Oleksandr Zinchenko Scout Report At Arsenal 2022/2023: Why Mikel Arteta Needs His Versatility – Player Analysis

This summer, the transfer strategy of Mikel Arteta at Arsenal can be considered successful, with the club securing the signatures of Fabio Vieira, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

The manager filled the gaps in a few very important positions in his aim to make the team more competitive in the 2022/23 season and finally show the potential of his vision and the style of play he wants to impose.

Looking at three of the new additions, we can see that the club focused on bringing in versatile players who can take on multiple roles.

All of them are players who are comfortable moving out of their positions and supporting their teammates’ movement, which is expected to help the team in retaining possession and increasing their attacking efficiency.

Zinchenko’s arrival brought a few questions on the agenda, with everyone wondering how Arteta will set his team up and what the Ukrainian’s role will be in it.

We’ve seen the former Manchester City player in two roles in his career – he is well-known as a left-back for Pep Guardiola’s team, but he is used in his natural central midfield position at the international level for Ukraine.

The Gunners, though, lack depth in both positions and cannot achieve consistency due to constant injuries and poor form, which makes it difficult to figure out where Arteta plans on using Zinchenko.

In this scout report, we use tactical analysis to examine the managers’ options and where the Ukrainian could fit better into his tactics.

What Can Oleksandr Zinchenko Offer As A Left-Back?

Zinchenko’s versatility makes him a successful left-back who can split his responsibilities well and contribute effectively both in and out of possession.

That’s the position he was most used in by Pep Guardiola and the one that developed his tactical intelligence even further.