Mikel Arteta has a ruthless streak. Arsenal would not have become Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years without it.
While the Spaniard has been meticulous and utterly obsessed with improving this team, he has known precisely the right time in which to source an upgrade.
The Aaron Ramsdale situation caused controversy but it was undoubtedly the right decision to replace him with David Raya. Likewise, the decision to cast Emile Smith Rowe to one side was an emotional one but certainly the correct call.
It’s quickly become apparent that ditching Oleksandr Zinchenko after just three seasons was also a stroke of genius. Just look at how Riccardo Calafiori is performing now; Jamie Carragher reckons he is “the best left-back in the Premier League” and it’s hard to dispute that claim.
Why Arsenal moved on from Zinchenko
In the summer of 2022, Arsenal signed two players from Manchester City; Gabriel Jesus and Zinchenko.
The two were game-changers. They totally transformed the way Arteta’s side played. The Gunners moved from a flying full-back in the form of Kieran Tierney to an inverted one in the shape of Zinchenko. It allowed them greater control of games.
In Jesus, they had a dynamic centre-forward, someone who could not only link the play but also run in behind. Sadly, despite a league crown for the Brazilian, it rather ended in tears for the both of them.
In Zinchenko’s case, he offered a huge amount behind the scenes. He was a leader, a vocal presence. His security in possession was second to none.
As Kyle Walker once said, from a technique standpoint, he’s one of the best around. “On technical ability, not in any order, my top three are Zinchenko, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva,” he began. “Zinchenko is incredible. So, so good. And you are leaving out the likes of De Bruyne, Foden, Grealish, Cancelo. But they don’t those three.”
The problem was that the former City star was not secure defensively. In that regard he left a lot to be desired. Caught out repeatedly by those on the right flank, there was a particular occasion at Anfield where Mo Salah ran rings around him.
To be fair, even the sternest of left-backs have found Salah a challenge throughout the years but Zinchenko did not deal with him well at all.
Former Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand summed it up best by saying: “Zinchenko, he’s a great player, great footballer, but defensively you get him one-v-one and you’re a wide-man, you should feel, ‘I can get hold of this guy and I can deal with him’.”
As a result, with Arteta seeking to make his defence more robust, something he has achieved, Calafiori came in to replace him. It’s been a masterstroke.
Now, however, the manager needs to repeat that decision.
£63m Arsenal star is their new Zinchenko
Having won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final, there are not many weaknesses in this Arsenal squad.
Yet, they still lack bite in the final third. Admittedly, since winning the title the Gunners are now playing with a greater sense of freedom.
They scored three goals on the opening weekend of the season and beat Ipswich on Tuesday evening 4-2. As a result, it seems mad to criticise the forward line this week. That said, as Max Dowman and Noni Madueke bamboozled Gary O’Neil’s backline, Viktor Gyokeres cut an isolated and frustrated figure once again up top.
For the second time in a week, the big Swede has looked uninterested. No longer does the former Sporting man look as though he has a hunger for goals. His wings have been clipped and truthfully, there is little way back for him in Arsenal colours.
Fans were never expecting Gyokeres to replicate his 54-goal season at Sporting in English football and to his credit, he did score 21 times last term; no Arsenal player netted more. Yet, in 2026/27, he will get nowhere near that unless Kai Havertz gets injured.
The German has usurped Gyokeres in the pecking order and on the evidence of this first month or so of the season, it is no surprise to see why.
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Distance run by strikers: 2026/27 Premier League |
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|---|---|
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Player |
Distance run (km) |
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1) Kai Havertz |
44.5 km |
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2) Joao Pedro |
41.8 km |
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3) Gonzalo Garcia |
41.0 km |
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4) Igor Thiago |
40.2 km |
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5) Oli McBurnie |
39.9 km |
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6) Dominic Calvert-Lewin |
39.6 km |
Havertz works like a dog. No striker has run further this season than him. The club’s number 29 has run a distance of 44.5 km in the opening four games, nearly 3 km more than the next best; Chelsea’s Joao Pedro.
Gyokeres on the other hand, does not work like that. The £63m signing just does not suit Arsenal’s system whatsoever and the last week of football has rubberstamped that.
Against Napoli last week, the Gunners created an onslaught of chances, having 26 shots. Remarkably, not one of them came from the Sweden international’s boot. He had just nine touches and completed only five passes.
Against Ipswich he was not much better. He did have a shot on this occasion and managed 18 touches – fewer than goalkeeper David Raya – but his involvement was so minimal.
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Arsenal ratings vs Ipswich |
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Kepa – 7/10 |
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Martin Zubimendi – 6/10 |
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Marli Salmon – 6/10 |
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Gabriel Magalhaes – 7/10 |
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Myles Lewis-Skelly 7/10 |
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Bruno Guimaraes – 9/10 |
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Mikel Merino – 8/10 |
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Max Dowman – 9/10 |
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Noni Madueke – 8/10 |
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Eberechi Eze – 4/10 |
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Viktor Gyokeres – 3/10 |
He lost three of his four duels and only nine of his passes were completed. He doesn’t hold the ball up well, nor does he bring others into play efficiently.
There is an argument to be had that Arsenal do not play to his strengths. Most matches see Arteta’s side play against a low block. That’s a situation Gyokeres does not thrive in. He likes the ball in behind, he does not have an impact when he plays with his back to goal.
Yet, the striker still needs to do more. When Arsenal get the ball in and around the area he’s not particularly active. Very rarely is he busting a gut to get into the best place to score from.
Much like Zinchenko, he has gone from being a vital part of this Arsenal team, ending last season as the club’s top goalscorer, someone who initially looked transformative. Now, however, he is going to struggle to get into the Premier League lineup.
As a result, it would not be a surprise if this is the 28-year-old’s final season at the Emirates Stadium. Arteta needs to be ruthless as he was with the Ukrainian full-back and sign an upgrade as soon as possible.
He has already attempted to do. Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez was the subject of vested interest from Arsenal over the summer but the move never materialised. The Gunners ought to try again in January and send Gyokeres packing in the process.