Arsenal star showed his true value to the squad with his performance in Brentford victory

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Arsenal star Jorginho was public enemy number one in North London following his major error against Tottenham Hotspur, but he bounced back in the best possible way.

The 31-year-old made a costly mistake which led to Spurs’ equaliser in the North London derby on Sunday, having come on as a substitute for Declan Rice, and he was heavily criticised after the game.

The former Chelsea midfielder has otherwise been a reliable figure for Arsenal since his arrival last January, but is now the third-choice option in his position behind Rice and Thomas Partey.

In the absence of both, Jorginho started and captained the side in yesterday’s trip to Brentford, and delivered a display which showed why he is so useful to have in Mikel Arteta’s squad.

How did Jorginho play against Brentford?

The Italian was the key to Arsenal’s victory, winning eight of his nine attempted duels in the middle of the park as his side came under immense Brentford pressure in the second half, whilst he also registered a 90% pass accuracy and made seven tackles.

He also completed three long balls and made two key passes, which included an intelligent ball for Emile Smith Rowe, who was unlucky not to finish.

Jorginho’s leadership

Bouncing back from the adversity he suffered during the Spurs game at the weekend in the way he did shows why Jorginho is such a useful asset to Mikel Arteta.

He is one of the most experienced players in the squad, and whilst he is not a starter, he is a backup capable of stepping in when necessary.

Jorginho’s form of apology for his mistake in the derby was to step up as a leader and help secure a tough away victory at Brentford whilst Rice and Partey were absent. Rather than losing his confidence or form, his leadership skills showed through in the way he led a young Arsenal team to a win last night, and he deserves credit for his display.

If Rice is not yet fit to return against Bournemouth, Arteta will have to rely on Jorginho again, and following the Brentford game, he will be full of confidence heading into the game.