£20m Arsenal man has now embarrassed his teammate – Our View

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In recent weeks, Jakub Kiwior has been a standout in defence for Arsenal as the Gunners return to winning ways.

The Poland international – signed in a £20m deal from Spezia during the January transfer window – was given his first two Premier League starts by Mikel Arteta for the clashes against Chelsea and Newcastle.

Arsenal won both following a run of four games without a victory, and while that is a positive response, the performances of Kiwior are slightly embarrassing for Rob Holding.

What’s the story?

Well – in our view – Kiwior’s composed displays suggest Arteta made a potentially season defining mistake when selecting Holding ahead of him in the absence of William Saliba.

Holding was named in the starting XI for Arsenal’s Premier League encounters against Liverpool, West Ham, Southampton and Manchester City as the France international found himself sidelined due to a back injury.

The Englishman struggled to match Saliba’s intensity in all of these games, and Arsenal threw away their eight-point lead over Manchester City following a run of three draws and a loss in the aforementioned four fixtures.

Contrastingly, Kiwior has looked a far more similar profile to Saliba in convincing wins over Chelsea and Newcastle.

The 23-year-old is quick across the ground despite his 6 ft 2 in frame, while he is also more composed and effective from a technical aspect in possession than Holding is.

In regards to how Arteta wants Arsenal to play, speed in the backline is vital.

How Kiwior helps Arsenal play Arteta’s way

Saliba helped Arsenal’s defence play ten yards higher up the pitch and keep opponents pushed back, something Kiwior was able to bring back into effect against Chelsea and Newcastle.

Contrastingly, Holding’s presence meant the Gunners had to drop a lot deeper in their four-game winless run, inviting the opposition onto them.

Kiwior’s displays certainly beg the question as to whether Arsenal would still be sitting top of the Premier League if he played against Liverpool, West Ham, Southampton and Manchester City instead of Holding.

If Arsenal end up finishing second in the Premier League this season, many will point to Arteta’s decision to play Holding instead of Kiwior as a decisive moment.