Zinchenko Has Played His Part, But It Is Now Time For Tierney To Finish The Job
With Oleksander Zinchenko absent against West Ham, Kieran Tierney got a rare start in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with West Ham on Sunday afternoon.
There’s now a suggestion that if Mikel Arteta wants a more steady defence in his final games, he should play Kieran Tierney more than Oleksander Zinchenko. Why is that, you might ask?
According to former Celtic manager Neil Lennon, Tierney is a better defensive left-back than Zinchenko. A left-back’s primary responsibility is to balance a team’s defensive aspect of the game from the left; attacking is simply a supplementary function that he performs.
Tierney, according to Lennon, is a better defender than Zinchenko. Yes, Zinchenko provides more attacking options for Arsenal, but he believes that utilising Tierney at left back in the future could help Arsenal’s title bid. “I’m delighted Tierney is back in the team; he’s a great player. He’s had his injury problems over the years, but when he’s fit and strong, he’s magnificent, said Lennon on the BBC.
“I think he will play more in the run-in because he’s a better defender than Zinchenko. Defensively, he will give Arsenal far more security.
“Zinchenko is very good going forward, manipulating the ball in tight areas when he goes into that inverted full-back position, whereas Kieran wouldn’t have as soft feet as Zinchenko.
“But he’s a better defender. I definitely think he will play at the Etihad against Manchester City as well.”
Bottling a two-goal lead in two consecutive games can only mean one thing: Arsenal’s defence isn’t as good as it should be. The attack is doing its job as it should, but the defence is not.
As excellent as Arsenal is in attack, they also need to be as strong in defence, so I totally understand Lennon’s argument, and if I were the Arsenal boss, which I clearly am not, I’d take his advice. I’d give Tierney a chance, but would you?
Sam P
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Honestly, I’d play Zinny, because I think we need to focus on our own game, and not on the game of the opponents..!
There are 2 tactics vs City: 1) Park the bus and be compact all game or 2) Dare the high pressure and try to stress them. Both are difficult..
We are not good at number 1, so I think we need our most ball playing players, and stick to what has brought us success..
Zinny is better with the ball than Tierney, so I pick him for this game, and then bring on Tierney at minute 65.
Exactly daEx.
Stick to what brought you success. Ball possession and wearing teams down. Thats our strength. Zinny if not injured should have played the westham game. We do not need a better defender, we are not good at absorbing pressure, we are good and exacting pressure. Our best form of defence has been attack this season.
I don’t think Zinchenko should lose his place in the team given what he’s done so far. My problem is that the manager doesn’t give backup players a chance which makes them rusty. He also needs to stop having favourites, something which Guardiola and Mourinho never do. We’re complaining that Ødegaard isn’t playing well, but we have a Viera on the bench who is clearly rusted and will certainly underperform when eventually called upon. Tierney should start the City game cos Zinchenko will be absolutely roasted
It’s not just about defending, it’s also about controlling the pitch and reducing the number of situations when we need to defend. Zinchenko not only has better ball control, he also knows where to position himself to help us keep control of the game in our current system.
If we’re expecting to be put under pressure defensively (I. E. We’re the underdogs), I could see the argument for Tierney (though I think Tomi would be significantly better for that), however, when we’re expecting to win the game, zinchenko is generally better for ensuring that happens.
Also, as I’ve said before, while Tierney is undoubtedly a better defender, he’s not a great one either. The issue is simply that he’d be a better fit in a more orthodox system with attacking fullbacks rather than him improving us defensively just by being there.
Good comment 👍
👍 me too.
Good comment Davi. Nothing to add.
Zinchenko is better at playmaking and we dominated many teams because of him, so it’s better to keep him in the inverted LB position if he is fit
Zinchenko also played for Man City for several years. He must be very familiar with their tactics and Mahrez’s/ Foden’s tricks in the field, so he should start the game at the Etihad stadium if he fully recovers
Why should either be out of the side? Both are required. I personally think OZ can play instead of GX or instead of MO. For the Southampton game I think we have to play Jorginho and Xhaka and give Partey a rest. Also play OZ and not Tierney as we do not want Tierney getting injured for the Man City game. Also I feel Saka and MO needs a game out of the side. Maybe play a combination of Trossard/ ESR and Nketiah instead.
IGL, The guys are playing 1 game a week and I do not buy them being tired, far from it. may be even less games are making them rusty.
@ Zamind
You are right about physical tiredness. But this is mental fatigue for a young team. Rotation is a must as it keeps everyone on their toes.
No to Tierney staying in the side currently, he didn’t have a very good game, I know a lot of the team didn’t either but it works so much better with Zinchenko in that role. I’m not suggest either that we sell him but he’s not suiting the current need for moving the ball forward to keep up momentum.
GB. Indeed, the team and us fans have settled nerves when Zinny is on the pitch. Any one not seeing that makes me wonder. One mistake at Liverpool away against so many times we have dominated teams should not have made the manager leave him out. Now we were hit and run against W/ham.
I always blame the player that starts the mistake that bring pressure and eventually a goal. To me thats the real culprit. W/ham first goal was a poor pass from Tierney to Martinelli, who tried to retain the ball by sending a high ball(arsenal is poor with high balls) to Partey who was closed down by Rice. The rest you all know.
Against Man City I would play Tierney, Zinchenko and Xhaka at the expense of one of Saka, Jesus or Martinelli.On current form Saka is the one I would leave on the bench.If Arteta sticks to his preferred 4-3-3 set up he is unlikely to win enough possession to counter the 3-4-3 system currently used by Pep which may include Silva on the right flank rather than Mahrez to ensure midfield control.The trouble is neither Xhaka nor Zinchenko have the pace to match the runs made by KDB and to a lessor extent, Gundagon, and at the end of the day Arteta may decide to leave well alone, with Tierney missing out from the starting eleven.The selections for the City crunch will be very interesting indeed, but first of all we simply must beat Southampton.
Wow! You echoed my thought
White Gabriel and Tierney should have been tried as a back 3, weeks ago. Zinchenko should have replaced zhaka, who is just treading water now and his lack of mobility and technical abilities are shining like a beacon. I do think Arteta is just like Wenger, not the best at sorting problems out, when they arise.
While Saliba is out.
Why can’t Arteta play Zinny in the middle and let Tierney play at left back. Zinny, Partay, Xhaka, Odegaard in the middle then Martinrllli and Jesus up top. We will dominate the middle and kill City on the counter. Saka to come on to balance the books
Mistake. Zinchenko has got us to where we are on the journey. Tierney will not make an iota of improvement.
Given Zinchenko’s importance to the way the team operates, when he is fit he needs to play. Given how leaky we are in defence right now, and that most of the damage done recently has eliminated down the left, when Tierney is fit he needs to play.
Given the recent events I think next term Arteta needs to rethink his tactics and have some options rather than bang away with the same old style and formation and improve his in-game management.
The fact that we are being constantly linked with various midfielders it suggests that Xhaka’s place in the team is in doubt going forward. If that is the case then maybe now is the time to see if Zinchenko or ESR etc can do that role.
Playing Kieran Tierney as a conventional left back probably makes Mikel do a sick in his mouth, but to get the best out of him that is what he needs to do. Zinchenko is more technically gifted, more skillful, more creative than Tierney but also more than Xhaka, too. What does Granit do that Zinchenko can’t?
Play them both. Zinchenko wants to play in a deep-lying midfield role but is equally adept at left back. Kieran Tierney wants to bomb up and down the left flank making last ditch sliding tackles and whipping in crosses. So let him. When he goes forward, Zinchenko fills in for him just as Thomas Partey does for Ben White when he goes forward.
I’m not suggesting for one minute I, or any of us, know better than Arteta but that doesn’t make our opinions and ideas invalid. After all, it isn’t our tactics and team management that has thrown away a 2 goal lead in consecutive away games.
The classic problem with much of this is that these are simply strongly held opinions with little evidence and a lot of bias.
Zinchenko’s mistake against Trent and Tierney’s recent confinement to the bench have elevated the view of Tierney’s abilities only tempered by Tierney’s own limitations being exposed in our most recent game.
Whilst Xhaka has his weaknesses he is actually one of the most tactically aware players in our current set up and provides balance some other more technically gifted players can’t.
A number of fans are trotting out a range of “solutions” with the implicit suggestion that they know better than the manager. This is despite the fact that it is the manager’s vision and ideas have got us to where we are at this point in the season.