‘Disappointing’: Armand Traore thinks Arsenal made a big mistake in the January window

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Armand Traore thinks Arsenal made a mistake in not signing a left-back during the January transfer window.

The former Gunners defender also thinks Mikel Arteta is wrong to deploy Cedric Soares at left-back in Kieran Tierney’s absence.

Arsenal allowed Sead Kolasinac and Ainsley Maitland-Niles to leave the Emirates Stadium on loan last month, but didn’t bring in a replacement.

With Tierney having had injury problems in recent weeks, Cedric – a right-back by trade – has been playing at left-back in place of the Scotland international.

“I am against it,” Traore said to Stadium Astro about the Portuguese playing at left-back.

I would have liked to see a left-back coming in for cover for Kieran Tierney because I believe that Tierney has got a lot of injury issues at the moment, so the fact that they didn’t was a bit disappointing.

“I don’t like seeing Cedric at left-back. He is a right-footed player, he creates imbalance within the back-four within the whole squad, I believe.”

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Cedric had a game to forget on Saturday, struggling as Aston Villa ran out 1-0 winners in the West Midlands.

His poor backpass led to the Villans claiming possession and going on to score the only goal of the game.

Although he dusted himself off and improved as the game went on, his shortcomings as a right-footed full-back on the left flank were nonetheless exposed.