Arsenal legend Tony Adams has shared his verdict on Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Oleksandr Zinchenko was caught out defensively when Arsenal lost 1-0 to Aston Villa last time out.
The Midlands outfit took the lead just seven minutes into their encounter against the Gunners at Villa Park. Leon Bailey was able to find space on the right flank and pick out John McGinn in the box, who had time to turn and fire past David Raya into the back of the net.
When looking back on the goal, Mikel Arteta will be frustrated to see how much space Bailey was afforded on the wing. As the ball came to the Aston Villa attacker, Arsenal left-back Zinchenko was in the middle of the park and out of position.
Zinchenko can often be spotted in the midfield zone when playing for the north London club. The £32 million Manchester City man is given license to roam in-field where he can become an auxiliary playmaker of sorts.
The pros and cons of the way Arsenal use Oleksandr Zinchenko
There are many positives to this tactical approach. The Ukrainian star is an excellent and creative passer of the ball, and his free role allows him to be a greater influence in the final third. However, it is also a risky strategy, as by vacating his left-back berth, Zinchenko leaves his team vulnerable in that part of the pitch.
The 26-year-old is not the most reliable defender in the first place. He can certainly be beaten in one-on-one situations and is capable of lapses in concentration when on the ball in his own defensive third.
This situation puts a lot of additional pressure on the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli. In the case of Gabriel, the Gunners’ left-sided centre-back, he has to be constantly alert to the need to cover for Zinchenko’s roaming antics, whilst also remaining a solid presence alongside William Saliba in the heart of the rearguard. As for Martinelli, he is relied upon to constantly track back and offer support in the left-back position. The Brazilian winger certainly has the right mentality and work-rate for this role. However, it is clearly not always an ideal solution.
Iconic former Arsenal defender Tony Adams has now had his say on the role that Arteta entrusts Zinchenko with. Speaking to Premier League Productions (09/12/2023, 21:10), he said, “Zinchenko is a great positive player for us. In possession of the ball, he can be such a strength. He pops inside. We were laughing off air. Everyone is playing at left-back, other than Zinchenko. There is a massive channel that is vacated by him playing inside all the time. But he can be a complete weakness.”
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