Oleksandr Zinchenko: C’est Zinny

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Called it.
If true, we should take it and run.

At that price, you take the money. We seem to have outgrown him now anyway.

 

[Bloodbather]

I'd definitely sell him for the right price. But I also think we should try him as an LCM alongside Rice and Ødegaard.

 

[drippin]

is he good in defending?
You said he is okay...

Being a LB you need to be better at defending for example at 1vs1 imo than at LCM. This is what I mean. Especially when Arsenal dominates games. He also won't be exposed to counter-attacks in a similar way at LCM being the last man.

Zinchenko has huge advantages for possession play, so him being okay defensively for a fullback, and better than TAA, makes him a great rotational player who gives something else to the team.

And like I said, he can rotate both inverted LB and LCM.

 

[CannonBals]

He is weak, fairly slow and timid

He is the fastest player in the team. He broke a few speed records at our club last year. So definitely not slow.
Weak yes for LCB but works for our LB role. Needs to work on his one vs one defending but still good enough just not Tomiyasu good.

 

[CannonBals]

Zinchenko is a defender, who inverts. Who is an AMF for his national team. As a defender, he has enough defensive skills for the LCM position, and he has very high football IQ also. He would be a rotational option there & LB, not a starter.

Do you think Liverpool's TAA is a bad player, because he lacks a bit defensive skills for a fullback? Take a look at this. Zinchenko's defensive statistics suggest he is much better in that area than TAA. There is this weird claim that Zinchenko is bad at defending. He is okay.

If you have to pull out TAA to compare a players defending, you are proving the point already.
Also Zinchenko is not even close to being as good as TAA. TAA can single handedly open up any defence.
Also Liverpool are a transitional team so direct comparison is not relevant.

 

[drippin]

If you have to pull out TAA to compare a players defending, you are proving the point already.
Also Zinchenko is not even close to being as good as TAA. TAA can single handedly open up any defence.
Also Liverpool are a transitional team so direct comparison is not relevant.

Look at the chart. It's not only a comparison to TAA. They are percentiles against all top 5 league fullbacks. It's a myth that Zinchenko is bad at defending.

Zinchenko is better at certain build-up things for example than TAA. TAA is not at least yet so natural in the middle. But this isn't about comparing them as players. Zinchenko would be a rotational player at Arsenal in the future.

 

[db10_therza]

My issue with Zinny is his mentality. Statistically he looks fine because most of the time he is fine and they are just averages. Only times he’s not fine is in big games which is when we need big performances the most.

He could be a rotational player at best. I wouldn’t be shocked if we sold him though and got Hato in or sth. @Mrs Bergkamp nailed it when she said we had outgrown him.

 

[drippin]

My issue with Zinny is his mentality. Statistically he looks fine because most of the time he is fine and they are just averages. Only times he’s not fine is in big games which is when we need big performances the most.

He could be a rotational player at best. I wouldn’t be shocked if we sold him though and got Hato in or sth. @Mrs Bergkamp nailed it when she said we had outgrown him.

I have to assume that Zinchenko's contract was 4+1 years, so until 2027? It would be weird to make such an investment and have only a 4 year contract.

I can see Arsenal easily keeping him for another year. Arsenal wants to challenge, so someone as young as Hato can't be expected to perform well in his first season in EPL. It's a big bad league for defenders.

I'm quite sure Arteta wants to keep a unique player like Zinchenko in the squad. He was a rotational option already this season when Timber came, but we know what happened.

If Timber would have been fit, I think we might have seen Zinchenko in the LCM role. But with Tomi's injuries the fullbacks needed all the rest they can get, so maybe not.

 

[CannonBals]

I have to assume that Zinchenko's contract was 4+1 years, so until 2027? It would be weird to make such an investment and have only a 4 year contract.

I can see Arsenal easily keeping him for another year. Arsenal wants to challenge, so someone as young as Hato can't be expected to perform well in his first season in EPL. It's a big bad league for defenders.

I'm quite sure Arteta wants to keep a unique player like Zinchenko in the squad. He was a rotational option already this season when Timber came, but we know what happened.

If Timber would have been fit, I think we might have seen Zinchenko in the LCM role. But with Tomi's injuries the fullbacks needed all the rest they can get, so maybe not.

I hope by the end of the season he gets some games at LCM.
I agree In principle it seems that it should work but we don't know if it would actually work. Also Arteta is building a physical team especially midfield and Zinchenko isn't physical at all so there is that aswell. Zinchenko LCM may not be an option in Artetas eyes.

 

[HollandGooner]

Really doesnt make any sense to sell him.

 

[drippin]

I hope by the end of the season he gets some games at LCM.
I agree In principle it seems that it should work but we don't know if it would actually work. Also Arteta is building a physical team especially midfield and Zinchenko isn't physical at all so there is that aswell. Zinchenko LCM may not be an option in Artetas eyes.

Is Vieira physical? Not all players have to be physical when most are. Arteta wanted Zinchenko for inverted LB spot even if he isn't so physical. Still Zinchenko has been very good at aerial duels despite his height.

Zinchenko is so good at build-up areas that the lack of other qualities is not a deal-breaker. I have huge doubts Arteta would let go of such a baller (and leader) so easily. Unless Zinchenko wants to leave himself to play more, which I'm sure he would grant him like he did for Xhaka.

 

[Red London]

It’s not a big deal today as we didn’t concede from it, but why was he doing kicks up with the ball while being pressed by Brentford attacker?

What has made me get kinda tired of Zinchenko is he doesn’t seem to learn from his mistakes. He’s been caught out so many times sleeping on the ball in his own third but he always seems to continue to do it, even when it’s completely unnecessary.

 

[Batman]

Really doesnt make any sense to sell him.

I mean it does because we need to start generating funds through player sales to be able to regularly afford to extend the contracts of our best players and keep the core of the team intact while being able to fund signings like Rice without running afoul of FFP. Players who still have value but can't be relied upon like Zinchenko, Ramsdale and potentially even Jesus need to be sold to prioritize those who can be relied upon.

 

[DJ_Markstar]

Is Vieira physical? Not all players have to be physical when most are. Arteta wanted Zinchenko for inverted LB spot even if he isn't so physical. Still Zinchenko has been very good at aerial duels despite his height.

Zinchenko is so good at build-up areas that the lack of other qualities is not a deal-breaker. I have huge doubts Arteta would let go of such a baller (and leader) so easily. Unless Zinchenko wants to leave himself to play more, which I'm sure he would grant him like he did for Xhaka.

Today bringing Zinchenko on was a perfect use for him tbh, we were 1-1 and needed better progression and creativity from deeper areas of the pitch and we absolutely bombarded Brentford for virtually the entire period Zinchenko was on the pitch. Wasn't all him but he was a part of it for sure.

 

[SA Gunner]

I'd definitely sell him for the right price. But I also think we should try him as an LCM alongside Rice and Ødegaard.

In a deep lying double pivot yeah.

Jorginho's role in our current team is exactly how we should use Zinchenko as well, together with Rice/White as the 2 ahead of the back 3 in possession. Zinchenko should not be used as a left back anymore.

Allows us to look after him from a defensive standpoint and have him focus on finding players between the lines.

 

[Bloodbather]

In a deep lying double pivot yeah.

Jorginho's role in our current team is exactly how we should use Zinchenko as well, together with Rice/White as the 2 ahead of the back 3 in possession. Zinchenko should not be used as a left back anymore.

Allows us to look after him from a defensive standpoint and have him focus on finding players between the lines.

This is what I thought we'd do before the season after we made the signings of Rice, Havertz, and Timber. Gabriel, Saliba, White/Timber in a back three, Rice and Zinchenko in a double pivot, Havertz and Ødegaard as free roaming AMs.

 

[Mudi]

We are playing so much better with no inverted backs. Yes White and Kiwior are sometimes between the winger and striker position but that is not inverted.

Since Zinchenko is not playing our attack is more fluid on the left side and we are much more dangerous. Rice and Martinelli are contributing so much more with more space as Kiwior is making the runs on the line instead of going to midfield.

I would sell Zinchenko and buy a starter LB, one that is strong and quick like White/Timber.

For the midfield, we just need a deeplying midfielder that can break the defensive lines from deep (like an upgrade on Jorginho). Zinchenko does not have the passing skillset to do it.

 

[Ash10]

Sell this gimp next season

 

[Rasmi]

Gave away unnecessary corner and then when we have 6-7 players up he tries to play through 3 of their players and offcourse they get the ball. Every game he has easy mistakes in him. Just an idiot of a player

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

Gave away unnecessary corner and then when we have 6-7 players up he tries to play through 3 of their players and offcourse they get the ball. Every game he has easy mistakes in him. Just an idiot of a player

When he came on we finally calmed down a bit in possession. Few sloppy mistakes but nowhere near an idiot