An interesting transfer update has emerged, with transfer links to left-backs such as FC Porto’s Wendell and Fenerbahce’s Ferdi Kadioglu. Despite the transfer speculations, Arsenal will not try to sign a left-back this summer, according to Football Transfers.
Interestingly, they suggest Oleksander Zinchenko could still be sold, but even with his potential exit, the club feels it has enough options at left back.
Apparently, Mikel Arteta wants Jurrien Timber to take over as left back. The Dutchman has been out injured since Premier League Match Day 1, but he is close to returning. There is hope that by the end of the season, he will have achieved match fitness and be able to play. The expectation is that he’ll be fit and ready to go next season upon his return before this league campaign concludes.
When Timber takes over at left back, he may have a good deputy in Jakub Kiwior. Kiwior has recently excelled at left back, demonstrating his trustworthiness in the role.
That said, the money that was going to be spent on signing another left-back can now be used elsewhere. Discussions are underway about bringing in a top striker and a top midfielder, and with Aaron Ramsdale’s future at the club uncertain, they may also sign a goalkeeper.
Darren N
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
Difficult to say. He’s on high wages, 2 years left in contract, often injured. I think we could do better? He still has resale value and I think out of our first XI, he’s our most expendable player.
I think we might go for a fullback who can play both flanks (Kadioglu?)
Neither of Timber, Tomi, Kwior nor Zinchenko are natural left backs and while they can fill in there when required each of them is more effective in other positions which brought them to the attention of Arsenal in the first place.The fact that a Club of our stature does not have a top quality ,left footed, left back concerns me, as such a player would bring a new dimension to our side in an attacking sense and be able to take a lot of weight off the shoulders of whoever is playing on the left wing which is usually young Martinelli.No wonder he is showing signs of fatigue given the acres he covers in attack, and defence, every time he plays.The same applies to Saka but at least he gets some despite from the overlapping runs made by White on the right.Tierney has proven to be injury prone, and imo we need a proper replacement for him.
I wouldn’t be against zinchenko moving at this point, but not because of timber. Given the scale of his injury, there’s simply no way he could convince anyone he’s fully recovered and completely reliable in time for the start of next season – we have to plan with the expectation he’s not going to be able to play a huge number of games imo. Therefore, if we do let zinchenko go, we need a replacement of some kind who can help kiwior and Tomi (who also covers white, and both cover the starting CBs) even needed.
*when needed
Yup. Well summarized. If we don’t sell him now he will just sit on bench then a free transfer on card. If we play him his lack of defensive ability will again be reason for conceding goals.
Next season Zichenko won’t be badly needed at Arsenal. He is best as a deep lying midfielder. Unfortunately he doesn’t have the starmina and strength to do that consistently for Arsenal in Epl. He lacks trickery abilities to play on the wings even though he is good with the ball at his fit but he is slow in pace and looks fragile at times.
Top sEpl teams would easily capitalized on his defensive weakness as full back compared to Kiwior, Timber and Tomiyasu. I think if there is a good offer he should be sold. He can still play else where.
I think letting Ziny go for a good price won’t be a bad idea. Imo, we need a strong CB to cover incase one of Gab or Saliba get injured. Ben White has cemented the RB possition imo and Moti or Timber can be the deputy there. I love Kiwior at LB and again, Tomi or Timber can deputise. I think this idea of playing 4 CB defense is good for modern football. Other sigining we need to make is a left sided midlefielder (Xhaka type) to help Martinelli when attacking. I have noticed that our attack is most of the time one sided. Oodegard play more to the right in combination with Saka.
Unless another left back is signed,it makes no sense to sell Zinchenko. Or to put it in another way,if Arsenal gets a good offer for Zinc and sell him,ideally another LB should be signed to replace him. Alternatively one can be promoted from the academy. Recently,I’ve heard claims that the academy player Myles Lewis-Skelly is being trained for that role.Perharps Arsenal can keep Zinc until Myles is ready.
We seem to forget that ideally we need two players in each position. If Zinchenko leaves,that leaves just Timber because Kiwior is meant to be Gabriel’s alternative and Tomiyasu is meant to be White’s alternative. Even if Zinchenko is not played at LB,he can still play effectively in midfield. I don’t understand Arsenal fans. We’ve been praying for quality depth and now that we have it,we are trying to get rid of it. Depth,versatility and leadership all in one doesn’t get much better than Zinchenko.
Timber, Tomiyasu, Kiwior, Zinchenko, we have a plethora of left backs, who can all play in other positions. Why is it when we get a decent squad together with players who can play in multiple positions, there are calls for half the team to be sold? And now I’ve just read Onyango’s post above ⬆️ Which I entirely agree with, we’ve got strength in depth which last nights game showed!
I thought Zinny is a natural replacement for Odegaard. Zinny is a playmaker , what if Odegaard is injured who fits in better than Zinny he basically plays the number 10 role from left back to give us control of games . Just that he lacks defensive acumen.
But none of them are left backs and apart from Zinchenko they are very limited in an attacking sense.
Grandad the game has changed and Mikel doesn’t seem to prefer the kind of fullbacks who only bombed up and down the wing. The modern fullback is now required to be a good passer who helps to build up play from the back and retain possession,something the likes of Timber and White excel at. Teams now play with two number 8s who are tasked with some of the attacking play fullbacks used to provide. With five attacking players( two 8s and three forwards) dedicated to attack,the other five outfield players(DM and four defenders) plus goalkeeper need only to focus on build up and defending. We’ve scored the most goals per game since the beginning of this year with Kiwior,something we never achieved with ‘attacking left backs’. That tells me all I need to know.
You look at all the top four clubs in England and they all have a player who used to play at CB in at least one of the fullback roles. Gomez for Liverpool,Ake for City and Konsa for Villa.None of whom is particularly attacking,but having them give their teams a good balance between defense and attack.
We have plenty of options at LB, so Zinchenko can go; we need to raise funds and he is injury prone as well.
We don’t need another LB AT ALL; we need either a backup RB or backup CB to have the bodies in defense.
We already have quality, look at our defense over this season; #1 in goals allowed, #1 in clean sheets (I think), we don’t need to bring in a LB.
Only way it’s worth keeping Zinchenko is if he is moved to a backup role in midfield; backing up either Rice or new midfielder in the 8 role.
I thought right from their start at Arsenal that both Jesus and Zinchenko were bought to fill a position BUT ONLY UNTIL we could better fill those roles with better then both have been.
Both show talent and commitment but neither are reliable or fit for long.
Zinny is NO defender, despite being nominally a left back while playing mainly in midfield andleaving alarming gaps when we are under pressure
. Jesu is not a specialist inANY position but rather a roamer who is fiercely committed to working hard.
But his end product is rarely up to much. He neithe scores nor assits goals in any necessary quantity. I hope and BELIEVE, that on th balance of probabilities BOTH willl eave this summer.
At verylatest, both will be gone, IMO by the following summer.
I see no real role for either, esp as it is plain that each season that passes our squad is markedly improved.
THAT is ,in part, why I never thought either would stay for long. And I still dont!
Like it or not though, Oleks is still part of Mikel’s plans.
Zinchenko is Arsenal most intelligent ball passer. Its there in the statistics. We need him on our first eleven to attack and help attackers/ Midfielders. While we are leading, any of Kiwior or Tomiyasu will always come in to change him.
To avoid much injury, Timber should be rotated in the right full back position with White. I see him getting another severe injury on the left full back if drafted into that position again. Premiership is tough.