Mikel Arteta reacts to Sokratis’s display in Arsenal’s FA Cup win

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Mikel Arteta has admitted that Sokratis was not entirely happy with playing at right-back during Arsenal’s FA Cup win over Portsmouth on Monday, but insisted that he was very pleased with his performance at Fratton Park, in comments reported by Football London.

The Gunners are through to the quarter-finals after beating the League One side 2-0. And the opening goal came from an unlikely source.

It was Sokratis who bagged his first goal since New Year’s Day.

The 31-year-old was asked to play at right-back against Pompey. Arteta conceded that the decision may not have gone down too well with the Greece international, but he praised the way that he came through the game.

“He moans a little bit because it’s not his position,” Arteta joked, as reported by Football London, “but for certain games I think [Sokratis] is very [much a] handful.

“He has always had the right attitude and has qualities to play there in certain moments when we need him.

“Sometimes he needs to interpret what’s happening, when we have the ball it’s a little bit difficult for him to use the space like he should do in relation to what the opponents are doing. But in general he did really well again.”

TBR View – Sokratis decision could be wake-up call for Ainsley Maitland-Niles

It was a surprise to see Sokratis play on the right. Plenty of Arsenal fans had taken to Twitter ahead of the game to implore Arteta to give Ainsley Maitland-Niles a chance.

But Arteta decided to keep the youngster out of the lineup and opt for experience. Sokratis did fairly well, but Maitland-Niles would perhaps be forgiven for feeling that there is an opportunity there.

Admittedly, he does have a lot of competition. Hector Bellerin has largely kept him out of the side since returning from injury. Meanwhile, Cedric Soares will also be added to the equation once he recovers from his own injury.

But Bellerin has not exactly made himself undroppable. And Cedric arguably has a point to prove after a mixed first-half of the season at Southampton.

Maitland-Niles may perhaps not see his long-term future at right-back. But right now, that role arguably offers his best chance to play regularly in Arteta’s side.

Sokratis getting the nod ahead of him may have been a setback. But if used as a wake-up call, Maitland-Niles really looks to have an opportunity ahead of him.