On Tuesday night, Martin Odegaard’s brace and Gabriel Jesus’ goal saw Arsenal return to winning after being winless in four games. Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Chelsea saw them return to the top of the table, where they belong. The Blues stood no chance against the Gunners, who dominated them and exposed their inferiority.
Arteta and his boys are still keen to fight for the PL title, even if it’s a race in which they are second best, considering Man City can go past them if they play their two games at hand. But even so, the Citizens can end up dropping points, which Arsenal needs to be ready to take advantage of by winning all their remaining games.
Against Chelsea, Arteta made necessary changes to his lineup that may have propelled his team to glory. I would have talked about Jorginho and Trossard’s impact on the team, but in this piece, let’s talk about Jakub Kiwior showing us why he has been the best choice to replace Saliba at Arsenal’s defence.
Holding failed to fill in for Arsenal No. 12, and after conceding 11 goals in 4 games (which Arsenal failed to win), Arteta saw it wise to switch things up, benching Holding for Kiwior. The left-footed centre-back was terrific with his ball recovery, ball distribution, and general courage against Chelsea FC forwards. He managed to keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at bay before our old captain was substituted at halftime.
The Polish international could be an ideal future defensive option for the Gunners, and Mikel Arteta has already praised him. According to Arteta, Jacub was outstanding against Chelsea FC; he is a player he likes, which was why he signed him.
Arteta said on Arsenal.com: He looked ready, he looked fresh, he looked really determined. He’s been getting better and better every single day, not only in training but his interaction and his language. He’s more settled and he’s a player that I really like, that’s why I signed him. He has the potential at his age to be great and he had a big task against the players he had to face today, and I think he didn’t really well.
It was amazing to see him get some game time in a London Derby match yesterday, considering that fans were starting to think he was a waste of money!
So what’s the verdict? Can Kiwior cement his position on the team and cover for Saliba, at least while he is out injured?
Sam P
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A happy Arteta enjoys great win over Chelsea – “We are still top with four games to go!”
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Kiwior is of great interest to me. Have had some good conversations about him being left-footed. Apparently in training he is supposed to be the highest jumper and quickest sprinter. He was sound last night and we can be very happy about that. When Saliba comes back, Kiwior should be his partner. Ofcourse it’s early days for him so there’s always time for him to catch the Gabriel syndrome. That is, amateur dramatics, an element of incompetence from time to time, unpredictability, over emotionalism, could go on with that, but wouldn’t want to bore everyone. Oh dear the gobshites have just scored.
Kiwior played well. However, it is far too early to suggest that he should displace Gabriel.
Arteta u did well yesterday dere sme games wea u need defensive players to cme on n cover up like Tierney is better in defending than zinni infact it de only area we players are on de same level ie left back line
Are you ill?
ha ha ha ha ha. sorry you’re making me laugh…………………………….so much. Every now and again there are great laughs to be had on this site. ha ha ha hee hee hee. Oh my God.
Kiwior did very well against a poor Chelsea attack, by making five interceptions and just one tackle. Pretty quick and with some decent passing.
I thought after the first few shaky touches, he was our best defender. Really good in the air and won his duals. He looks a good prospect.
Vandall777, it’s been a mystery as to why Arteta took so long to play him. Never know what’s gone on behind the scenes, but he should have played earlier.
@EvGunner, I think with holding being the senior central backup defender, we was the obvious choice to come in to replace Saliba but Piwior did more in that game (admittedly against a really poor Chelsea team) to show us he can play and must be considered for more game time.
Vandall777. Holding is senior in terms of service for us, but Kiwior is a reasonably proven Polish international. Have to admit surprise when Arteta/Edu signed him, but assumed they saw very good things in him. I sense he’s been a wee bit nervous thus far but really hope, as we all do, that he succeeds. Already prefer him to Gabriel, but shouldn’t talk too soon. We need more calm and soundness at the back, so let’s hope it comes with him.
Having read the article it appears to me that Arteta didn’t want to throw him in at the deep end with his language skills and interaction still developing
Thought he was already thrown in at the deep end at Anfield.
I don’t recall him starting
ON THE EVIDENCEOF LAST NIGHT, he is miles superior to HOLDING ,who is not remotely Arsenal quality and who should not be hereat all and should never have neen bought, even though he was cheap. Though his fee was right, since his quality is cheap too.. I pray he is soon gone.
While we still retain a numbe rof sub par players even as back up, which stillmeands they play at times, thwn we can nevre be considered serious title challengrs. We werechallengers this season, simply because until early Spring we were fortunate with injuries. but since then our lack of quality depth has done for us, as was alwsy likely.
SALIBAS INJURY, which meant Holding had to play, HAS imo cost us the title!
Tough to say as it was effectively a training match, especially the first half! In no way am I bantering them – Chelsea we’re absolutely abysmal!
The real test is Newcastle away, then let’s look at him in more detail.
As usual Jen, a sensible comment and one I concur with.
And then some Ban will write a disgusting article of how stupid the coach and player is, when in fact we have had decades of stupid players being signed by an equally daft coach. Just as Ban picked Saka, Ramsdale, Ode, Zinny, the eagles will be hovering around to pick an error or two of Kiwor and blow it up tow a 2 page report. Sadly the same was never done for their favourites -Ozil, Mustafi, Kolasinac, etc
I could not agree more! Wenger signed a never ending stack of duff CB’s throughout his whole 22 years here.
His single TOP quality OWN IMPORT,was Campbell, on a free. Even Koscielny was good but way below such as CAMPBELL AND ALSO WAY BELOW SALIBA.
As for that idle fraud Ozil, don’t get me started!
Kiwior looks a far better player than what I saw in the European league game.
This tells me the gaffer need to trust his players more in the earlier phase of the campaign to enable them to get their feet wet.
He seems to be bless with the necessary defending principles
Do you guys think Holding would have perform poorly against this Chelsea team?
Have never seen Chelsea this poor in almost 2 decades now, they are so poor and our match against them is like a training match.
I will never judge any player based on this game at all.
Ramsdale made same mistake he made against Southampton but never got punished cos Sterling is no more the player we know.
Judge any player in a better match not in a game where Martinelli and Partey was benched.
Or you think we can do what we did against Chelsea with other teams without this two also?
Arteta knows all these about him and waited until we lost Premiership title before he brought him in. In few weeks time, everyone including Arteta will regret those six points we threw away in those three matches – Pool, Wham and Saints. We are here celebrating second position as if heavens will fall if we won the title. Am not happy!
Maybe you enjoyed celebrating the :Top 4Trophy”, “Top 5 trophy”, “Top 6 trophy”, top 2 seems like an embarrassment to the Papa fan club’
If Kiwior plays on Sunday we will find out what he is made of.I just hope Arteta has the good sense to play Tierney at left back to combat the Almiron/Trippier threat down the right flank otherwise we will be in trouble.
Spot on. Nothing more to add to that.
I like the way Kiwior intercepts and first time passes the ball all in one movement. His compilation is full of examples
Gooners are now giving Kiwior acolades for his near excellent defensive performance in our last home match against Chelsea last night.
But have us forgotten how he was criticised and condemned by Gooners for his horror match defending show against Sporting CP in the Europa League 1st leg quarterfinal match in Lisbon? Hmmm.
And i think fairness should be shown to Holding if the almost carter ending ACL that he had when playing for Arsenal is taken into consideration.
But he bounced back after a year and has resumed playing for Arsenal again. While Bellerin who had the same ACL injury couldn’t and left.
Brighton 1-0 Man Utd in the Epl tonight means Arsenal has qualified for the UCL next season. Yes! It’s true.