Oleksander Zinchenko is an exceptional Arsenal player. He was the key signing who helped Mikel Arteta’s project reach its pinnacle last season. Arsenal was not even in the title race conversation prior to the 2022–23 season. But that changed with the arrival of Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus.
Yes, Jesus upgraded Arsenal’s attack, but Zinchenko’s ability to play as an inverted left back was the tactical masterclass that saw Arsenal dominate other teams. While in control, Arsenal would have an overloaded midfield with Partey and Zinchenko as the pivot, allowing Xhaka and Odegaard to completely focus on contributing to the attack, creating chances, and assisting the Arsenal attackers in overpowering the opposing defenses.
No one can argue that last season, Arsenal’s inverted full-back role was the real deal; it was the one tactical manoeuvre that caught many of their opponents off guard and sent the Gunners soaring. Because opponents are now attempting to take advantage of the gap that Zinchenko leaves at left back when he drifts to midfield, it is still effective but not as effective as it once was.
Even so, one could ask how Zinchenko was so effective in the role; the argument has always been that he was originally a midfielder. However, the Ukrainian has hinted that it is not just that he has impressed as an inverted fullback, as he was a midfielder. He claims that watching and analyzing Philip Lahm influenced him. He said he aspired to be like Lahm, who could play wherever on the pitch and yet have an influence.
“What I learned from the past, from the other players who were also playing in different positions that they’re not really used to, and I’ve seen a few different examples where people were reacting not good and it didn’t work at all, or the other case and they were trying to give their best and in the end eventually it was always working,” Zinchenko said.
“So it’s the same thing. Honestly, I don’t know how massive my role can be on the pitch, but I just always try to give my best to help my teammates to help the club to win the games and trophies. That’s why we’re all here.
“First of all, the manager put me in this position. He started to teach me how to play in this position, what I need to do, what I need to improve, and for me, the example was always Philipp Lahm.
“I think he can play in any position on the pitch, and he always will be good. So that’s why you’re trying to take the best things from the best.”
Though there are defensive issues regarding Zinchenko as Arsenal’s left back, we can’t overlook what he provides Arsenal; he weaponizes them.
Darren N
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Time to ditch the inverted left back tactic as the benefits, namely increased midfield possession, is being achieved at the expense of a reduction in the number of chances we are creating and the impact on the workload of Martinelli and Gabriel in particular.Our young left winger is being left to plough a lone furrow on the left flank as we rarely see any overlapping to divert defenders who find it relatively easy to double up on him.Havertz has managed to support Martinelli on occasion but basically , on the left , we do not carry the threat we have on the right where Saka is supported inside and outside by Odegaard and White respectively.Whether Arteta would acknowledge the imbalance in our attacking plans, I very much doubt, but even he must be aware of the defensive area which our opponents are focussing on when they meet us.