The role of the hitherto-humble full-back has evolved rather rapidly over the last 20 years or so. The emergence of Dani Alves, Marcelo and co increased the expectation that full-backs should create goals as well as stop them. Pep Guardiola (who else?) then changed the landscape again; Philipp Lahm’s innovative, inverted role at Bayern Munich one now imitated by the game’s most thoughtful tacticians.
See Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw under Erik ten Hag at Manchester United. Oleksandr Zinchenko at Arsenal.
“I think it’s fair to describe his role as a free role,” Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports on January 23rd, Zinchenko’s supreme intelligence and perpetual movement helping Arsenal claim three vital points over a resurgent United at the Emirates Stadium.
“He has got a free role at left-back. The actual football from Arsenal through midfield, and the movement and the role of Zinchenko was absolutely world class.”
The Ukrainian’s ‘heat map’ certainly makes for intriguing viewing. Zinchenko is, on paper, a left-back in Mikel Arteta’s 4-2-3-1 system. Watch him closely, however, and you will see the former Manchester City ace do most of his best work alongside Thomas Partey in defensive midfield, allowing Granit Xhaka to push on and join the attack.
Given that Arteta spent three years alongside Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium, it is perhaps no surprise that the student has taken inspiration from the master; Zinchenko doing at Arsenal what Lahm did so superbly at Bayern.
Could Kieran Tierney leave Arsenal?
But while Zinchenko is tailor-made for such a role, the same cannot be said of Kieran Tierney. The Scot, a £25 million signing from Celtic, is more of a, if not old-school, then ‘classic’ full-back. His game is less about playmaking, and more overlapping; Tierney flying up and down the flank, constantly on the move, and at his most effective when drilling crosses into the penalty area from by the by-line.
Tierney is a potentially outstanding full-back. But maybe not an ‘Arteta full-back’.
“(Zinchenko) has made a massive difference to us,” Arsenal legend Ian Wright tells Premier League Productions. “(The Ukrainian’s arrival) has worked out not great for Tierney.
“But to get somebody that can play in midfield as well… Zinchenko is all over the place. He’s 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.”
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe is a long-time admirer
Tierney has started only four Premier League games all season. The former Hoops favourite has made some positive strides with regards to his tactical flexibility, but perhaps not enough for Arteta’s liking.
So claims from Chris Wheatley that Tierney is emerging as a summer target for Newcastle United – Eddie Howe a long-time admirer of the former Bournemouth target – could potentially open the door for a change of scenery.
Howe, while a forward-thinking tactician himself, prefers his full-backs to do the traditional side of the job; defend their flank aggressively, move up and down and provide service from wide areas. In short, if Tierney feels like a bit of an awkward fit at Arsenal these days, he would be a square peg in a square hole at St James’ Park.
“You look at Zinchenko. All of a sudden, we click because we dominate the ball. Why? Because he dominates the ball. He’s technically so gifted,” former Gunners striker Kevin Campbell tells Highbury Squad.
“Kieran Tierney isn’t that type of player. He is your typical left-back. He will get it and he will move up and down. Sometimes he can do that (come into midfield), but nowhere near (as well as) Zinchenko does.”
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