Forgotten Arsenal man could actually make big impact in title race despite not starting for 18 months

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Over the course of this season, Mikel Arteta will have to make use of the full depth of his Arsenal squad. 

Arsenal are expected to compete on multiple fronts this season. Not only will the Gunners be aiming to claim their first Premier League title since 2004, but they will also have serious ambitions in the Champions League, FA Cup, and the EFL Cup.

Arteta’s squad depth has already been tested this season, as Arsenal have endured an injury crisis. 

What’s more, flaws in the Gunners’ squad have been exposed, and the manager must now find solutions, before his title hopes are dashed completely. As things stand, Arsenal trail current league leaders Liverpool by nine points, and they need to turn things around quickly.

• READ MORE: All Mikel Arteta signings at Arsenal ranked from worst to best

Could Kieran Tierney still make an impact for Arsenal?

Arsenal have lacked goals this season, which has been a major problem. Arteta has been urged to sign a striker in the upcoming January transfer window, and that would certainly go a long way towards addressing this concern. 

However, the Spanish coach must also consider how his side create chances. Arsenal fans missed Martin Odegaard whilst he was injured, as the Norwegian playmaker is the team’s creative hub. 

Without the captain on hand to pull the strings, Arsenal struggled to break opponents down. Turning to an almost entirely forgotten figure could provide a boost in this regard.

Kieran Tierney is an outcast at Arsenal, having not started a game for the North London club since May 2023.

However, the Scottish left-back offers something that the likes of Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Jakub Kiwior don’t in that position.

He is an old-fashioned, orthodox full-back who excels when it comes to providing an overlap and delivering crosses into the box, rather than inverting into the middle of the park, which is what Arteta demands from his other left-backs.

Tierney has admitted he doesn’t suit Arsenal’s tactics these days. However, Arteta should now consider changing his approach and making use of the former Celtic man’s skillset. The Gunners have plenty of aerial threats in their team, in the likes of Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, and Mikel Merino. 

These are players that Tierney could target with his crosses, adding another dimension to the team’s attacking play, which could inspire the upturn in form that they desperately need with their Premier League title dream now hanging by a thread.

What is Mikel Arteta’s plan for Tierney?

Arsenal currently consider Tierney to be for sale, and his exit – be it in January or the summer – is the most likely outcome. 

It is clear that he is not in Arteta’s plans, and he would almost certainly have departed in pre-season were it not for the injury that he sustained at Euro 2024.

At this stage in his career, Tierney needs to get back to playing regular football. Rightly or wrongly, he won’t be given that chance at the Emirates Stadium unless something changes dramatically very soon.