One of Arsenal’s summer signings has had a strong start to the season, but could his luck run out against Manchester City?
There are no complaints about the players Andrea Berta signed in his first summer as Arsenal’s sporting director.
The Italian worked efficiently to significantly bolster Arsenal’s squad depth, which has been more of a revelation thanks to how the new signings have hit the ground running.
Martin Zubimendi has been fantastic for Arsenal so far; however, there are some points to the Spaniard’s game that will improve as he continues to adapt.
Adrian Clarke fears Martin Zubimendi could struggle against Manchester City
Ernesto Valverde called Zubimendi ‘special’ before Arsenal’s midweek Champions League win, but the Spanish midfielder was unable to leave a real mark on proceedings in Bilbao.
It wasn’t by any means a poor performance from the 26-year-old against Athletic Club, but with Manchester City up next, the level needs to be a lot higher.
Zubimendi was a player that Adrian Clarke focused on when previewing the upcoming blockbuster at the Emirates.
“I think Zubimendi might struggle a little bit to keep pace,” Clarke said on his YouTube channel.
“I’m thinking about Sunday and Manchester City and Tijjani Reijnders. He loves to make those bursts into the box from deep, and he’ll look to play off Zubimendi, and we’ve got to be really, really careful about that. So it’s just one to keep an eye on.”
City place a lot of emphasis on their creativity in midfield, which is something Declan Rice and Zubimendi will have the task of limiting, but can they do it?
The two players are among the world’s best in their position, but as a duo, Rice and Zubimendi’s partnership is still developing.
Zubimendi needs support against Manchester City
Clarke’s take is interesting, as Rice and Zubimendi were mentioned by Spanish media after the win over Athletic Club.
The pair’s inability to keep possession was noticed, something that needs attention, particularly with City coming next.
It’s not necessarily a fault of Zubimendi’s own, but more so to do with those around him, with more of a connecting presence needed between midfield and attack.
Martin Odegaard would usually be the figure to take pressure away from Zubimendi to take the ball upfield, but the captain doesn’t look as though he will be fit to face City.
Having a number ten is crucial when Arsenal come up against Man City, not just for those in attack, but for Zubimendi too.
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