Arsenal must finally get rid of the new Zinchenko

Are Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Premier League done and dusted? Well, not quite, but their defeat to Manchester City on Sunday feels like a fatal blow.

Mikel Arteta’s side have worked so hard to sit top of the Premier League. They have been there for the vast majority of the campaign but it could all end in tears.

Just a few weeks ago, the Gunners were being talked about as possible quadruple winners. The domestic treble was on the cards, as was the Champions League trophy.

Well, either side of the international break they have capitulated. They have won just once in their last six games. They may still be top of the league, but that lead will be relinquished if Pep Guardiola’s men beat Burnley in midweek.

It really feels as though that clash with City was a pivotal moment and while the overall performance was better than a week ago against Bournemouth, it still wasn’t amazing. Perhaps the blame lies at Kai Havertz’s feet?

Why Havertz is to blame for Arsenal’s loss at Man City

On 16 minutes, Rayan Cherki scored a wonderful opener for City. He picked up the ball, danced his way past several Arsenal players and then found the goal in quite some fashion.

Just two minutes later, the Gunners hit back. The contrast in quality of each goal could not have been bigger. While Cherki’s strike was one of the best you will see in the Premier League this term, Havertz’s equaliser was one of the most bizarre.

The German led a press on City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and it was the Italian who was left with egg on his face. Havertz intercepted the ball and it flew into the back of the net from point blank range.

It was a crucial moment in the game and a crucial one in Havertz’s career. He’s spent a lot of the last year out injured and was given a rare chance to start ahead of Viktor Gyokeres in the attack.

The £65m signing brought his teammates into play brilliantly. We all know he can do that. His hold-up play was certainly better than anything Gyokeres has given Arsenal since arriving last summer.

Yet, the difference in finishing between the two was evident. Havertz missed three Opta-defined big chances. On another day, he could have had a hat-trick, he could have all but won his side the title.

It was in the second half where the former Chelsea man missed two gilt-edged opportunities. The first came from Arsenal winning the ball back in transition and breaking forward with pace. Martin Odegaard slid a ball into the German, albeit with a bit too much on it, but even then, Havertz should have scored. Instead, he was denied by Donnarumma.

Perhaps the biggest chance came with just moments left on the clock. Leandro Trossard swung in an inch-perfect ball from the right that landed on the head of Havertz around eight yards from goal. With the net at his mercy, he headed over. It was the chance, the chance to put Arsenal back in pole position to win the title.

Arteta threw himself to the ground in disbelief. For once, Arsenal had created plenty of chances but could not stick them away.

That said, if they are looking for upgrades this summer, Havertz is not the only one who should be looking over his shoulder.

£30m Arsenal star must go before Kai Havertz

The increased level of chance creation on Sunday came as no surprise, considering both Eberechi Eze and Odegaard started.

Because of injuries, it was just the fourth time all season that the two had started together. You do wonder what this year might have been had they both featured more frequently.

It was Eze who started on the left and Odegaard through the middle. The club captain’s performance, however, split opinion.

In many senses, the Norwegian showed what Arsenal have been missing for large parts of the campaign. Against City, he was Arsenal’s best player in plenty of important metrics.

That crucial stat of chance creation is certainly something Arteta’s side have lacked. It was Odegaard who should have had the assist when Havertz missed that one-on-one in the second 45 minutes.

Importantly, the skipper also led from the front with the press. It does appear that when the creative midfielder is in the side, the team’s press does improve. Odegaard barks orders and they are usually followed. Well, unless you’re Gabriel Martinelli in the build-up to Manchester City’s winner.

Yet, for all the good that Odegaard offers, there are two important statistics that matter most for a player in his position; goals and assists.

While the aforementioned Cherki has come alive in the run-in, dancing a merry jig through Arsenal’s defence on his way to a fourth goal involvement in his last three games, Arteta’s captain could likely only watch on in awe.

The twinkle toes, the fleet-footedness, the ruthlessness with which he performed his actions are everything they have missed from Odegaard in recent years.

The fact of the matter is that Arsenal need more goals and they are not getting that from the former Real Madrid starlet.

It now feels like a long time ago since the attacking midfielder had his own Cherki-like season back in 2022/23. No Premier League midfielder scored more than his tally of 15 that campaign.

Yet, since then, there has been an alarming regression in Odegaard’s output. Last term, he netted just three league goals in 30 matches. This season, amid a string of injuries, the 27-year-old has only scored once.

You only need to look at Cherki to realise what Arsenal are missing in that area of the pitch. Eze could well provide it in his second season but regardless of that, the north Londoners need to source an upgrade.

Arteta has demonstrated himself to be ruthless with players who have hit a ceiling in this squad. There are plenty of examples. Take a look at Emile Smith Rowe, at Aaron Ramsdale. A more recent example includes Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Like Odegaard, the full-back was a huge floor raiser when he arrived at the club. Arteta built his side around both Odegaard and Zinchenko, two players who demonstrated immense technical security with the ball.

Yet, it really does feel as if we have reached the end of the road with the club captain. Similar to Zinchenko, he has reached a ceiling at Arsenal. The club have progressed to a level where they need better quality in that position.

Once an important part of the team, a player Arteta could rely upon, they finally got rid of the Ukrainian after a string of injuries. However unlikely it may be that Odegaard is moved on, Arsenal certainly need to do that now.

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