Arsenal icon David Seaman has come to the defense of struggling defender Oleksandr Zinchenko while pinpointing the actual issue plaguing manager Mikel Arteta’s squad this season.
In the wake of consecutive defeats against West Ham and Fulham in the Premier League, Arsenal faced a setback to their title aspirations, slipping to fourth place behind Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Liverpool.
The Gunners’ recent form, with just one win in their last five Premier League matches, has seen Zinchenko receiving criticism among others. Notably, Arsenal legend Paul Merson expressed concern about Zinchenko’s role in the title race.
Even Ian Wright, another Arsenal great, had voiced criticism of Zinchenko after Arsenal’s draw against Liverpool in December. However, Seaman has opted not to condemn the Ukrainian left-back. Instead, he’s pointed out that Arsenal’s true challenge under Arteta lies with their attackers, emphasizing a deficiency in goal-scoring.
When questioned about recent Zinchenko criticism and Arsenal’s decision to loan Kieran Tierney to Real Sociedad, Seaman explained on his podcast, “They bring different strengths to the team.
“Kieran Tierney gives you more in defence, Oleksandr Zinchenko gives you more in attack when he drops into midfield.
“I know there’s been a lot of attention on him but it is about defending as a team. I hate singling players out.
“When you look at the chances Arsenal have created… a lot of chances in those games around Christmas. What is it, 56 shots in three games? To have that many shots and have two goals in reply… that is where the problem is: the scoring of goals.
“Defensively, I am okay with that [and the] midfield but the strikers have lost their way a bit. It is a confidence thing.
“Eddie Nketiah didn’t have many chances against Fulham. Gabriel Jesus had a few against West Ham but it is just not happening.”
