Ian Wright urges Arteta to cast Arsenal man aside despite last season’s heroics; Jorginho also criticised
Arsenal duo Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Magalhaes
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has told Mikel Arteta to continue using Takehiro Tomiyasu at left-back amid Oleksandr Zinchenko’s struggles, while the pundit has also expressed concern about Jorginho’s ‘lack of real drive and momentum’.
Arsenal captured Zinchenko from Premier League rivals Manchester City in summer 2022, and the move proved to be a masterstroke. Zinchenko, alongside Gabriel Jesus, helped to instil a winning attitude at the Emirates. He went on to play 33 times in all competitions last season, helping Arsenal to seriously challenge City for the title.
However, Zinchenko missed the final few games of the season after tearing his calf muscle, and this injury meant he had a slow start to the new campaign, too.
The Ukrainian has gradually worked his way back into the team and Arteta selected him to start in the London derby against Chelsea on Saturday. However, Zinchenko struggled against the Blues and was replaced by Tomiyasu at half time after picking up a yellow card.
While Zinchenko failed to keep Chelsea at bay, Tomiyasu helped to stop them from marauding down the right with some great one-vs-one defending.
Reacting to the match, which ended in a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, Wright criticised both Zinchenko and Jorginho for their poor performances.
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“Can I be honest? I’m thinking with Mikel in that situation you’ve got to recognise, Tomiyasu starts that game, for me,” he said on his Wrighty’s House podcast. “Zinchenko, without [Granit] Xhaka and what Xhaka did for us, it’s not the same role, he doesn’t seem to be able to do it without the way Xhaka was playing and giving him that license.
“I was just very surprised that in that game where I believed, with [Raheem] Sterling in his form as well, you have to dampen it down. Tomiyasu starts for me.
Jorginho and Zinchenko not good enough – Ian Wright
“And I just feel the midfield, Jorginho in there going back to his old place, no disrespect, with his lack of real drive and movement, I thought they had his number.”
Arteta clearly was not impressed by Zinchenko’s display, as he instead put Tomiyasu at left-back in the Champions League clash against Sevilla on Tuesday night.
The Japan international excelled, as he was solid in defence but also managed to get forwards and help out Gabriel Martinelli in attack, helping the Gunners run out 2-1 winners in Spain.
Should Tomiyasu remain fit, then it is likely he will start in Arsenal’s next league match against Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon.
Jorginho, meanwhile, performed slightly better against Sevilla after managing to keep his starting role. He kept Arsenal ticking over in the midfield, though it remains to be seen whether he has done enough to continue starting over the next few weeks.
