Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko has had a difficult season with injuries, and has also been heavily criticised by sections of the fanbase.
The 27-year-old saw Jakub Kiwior overtake him in the pecking order whilst he was injured, and the Poland International did impress at times until a disastrous performance against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Zinchenko was a key player last season following his arrival from Manchester City, but has been criticised for his defensive ability, particularly in 1v1 situations.
Arsenal fans were reluctant to see him at left-back, and there were audible groans at the Emirates Stadium when Zinchenko misplaced a few passes on his return from injury against Luton Town, but some have argued the criticism is unfair.
Zinchenko’s strengths lie in his ability on the ball as an inverted left-back, and he showed this with an excellent cameo when he replaced Kiwior against Bayern.
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Mikel Arteta defends Oleksandr Zinchenko after recent Arsenal criticism
Speaking in a press conference ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Aston Villa, manager Mikel Arteta defended Zinchenko, and highlighted his importance to the team.
“He’s very important,” he stated.
“You have to ask the players to play in their strengths. I think Alex has got the personality to play in any game, under any condition, being himself. That’s a big thing to have.
“Yeah, he has some difficulties, especially with injuries, to find the rhythm and to find the consistency and now he’s back on it, he’s got a few games under his belt, he’s playing better and better and he’s a really, really important player for us.”
Oleksandr Zinchenko is the latest scapegoat for Arsenal fans
Zinchenko is not the first player to be unfairly criticised by Arsenal fans, with his style of play a divisive debate between those who appreciate what he brings on the ball, and those who criticise his defensive ability.
The Ukrainian was criticised after Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Brighton, despite far more of the host’s attacks coming down Ben White’s side than his own, and no matter how he performs, his style which sees him often dominate the ball and drag it forward into midfield will cause frustration amongst some supporters.
Granit Xhaka often faced similar criticisms in his early years at Arsenal before he won the fanbase over in his final two seasons, and Zinchenko will hope a strong end to the season will ease the pressure on him.