The ‘key role’ Oleksandr Zinchenko has played in Jakub Kiwior transformation at Arsenal

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Oleksandr Zinchenko has played an important role in helping Jakub Kiwior to settle at Arsenal.

Jakub Kiwior is currently starting matches for Arsenal at left-back ahead of the injured Oleksandr Zinchenko.

The Polish defender has impressed in his recent outings for the Gunners. There has even been speculation that Kiwior might keep his place even once Zinchenko is back to full fitness. 

It has taken some time for Kiwior to look so comfortable in north London. The 24-year-old arrived at the Emirates Stadium from Italian club Spezia in January 2023. However, he has had limited opportunities to impress under Mikel Arteta, and has frequently found himself playing out of position when he has been handed a chance to play.

Kiwior is a centre-back by trade, but has regularly been required to fill-in at left-back. In the past, this has meant that the 19-cap Poland international has been asked to replicate Zinchenko’s tactical function in the team.

The Ukrainian plays the left-back role in an inverted fashion, drifting into the middle of the park to become an auxiliary midfielder of sorts. Due to his supreme technical level and creative ability, Zinchenko is able to pull this off, but it is something that Kiwior has struggled to emulate.

As such, in recent weeks, Arteta has instead asked the Pole to play a far more orthodox full-back role, with Ben White now the one being instructed to invert into midfield from his right-back berth.

How Jakub Kiwior has been helped to settle at Arsenal

Kiwior has looked far more assured with these new instructions, and Arsenal as a team are clicking better than ever. It will now be fascinating to see what course of action Arteta takes once he has a full complement of defenders available to him for selection once again.

This recent form also shows that Kiwior is starting feel more confident and assured of his place at Arsenal. As reported by The Standard, Zinchenko has played a big part in that settling process. The former Manchester City man has played a “key role” in helping him settle, as has another Polish member of the Arsenal staff, called Piotr.

The fact that Kiwior now feels comfortable in his surroundings, and has become more adept with the English language, on top of the tactical tweak to his role on the pitch, is clearly all making a big difference and he is now able to really shine.