Talking Tactics: Returning Tierney eyeing Zinchenko's left-back slot

Oleksandr Zinchenko has hit the ground running at Arsenal — but Kieran Tierney will be desperate to reclaim the Gunners' left-back berth.

The Scottish star has been eased back into action with three brief substitute appearances this season, after undergoing knee surgery in the closing stages of 2021-22.

However, he will have a tough time ousting new arrival Zinchenko from the first XI following his sensational start to the campaign.

As the North Londoners prepare to face Fulham today, we take a look at the left-back conundrum facing their manager Mikel Arteta.

Competition always on the cards

Tierney has consistently impressed for Arsenal since arriving at the Emirates Stadium in 2019.

But his time in N7 has been blighted by injuries — and the Gunners have never had adequate back-up for the 25-year-old.

Fellow full-back Nuno Tavares struggled to replace Tierney last term, while Arteta has tried using Cedric Soares, Bukayo Saka and even Granit Xhaka in his absence.

The £32million signing of Zinchenko was made with the aim of rectifying that situation, though it has immediately created a selection dilemma after the Ukrainian's fast start.

An immediate impact

Zinchenko, 25, has already made a big impression in North London, with Arsenal sitting top of the Premier League table after three matchdays.

The Gunners have won all of their matches to date, keeping two clean sheets in the process — and their No35 has been key to that defensive resilience.

But his offensive impact has been just as significant, completing an impressive 152 passes and playing 44 balls into the final third.

That forward-thinking mentality yielded an assist on the opening day against Crystal Palace, with Zinchenko already looking like a key component of Arsenal's attacking play.

Moving into midfield

Arteta provided some insight on Zinchenko's role in his tactical set-up when speaking after Arsenal's comprehensive 3-0 victory over Bournemouth seven days ago.

He said: "We encourage him [to move into midfield] and he's a midfield player playing as a full-back. It gives us the adaptability and the variety of positions to attack and defend spaces.

"It's an extra weapon to have because we are more unpredictable."

The 25-year-old's desire to move into the half-space and become an extra man in the centre of the park has helped the Gunners overload their opponents this season — and a more permanent position in midfield could be in store, with Tierney pushing for a start at left-back.

Two top operators

Tierney's importance to Arsenal last season should not be forgotten, despite Zinchenko's form.

The North Londoners looked defensively fragile while he was on the treatment table, though it is perhaps his attacking impetus that they missed the most.

Right-backs Takehiro Tomiyasu and Cedric tend to favour a more cautious approach on the opposite flank, which contrasts with Tierney's regular forays forward.

He is constantly looking to get the ball into the box from wide areas, attempting 3.71 crosses per 90 minutes and completing 0.75 of them in 2021-22.

Room for two

Remarkably, Zinchenko has the highest win percentage of any player to have made 50 Premier League appearances or more (82.3%), so Arteta is unlikely to drop him any time soon.

With the Europa League group stage fast approaching, it is far more probable that Tierney becomes the starting left-back in continental competition — offering him a chance to prove that he should return to the first XI for Premier League matches.

But there is room for both players in Arsenal's line-up, with a degree of flexibility.

Zinchenko could operate in midfield — potentially replacing Xhaka or Thomas Partey in the double-pivot — or Tierney could feature in a back-three if Arteta favours a change in formation.

The Spanish tactician may choose to implement both of those options as the season progresses, though he is unlikely to change anything while his side continue their winning run.