Oleksandr Zinchenko | Joins Arsenal for £30m

[leo_city]

what kind of bullshit is this? Zinchenko may be good technically but he is god awful as a full back. he can play as an inverted fullback because of his midfield days but that is about it. put him on the touchline he is no good added to the fact he gets rinsed every single time it is a no brainier to bin him off and get a balanced fullback like Cucurella

Inverted fullback that helps us in the build up and is very tactically aware in how to get forward, maneuver tight spaces and find the right pass? Why would he play bin him or put him on the touchline if it's working? I'm all for a different option but to act like we'd be upgrading after getting Cucurella is laughable. Cancelo also gets rinsed, arguably even more than Zinchenko, doesn't make him a bad fullback, could even go look at rivals like Liverpool and their right back in Trent, always getting rinsed, but it's about what he provides on the ball and to the system.

 

[leo_city]

Zero argument aside a shiny new toy hype in Cucurella, he's a good player with a solid season under his belt, but he's no different to your Ait Nouri, your Tierney, your Shaw, your Digne or Targett, plenty names on similar level. This might be to do with him being Catalan, and having two Spaniards one side helps communication, similar to why Walker and Stones has worked so well, or at times Dias and Cancelo either left or right. All for it, but keep Zinchenko, losing him for peanuts to Arsenal does us no favour. We should be adding to our depth. He is good cover for left back and can play in midfield if there's injury issues.

 

[JewelZee]

Could you point to any game where he’s been a headless chicken?

The West Ham game wasn’t his greatest 45 mins, but he wasn’t helped by his fellow defenders much.

So barring that game and 2 at Southampton, could you point us to another game he did badly in?

How about the CL Final against Chelsea...I get it...you're a big Zinny fan...everyone loves the guy, me included...but that doesn't make him a viable LB on a club like ours...he's done a remarkable job considering he's really an inside attacking mid...but I'll stick to the idea we could use a true LB...if Zinny wants to stay in his current role more power to him, but he's not a first team LB on this team...

 

[Tb1981]

We don't need to do Arsenal any favours when it comes to add-ons, so I think £40m is about right for a four-time Premier League winner and only 25?

It's only when I watch other games on TV, I realise our team/players seem to be playing a different game to the rest!

If we sell sterling, Jesus, ake, Torres and zinchenko for a combined £220m we have some amazing business
None of these are starting 11 players for us
I’m amazed how well we are selling these days

 

[JewelZee]

No, I tried to get an informed opinion out of you.

Instead I got some mild abuse and a “let’s see what the market says” along with a lot of bravado.

If that is your stance, which you are entitled to, you literally don’t have an opinion until the market decides what happens.

Until then, you can decide in your head what will happen, but unless you are Txiki, you can’t possibly know.

What if Zinchenko stays and Cucurella doesn’t come? Does that make Zinchenko better in your world?

I'm not trying to abuse you or anyone else...its not in my world where Cucurella is a much more highly rated LB than Zinchenko...its the real world...my saying that isn't a show of bravado...its just me expressing an opinion that in this case puts me in the majority...I respect you sticking to your opinion, but you trying to dismiss my opinion as radical or off the wall considering the realities of the matter might suggest you're the one expressing some bravado...just sayin'...

 

[leo_city]

How about the CL Final against Chelsea...I get it...you're a big Zinny fan...everyone loves the guy, me included...but

You mean the CL final where we collectively failed to turn up as a team or failed to have a shot on target, our manager decided to play no defensive midfielder. That CL final? I hate when people pick moments to use against players. Not a single top player at our club has performed on a consistent level in CL bar KDB, and even then in some matches some of our best players have fallen short. Doesn't mean they're bad. Please stop using isolated incidents to judge players. You don't know if a proper left back in that position would have caught up or would be caught sleeping entirely.

 

[JewelZee]

How exactly? Forget achievements. As a footballer Zinchenko is streets ahead of Cucurella, his IQ is far superior, it's why he was able to play as a left back despite being a number 10 in his early years. And he's doing it at a high level too, midfield or full back. He understands a very demanding role and does well, defensively he's still suspect but so are majority of modern fullbacks.

Is Cucurella better because he's from La Masia and had 1 good season at Brighton to warrant £50m? What's he better at than Zinchenko?

How exactly did you measure their footballing IQs?...just curious...

 

[leo_city]

How exactly did you measure their footballing IQs?...just curious...

Because one plays under Pep Guardiola, that tells me he has high IQ. Because a player who could have been any CFG fodder stayed and played left back and did so at a high level. That tells me he has a high IQ, because he is able to understand a very demanding role, that's how too. Is that enough? Or do you want me to ask him for a test?

Players with a higher understanding of the game are able to play multiple positions, Cucurella has played left back all his years and has had one solid season at a midtable club in Prem but I'm supposed to believe he's the hidden gem being slept on by entire Europe to come replace a player already doing a job.

 

[Kippax77]

Fair enough, I’m not trying to argue we don’t.

Me neither

 

[JewelZee]

You mean the CL final where we collectively failed to turn up as a team or failed to have a shot on target, our manager decided to play no defensive midfielder. That CL final? I hate when people pick moments to use against players. Not a single top player at our club has performed on a consistent level in CL bar KDB, and even then in some matches some of our best players have fallen short. Doesn't mean they're bad. Please stop using isolated incidents to judge players. You don't know if a proper left back in that position would have caught up or would be caught sleeping entirely.

You're right I don't know if another LB would have got caught sleeping...but the fact still remains it was Zin who did...its not a random isolated moment...its a title deciding play that because of his lack of pace and instinct at that position cost us dearly...I'm not placing the blame for the loss on him but merely pointing out that when someone is asked to perform outside the realm of their comfort zone at this level it can be fatal...Pep put him there, so kudos to him for stepping up...but please don't try to sell me on Zinny or Cancelo for that matter as reliable defenders in those type of situations...you can like who you want as can I but clearly the club feels some upgrades are necessary...