Mikel Arteta needs to find a way to get the best out of one Arsenal star who is yet to really find his feet at the Emirates Stadium.
Fabio Vieira has not yet lived up to his price tag at Arsenal.
After a lengthy injury lay-off, Vieira returned to first-team action as a half-time substitute against Sheffield United last time out. Replacing Bukayo Saka at the break, the Portuguese playmaker stationed himself on the right flank of the Arsenal attack, and produced some nice touches and clever passes.
However, given the context of the match – a game Arsenal were already 5-0 up in at half-time against an utterly abject team – it is hard to take much substance from any observations of Vieira’s performance. The game was practically being played at walking pace for much of the time he was on the pitch, and any lingering fight had gone out of the Blades.
That being said, Mikel Arteta will have been grateful for the opportunity to get some useful minutes into the 23-year-old’s legs. The Gunners have lots of hugely important games coming up, as they are seeking to win the race for the Premier League title and progress as far as they can in the Champions League. Vieira will have a role to play within this hectic schedule.
Arteta now needs to figure out how to coax the best out of the £34 million midfielder that Arsenal signed from Porto in the summer of 2022. Vieira has even been dubbed something of an “outsider” at Arsenal in the past.
How Mikel Arteta can get the best out of Fabio Vieira at Arsenal
Vieira has shown flashes of quality in an Arsenal shirt. Earlier this season, in back-to-back cameos off the bench, he produced eye-catching assists against Manchester United and Fulham. All too often, though, he has been a peripheral figure in matches, or has looked too lightweight physically to compete at the highest level.
He has also failed to really nail down a position at the Emirates Stadium, as he has been deployed on the flanks, as a left-eight, and as a back-up option for Martin Odegaard in the right-eight midfield role.
Arteta recently reinforced his determination to get Vieira firing on all cylinders. The talent is certainly there. He has great vision, is technically excellent, and boasts an impressive range of passing. The first thing that needs to happen is a firm decision on where he ought to play. If Vieira can get a run of games in the same role, he will be able to become more familiar with the tactical demands being asked of him and will grow in confidence.
His teammates must also learn to play to his strengths. When Vieira is on the ball in the final third, penetrative runs behind the opposition defence need to be made as a matter of routine, as he has the quality to pick them out. Without passing options, his natural game will flounder.
Vieira also needs to be surrounded with more physically imposing teammates in order to offset his own shortcomings in that department. He has only made 14 appearances across all competitions so far this season, 11 of which have come from the bench. Therefore, he has had little opportunity to play alongside Declan Rice and Kai Havertz, who both joined the club in the recent summer transfer window, and brought a great deal of physicality with them. Once he has had time to develop an on-field connection with this duo, Vieira may find it easier to shine in red and white.
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