will surely be looking to replicate. Whether the current group can emulate their peers at Anfield and the Etihad remains to be seen, but it at least sounds like they are putting in the hours on the training ground.
“We are very close: myself, Hector, [Kieran] Tierney, also [Sead] Kolasinac, Ainsley [Maitland-Niles] and Bukayo [Saka],” revealed Soares.
“We are all working for each other, it’s a big group, we spend time together working on crossing and finishing after training, the small details defensively.
“We have a very good relationship. Arsenal is such a big family club and we all have to be there to help.”
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You can read the full interview with Cedric, here. It’s worth a visit for the pictures alone.
You can tell main Andrew didn’t write this article as it isn’t prefixed with – “Cedric, who we paid 5m for when he was injured and free at the end of the seasons, has spoken about his…“
it’s still in moderation
I can’t get excited by him as my Southampton-supporting friend rates him very low and I haven’t seen much from him yet.
Anyone else rates him?
My Southampton-supporting gerbil assures me that Cedric is the best crosser in the EPL after Trent Alexander-Arnold. Also, a Southampton-supporting sparrow in my garden recently pointed out to me that he (Cedric, not the sparrow) was the first-choice RB in a pretty decent Southampton side for around three seasons. Small sample of assessments, though.
Did he say much about whether he can defend? My Southampton season ticker holder says mediocre.
And shame we don’t have a big centre forward to take advantage of the crosses.
Crossing and cutbacks. Who would have thought. Wish u guys well this new season. Need more assists from you
Good ebening. Nice to see they’re putting in the additional hours though, we can at least partly make up for the lack of creativity in the middle by increasing it out wide
When you said it was worth it for the pictures alone I assumed there would be some nice training photos of the fullbacks together! Boy was I in for a weird surprise
I was disturbed by the photos, but happy I took that confusing trip.
The pics reminded me of a certain Freddie Ljungberg
Right! Looks like an audition for the stage version of Bohemian Rhapsody.
He’s no Giroud
I thought the link accidentally went to GQ.
I hope sakas mention isn’t alluding to him being used as a fullback.
Regularly I should add, injuries and squad rotation ; fair play.
I can also see him being used as a LWB when we play back 3
When need arises so I am ok with him evolving with the rest
The clothing is like from the House of Hector.
I think we can all agree that there was and still is a lot of work to be done defensively to get us to the position where we can challenge, week in and out, for the Premiership. It’s good to read, therefore, that part of the defense is working hard together to get to the standard needed. I strongly doubt that this was done under Wenger or Emery – and it showed!
Ehhhhh. Why hasn’t auba signed yet??!!!
Because he’s waiting to see if Messi or Suarez leave Barcelona…..
We’re probably waiting to see if we can get a deal for Francis Jeffers over the line before we commit to Auba.
Apparently we need to sell something to pay for the ink to fill the inkwell in the boardroom before that can happen.
Auba is our player and doesn’t need to be registered. The longer he waits the stronger his position. He’s waiting to see if club backs Arteta with transfers. If he signs I suspect it will be announced after / near closing oF window.
Amen
Portugeezer
Cedric’s purchase caused much surprise not least with me. But with all the talk of selling either AMN (I hope that’s dead now) or Bellerin, it begins to make some sense.
And Kola as he can play on the left too.
The photos remind me a little ofJ.F. Sebastian’s creations (Blade Runner).
It’ll be short sighted an a real shame if having made efforts to reinforce fullback position in depth, we decide we aren’t able to generate sufficient income (much due to lack of inexperience in transfer team) and start to sell prize jewels like Bellerin. Does not make sense to sell him for 25-30m (assuming) then add another fullback to bed in to an already new set up at Cback (Saliba, Mari and Magalhaes) adding a degree of risk and less continuity. Particularly does not makesense when you consider Sanlehi already made potential damage with knee jerk grab of Willian, committing… Read more »
One word 3 syllables AMN
No one cares you fucking leech.