Sol Campbell explains why Jorginho struggled for Arsenal v Spurs

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Former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has given his verdict on why Jorginho struggled against Tottenham Hotspur.

Jorginho endured a nightmare in the north London derby. After replacing the injured Declan Rice at half-time at the Emirates Stadium, the 31-year-old midfielder couldn’t cope with the pace of the game.

The worst moment for the £12 million January arrival came just after Bukayo Saka scored from the penalty spot to put the Gunners ahead again. From that kick off, the ball came to Jorginho. The experienced Italian dallied on the ball, got it caught under his feet, and was robbed by James Maddison who played in Son Heung-min to score a quick-fire equaliser.

According to WhoScored’s statistics, Jorginho was dispossessed twice against Spurs and managed to make just one tackle and one interception. Whilst he was able to complete 93.3% of his passes, he was relatively conservative on the ball. 

With Thomas Partey already sidelined by injury, and question marks over the availability of Rice, Jorginho may well be needed to play a great deal in the coming weeks. This may be a worrying prospect for Mikel Arteta after this performance from the 48-cap Italy international.

Jorginho needs tactical support

Former Arsenal centre-back Sol Campbell does not think the former Chelsea man is a good fit for this Arsenal side. Speaking to Premier League Productions about the moment when Jorginho was caught out before the second Tottenham goal, Campbell said, “he’s not playing his game. He’s usually getting the ball and moving it quickly, that is his game. He had a chance to pass to Ben White out wide.”

“He was scanning and scanning, and he just got in a muddle and they nicked the ball from him. So many goals are scored in the first five minutes after your opponents score. You have to be aware.”

Arteta will hope, that given his experience, Jorginho can bounce back from this mistake quickly and show greater composure in upcoming matches.

The Spanish coach will also have to adapt his tactics if Jorginho is required to start the next few matches. The player cannot replicate Rice’s function in this team, as he does not have the same levels of athleticism. Jorginho needs more support in the middle of the park, or he will be exposed, to Arsenal’s detriment, again.