Is Zinchenko The Man Behind Arsenal’s Fine Form?

When Oleksandr Zinchenko predicted that Arsenal could win the league, several of his own teammates laughed, but the Ukrainian was accurate in predicting their potential.

Oleksandr Zinchenko is aware of everything necessary to win the Premier League.

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As a result, when he was transferred from Manchester City to Arsenal last summer, he quickly saw that Mikel Arteta had assembled a team capable of mounting a serious title challenge.

“I realised we have everything to achieve big things,” he said. “I started to speak in the dressing room, ‘Guys, forget top three or whatever, we need to think about the title.’

“Some of them were laughing, but no one is laughing now.”

At Arsenal, Zinchenko has been a revelation.

Early in the season, Gabriel Jesus may have made the majority of the news, but Zinchenko’s effect is now starting to become just as apparent.

He put on an equally impressive, if not better, performance in the dramatic victory against Manchester United on Sunday. He was outstanding in the north London derby victory at Spurs.

Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah, who scored the goals, naturally received the majority of the post-game praise during the television broadcast, but Zinchenko was chosen by Arsenal supporters as their player of the match.

And given the level of his all-round excellence, few could argue with that result.

Zinchenko was exceptional and constantly drove the team on. 

It came as no surprise when the Ukrainian burst down the left and crossed the ball in to score the game-winning goal in stoppage time.

On Monday Night Play, Sky Sports analyst Jamie Carragher observed, “The football from Arsenal through midfield and the movement and the contribution of Zinchenko was absolutely world class.

The four-time Premier League champion is currently performing at that level.

Zinchenko had the most touches (178) of any Arsenal player in the two games against Spurs and United.

He also made the most passes (136), won the most duels (14) and the most aerial duels (6).

IN THREE PICTURES:

Of all the Arsenal players on show, only Martin Odegaard (12) played more passes than his 10 into the opposition box and only William Saliba (46) made more than his 45 forward passes.

Zinchenko also had a perfect take-on success rate for the duration of the two games and did not allow any players to effectively dribble past him.

For a left-back, not terrible at all!

Zinchenko, though, is merely a left-back by designation.

Arsenal might line out in a relatively simple 4-3-3 formation, but as soon as they gain possession and advance, Zinchenko comes inside to create a midfield overload.

Gabriel Martinelli, 26, can play the inverted full-back position that Arteta requires of him because he is hugging the touchline. Gabriel Magalhaes drifts across to fill the defensive space he has left open.

“What he does is he brings in an extra man there,” Arsenal legend Ian Wright said while praising Zinchenko following Sunday’s 3-2 win.

“He plays on the left side but before you know it, he is the centre forward. He brings so much from the left-back spot and the midfield.

“He’s our best passer into the final third. He can’t really be picked out because people don’t know how to pick him out.”

When Arteta made the decision to bring Zinchenko in from City in the summer, he was fully aware of the player.

He was aware of what he was getting because he had collaborated with him when serving as Pep Guardiola’s assistant.

He was, of course, bringing in a four-time Premier League champion, but he was also bringing in a leader who could make an impact not only on the field of play but also off it.

Zinchenko is enjoying having that duty, and he is constantly outlining to his teammates what they need to do in order to keep up the pace and keep City at bay.

“It’s about desire,” he said. “In modern football now, with two top teams playing each other, everyone is fast, everyone has technique, everyone knows what they need to do on the pitch.

“But it’s something a bit more. It’s to be in front of your opponent, it’s about reading the game quicker than your opponent. That’s the key.”

Zinchenko is everything to Arsenal right now.

He is an essential cog in Arteta’s winning machine on the field, and he is a leader off the field who is determined to use his wisdom to lead Arsenal to their first championship in 19 years.

When he dared to suggest a few months ago that he should add another Premier League champions medal to his collection, some of his teammates may have laughed in his face.

However, he noted that “no one is laughing now.”