Mikel Arteta will likely make changes to his Arsenal starting XI for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk.
Arsenal will be keen to bounce back quickly from Saturday’s Premier League defeat against Bournemouth.
The Gunners produced a dismal performance against the south coast club, with a number of players falling short of the required standard. Mikel Merino failed to impress as he made his first start for the North London club, whilst Leandro Trossard’s error led to William Saliba being shown a red card.
It was a particularly poor day at the office for Jakub Kiwior. The Polish defender was introduced to the fray in the 37th minute, replacing Raheem Sterling in order to reinforce the Arsenal rearguard following Saliba’s dismissal.
However, Kiwior never really settled into the match, and with 80 minutes on the clock, Mikel Arteta had seen enough. Despite having been brought on as a sub himself, Kiwior was hooked by the manager in humiliating fashion with 10 minutes to go.
Why Mikel Arteta must show faith in Jakub Kiwior vs Shakhtar Donetsk
The nadir of Kiwior’s evening against the Cherries came when his underhit pass to David Raya left the Arsenal goalkeeper in trouble and ultimately resulted in him conceding a penalty. Justin Kluivert stepped up to convert from the spot, putting the game beyond the Gunners’ reach.
Kiwior is expected to leave Arsenal in the upcoming January transfer window, as he has been unable to nail down a regular starting role at the Emirates Stadium. However, between now and his eventual departure, Arteta will need to be able to call upon the 24-year-old.
The former Spezia man’s confidence will have been rocked by Saturday’s disaster, and the best thing Arteta can do for the player now is show faith in him. If Kiwior is to be able to positively contribute for Arsenal again this season, he needs to feel that he has the manager’s trust.
What’s more, the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori could do with a rest, so be it at either left-back or in the heart of the defence there is good reason to give Kiwior the nod against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Arsenal fringe players falling behind
Arteta will have been satisfied with the shape of his squad heading into this campaign. However, as the season has progressed, a clear pecking order has emerged.
Along with Kiwior, the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus, and Jorginho have struggled to get regular game time when fit. This state of affairs could lead to dissatisfaction in the dressing room.
In order to preserve harmony behind the scenes, Arteta must rotate his team regularly, affording opportunities to those on the fringes of his squad. Alternatively, the Spanish coach needs to make use of the transfer market to jettison those players he does not trust as soon as possible.
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