Ian Wright has named the Arsenal player he was surprised to see not play at all against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.
Arsenal are perhaps slight underdogs after the first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final. Mikel Arteta’s side played out a 2-2 draw with Bayern at the Emirates.
The Gunners demonstrated why they are battling to climb both the domestic and European mountains this season. But there were also some uncharacteristic mistakes from the Premier League leaders.
David Raya was all over the place for the equaliser. And Jakub Kiwior did not cover himself in glory up against Leroy Sane, with Sane winning the penalty that allowed Harry Kane to put Bayern in front.
Ian Wright surprised by Mikel Arteta’s decision on Takehiro Tomiyasu
Mikel Arteta decided to make a change at half-time, with Kiwior coming off. Interestingly, it was Oleksandr Zinchenko who replaced the Poland international.
Speaking on Wrighty’s House, Ian Wright was asked if he was surprised to see Zinchenko come on. And he suggested that he would have actually given Takehiro Tomiyasu a prominent role.
“A little bit, simply because the reason why I thought Zinchenko wouldn’t have started that game is because of the Sane effect,” he said.
“I thought Tomiyasu might have started the game if we’re talking about a one on one situation where somebody’s got to stop someone.
“I thought Kiwior, okay I’ll take that. But then you soon saw after a few minutes and the way it was shaping up, when you’re a winger and you get the ball into you and he’s not close enough or he’s not kicking you or he’s not doing something to make you feel a bit uncomfortable when you receive the ball, you get confidence as a winger. And what happened was I think Kiwior was stuck between do I go all the way in, or drop off of him because he can not only turn him, which we saw, but if he drops off with space, he’ll turn round and take him on with skill and pace.”
Arsenal boss’ decision for the second-leg now looks a simple one
There is no question that Zinchenko has played his part in elevating Arsenal. His arrival from Manchester City – weeks after Gabriel Jesus made the same move – helped take the Gunners to that next level.
However, Arteta’s men are now a different animal to the one Zinchenko signed for. And there is an argument that the Ukrainian no longer gets in the Gunners’ best team.
It has been claimed that Zinchenko is now Arsenal’s weak link. Certainly, Tomiyasu seems to be the better defender. And he is able to play in that inverted role if required.
Tomiyasu has come up with some big performances since his £16 million move to the Emirates.
Arteta seemed to accept with his half-time change that he made an error. Perhaps that may be reflected in the lineup he selects for the second-leg.
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