Mikel Arteta likes to remind us that the line between success and failure is small. What he doesn’t realize is those small details which make the difference include him over complicating his team selection.
Impressed by tactics of Zinchenko in his first season starting in defence but timing when to step into midfield , our boss wants the same happening on the other side .
He tried Partey at full back at the start of the last campaign, only a lengthy injury ending the experiment.
On Sunday, Partey was moved from midfield because Timber switched sides due to Zinchenko being unavailable. Yet In Kieran Tierney the Gunners could have selected a natural left back, meaning both Timber and Parety could have remained in their favoured positions .
Thomas Partey of Arsenal is challenged by Alex Iwobi of Fulham during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Arsenal FC at Craven Cottage on December 08, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Just like against Liverpool, Partey played right back forcing Timber to left back even though Zinchenko and Kiwior were subs . Lewis Skelley has even been asked to come off the bench to play out of position . To clarify that’s an academy graduate whos a midfielder asking to play an unfamiliar role.
The counter argument is Tierney has been on the sidelines since the Euros and due to his fitness record he shouldn’t be rushed back. Yet if your fit enough to be named In the match day squad surely you have some level of fitness?
The reality is the 27 year old is well aware he’s only still in North London because his hamstring problems occured during the transfer window . His employers will never admit this but if they had their way, the Scot would have been off the wage bill ages ago. He last wore the red and white shirt in a fixture over a year ago. All parties will be assuming he will be leaving the Emirates this January .
If you think you have read our players being utilized in this manner before then that’s because you have . It’s incredible how much talent our boss has washed his hands of. I continue to blame the Kroenke Family for not insisting that part of a managers job should be to get the best out of the resources you have .
Even if Tiereny has no long term future with us, he’s still from now till the New Year being paid thousands of pounds a week so why not use him. At the very least he should start in the Carabao Cup, even if it’s just to give someone else a rest .
If I was our owners I would want to know why they have invested 25 million on an asset just for him to essentially be paid to sit at home?
Arteta used to trust the player, starting him in the FA Cup Final , the last trophy we lifted.
Based purely on defending, Tierney has always been one of the best options. The fact he’s a defender that’s quite an important quality to have . Sometimes Football can be that simple and it doesn’t need to be over thought .
Despite two hamstring strains at Real Sociedad, he featured 26 times in Spain proving his body can still with stand the highest level of the sport .
Yet this was another loan period ignored by Arteta . It wasn’t designed for the man’s development , for him to prove anyone wrong . No matter what he did in La Liga (and reviews were positive) his fate had already been sealed, and stubbornly Arteta won’t change his mind.
I’ll remind you that Mikel Arteta isn’t doing us a favour. He gets paid al ot of money, some of the most in the country to get the best out of the tools at his disposal.
It’s okay if we are not good enough as long as you have done everything to the best version of yourself. It’s not okay to be playing a CM at LB while your LB sits watching .
Dan
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