After two seasons of Premier League heartbreak, dethroning Pep Guardiola's Manchester City has proved much more difficult than anticipated for Arsenal. But with the Gunners showing promising signs of closing the gap, they should be better positioned for the title than ever before under Mikel Arteta's reign.
With that in mind, they will be looking to kick off the openers with a statement of intent - they concluded last season on electric form with six wins out of six at the tail end, and it is vital they carry that into the 2024/25 campaign. To ensure this is the case, the manager will have some key decisions to make ahead of their curtain-raiser against Wolves, and among those is deciding upon the starting left-back. The likes of Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu will all be vying for the spot, but with fitness doubts over the trio, there is a strong argument to suggest Oleksandr Zinchenko is the best solution for right now.
After a short cameo in the Gunners' pre-season opener against Bournemouth, Zinchenko then eventually became the team's first-choice at left-back, and he hasn't disappointed much since. With a series of tidy performances, he then sprung into the spotlight with a spectacular finish against Bayer Leverkusen to give Arsenal the lead. It was a thumping strike into the bottom corner, difficult for any keeper to stop, and it followed an elaborate build-up in which Zinchenko himself was also heavily involved.
Even aside from the goal, the Ukrainian orchestrated play impressively well in this fixture. Operating from a wider role than usual, he showcased his quality with sharp, intricate exchanges, helping the left-hand side tick, whilst also creating offensive opportunities for the likes of Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard as they broke into space.
The performance was quite reminiscent of his former self during a time when he was an outright favourite for his position. Previously described as a "perfectionist" by his boss, Zinchenko used to be a mainstay in the Arsenal eleven as an accomplished inverted fullback after his arrival in 2022.
How Oleksandr Zinchenko's 2022/23 Premier League statistics ranked among Arsenal players (min. 450 minutes played)
Appearances
27
6th
Total passes completed (per 90)
70.3
1st
Progressive passes (per 90)
9.66
2nd
Passes into the final 3rd (per 90)
8.55
2nd
Carries into the final 3rd (per 90)
2.81
1st
Since then, he has slipped down the pecking order, and it has always been the 27-year-old's defensive shortcomings that have made him one of the more contentious figures in the squad. Regardless, his recent displays have confirmed that he still possesses the technical brilliance and footballing intelligence the club initially signed him for. He remains a powerful tactical piece and, as long as he maintains his levels from pre-season, Arsenal can continue to benefit from his services.
Jurrien Timber applauds the Arsenal supporters during his warm-up.
Admittedly, Zinchenko has massively benefited from the fact that his left-back competitors are all still some way short of full-match fitness. The likes of Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori could both better suit Arteta's preferences, given their added defensive stability. However, Jurrien Timber missed the team's return to the Emirates against Leverkusen due to discomfort in his feet and, following the devastating ACL injury which sidelined him for almost the entirety of last season, he is not to be risked with any slight injury concern.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Jurrien Timber played just 71 minutes in his debut Premier League season with Arsenal.
Additionally, fans would have hoped to see Riccardo Calafiori make his first appearance in the Leverkusen game, but the date came far too early for the Italian. As the club's latest official signing, it will be exciting to see what quality he could bring to the back line, though, as it stands, he should be given a little more time to adapt to life in North London.
Looking back at the run-in at the end of last season, it was Tomiyasu who started in five out of the six victories for Arsenal. But the Japanese international's fitness struggles have been well documented in the past, and he suffered from another injury just before the team's trip to the United States earlier this summer. It is believed that the player could now also miss the Premier League opener against Wolves as well.
Ultimately, Zinchenko remains the most experienced alternative amid fitness doubts concerning his left-back competition – while alternative Jakub Kiwior is being linked with a move away, so may not be in the right headspace. If his run of consecutive pre-season starts was his opportunity to convince the manager of his quality, he may well have passed the test, and he could be Arsenal's solution for when they face Wolves on August 17th.
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