Kieran Tierney admits that he could not adapt to Arsenal’s inverted tactics

Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney, who is currently on loan at Real Sociedad, has shared his thoughts on why Oleksander Zinchenko is a crucial player for this Arsenal team. Ever since Oleksander Zinchenko joined in 2022, he has completely transformed Arsenal as a team.

Once he arrived, Mikel Arteta decided to switch things up by using an inverted fullback who had the freedom to roam infield into the midfield. In that role, he became a sort of auxiliary midfielder, freeing one of the two defensive-minded midfielders to join in the attack and adding another playmaker to the team. So he helped caution the team defensively while making them efficient in their attacking play.

That system was pretty influential last season, but this season it hasn’t been as impactful. However, it has still come through on occasion.

Zinchenko’s injury struggles and inconsistency have had a negative impact on the effectiveness of this tactical move. Despite this, the Ukrainian international remains a great asset, and Tierney explained why.
The Scotland international discusses how well suited the ex-Manchester City man is to this system, suggesting that he is the perfect fit for the inverted full-back role. He also mentions that others can learn from him and acknowledges that he wasn’t disappointed despite not playing much, as he understood the reasons behind it.

Tierney said, “At Arsenal. the left-back can be one of the most central players in the team. If it’s Zinchenko, then he is one of the biggest creators from a central position.

“When that got introduced, it was alien to me. I have never played centre midfield. I started as a winger. I was trying to learn that when I was at Arsenal.

“When you see how well it works, it is hard to question it. My choice was to just get on with it and learn, and I got to practice it with one of the best. It’s so natural to Zinchenko; he makes it look so easy.”

When you listen to Tierney, it’s obvious that Oleksander Zinchenko plays a crucial role in one of Arsenal’s key tactical moves. Some may have doubts about his defensive abilities, but on a good day, he really strengthens this Arsenal team. Even if another full-back is signed to replace him, I think he’ll need to learn from him first before taking over. A

fter all, no one knows the ins and outs of playing an inverted fullback role quite like Oleksander Zinchenko, and it is very honest of Tierney to admit that he simply could not do the job as requested.

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