Ian Wright says the arrival and signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko at Arsenal ‘hasn’t worked out great’ for his left-back counterpart, Kieran Tierney.
It’s amazing how things can turn around, and that within a space of 12 months in football.
It wasn’t so long ago that Granit Xhaka was playing at left-back for Mikel Arteta’s side, with Tierney, 25, on the sidelines injured and Arsenal shooting themselves in the foot as they pushed for Champions League football.
It was an area of concern for the club, a weak point in the team, that’s why Nuno Tavares was loaned out in the summer, but the transformation has been incredible.
From being a weak point or the weakest point in the team, the left-back spot has become one of the strongest and a key reason why the Gunners are now sitting top of the Premier League table.
And a player who has been a key figure behind that is £32 million summer signing Zinchenko (Sky Sports), who Wright thinks is his side’s ‘best passer’, as he told Premier League Productions (22/01/23 at 6:40 pm).
“Well, he has made a massive difference to us,” said Wright. “Not only do Arsenal need to get to cover for Tierney, which has worked out not great for Tierney.
“But to get somebody that can play in midfield as well. When you get to look at where he plays. You aren’t going to get anybody that will man-mark the left-back where he starts from.
“He is all over the place. He is our best passer into the final third. He is our best passer into the opposing box. He is always in a position where he really can’t be picked up because people don’t know who should be picking him up.”
DEPTH THAT ARSENAL NEED
To think that the likes of Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu are coming off the bench for Arsenal just goes to show the added depth that they now have in the fullback area.
Whilst fans worry about Thomas Partey getting injured and who could possibly replace the Ghana star if the unthinkable happens.
It’s a different story now, at both right and left fullback, which is music to the ears of the supporters.
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