Arsenal now told they are ‘far better’ with much-criticised £30m man in the team

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko has found himself subjected to heavy criticism following a mistake against Wolves, but he should not be dropped from the starting XI.

Zinchenko started the game superbly, providing an excellent assist for Martin Odegaard’s goal, but he gave the ball away cheaply on a few occasions, with one of these giveaways directly leading to Matheus Cunha’s goal.

The Ukranian was criticised by fans after, and there has been a lot of scrutiny over whether he is good enough defensively to play at left-back.

Mikel Arteta has full faith in his £30m signing, and all indications point towards Zinchenko continuing in his inverted fullback role rather than pushing up to midfield.

Arsenal are better with Zinchenko in the team

Journalist Sam Dean has now leapt to Zinchenko’s defence, highlighting that his errors at the back are being blown out of proportion and that he is a net positive in the team.

“Oleksandr Zinchenko is not perfect but he is essential for Arsenal. They are far better with him than without him,” he posted on X.

He also highlighted in a report for The Telegraph, that Zinchenko has made four errors leading to shots since the start of last season. Whilst this may sound like a lot, the defensively secure William Saliba has made five.

Arsenal’s win rate with Zinchenko in the side stands at 72%. Without him, it drops to 63%, and it is clear that he brings more good than bad to the team.

Arsenal need to use Oleksandr Zinchenko wisely

Zinchenko brings a lot to his role in the back line, and excels when in possession and able to tuck into midfield.

This whole tactical setup allows midfielders such as Declan Rice to push forward more, and in games where Arsenal are dominant, it helps create numerical superiority in the middle of the park.

However, there are games, and game states in which a more defensively secure option could be necessary.

Arsenal travel to Villa Park on Saturday to face Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, and a dangerous winger in Moussa Diaby. This is the kind of opponent which often causes Zinchenko more trouble, and Takehiro Tomiyasu may be a better option on the day.

The best and worst of Zinchenko were on full display against Wolves, as his incredible technical and attacking ability shone, but his defensive lapses in concentration also showed, and Arteta should now aim to use Zinchenko solely in games where he can thrive on the ball.