Morning all.
There have been a number of bits on the Arsecast yesterday that I believe could be price mentioning at the moment. First, though I spoke about him a bit within the Sevilla overview weblog, I’m actually glad to see Takehiro Tomiyasu get his flowers for his efficiency in opposition to Sevilla. I say that as somebody who has all the time thought he was a superb participant, and likewise somebody not fairly as down on Oleksandr Zinchenko’s performances at left-back as others appear to be.
His damage points have been a slight concern, however final season’s slip and knee drawback was not like a participant who continues to have muscular issues. It was simply unlucky. I might contemplate Thomas Partey way more damage inclined than Tomiyasu, and whereas we don’t have any element on what the damage he picked up in coaching this week is, I’ve seen it prompt it’s a thigh drawback once more – a type of catch-all for the repetitive muscle accidents he’s been sidelined with since his arrival on the membership.
I believe the damage that Tomiyasu picked up final season clouded folks’s view of how concerned he had been to that time. Whereas he wasn’t a ‘first title on the group sheet’ type of participant, he nonetheless began 13 video games (together with that nice win over Liverpool at house when he saved Mo Salah so quiet he was hauled off), and had made 31 appearances in all competitions. Clearly the William Saliba damage had a huge impact on our last interval of the marketing campaign, however I genuinely imagine the Tomiyasu damage was the double-whammy we simply couldn’t take care of. If we’d had him accessible, both as right-back or that right-sided centre-half, we’d have coped so much higher.
The signing of Jurrien Timber was, to my thoughts a minimum of, a nod to that, as we introduced in a defender who we thought was comfy at right-back and centre-half, however who it seems can play left-back too. And that is one thing I believe will get missed a bit, simply how good it’s a must to be to have the ability to try this. Most defenders are specialists of their place. I really like Saliba, however don’t ask him to play as a full-back. You couldn’t put Zinchenko at centre-half. We’ve got a pleasant proper foot, left foot stability with Gabriel and Saliba, however return in time to the period of two proper footed gamers and also you often had one who’s extra comfy on the left and the opposite exterior him.
To have the ability to play each full-back positions, and each centre-half positions with such high quality is a testomony to Tomiyasu’s physicality, in fact, but additionally his high quality and intelligence as a footballer. His defensive instincts are simply so good, he’s somebody I take pleasure in watching as a result of his first thought is about the place he must be and the way he’s going to cease the opposition. That he can couple that with calmness on the ball and an excellent vary of passing makes him, as I’ve mentioned earlier than, the Swiss Military Knife of this defence. Towards Sevilla on Tuesday, the most effective praise I pays him is that I want we had one other one in every of him to assist us see out the ultimate phases of the sport.
As followers, there’s a sure ingredient of ‘out of sight, out of thoughts’ relating to gamers who’re injured. I noticed loads of dialogue as as to if we must always ‘transfer on’ from Tomiyasu, and I’m glad that’s now been put to mattress. He turns 25 subsequent month (though till then he stays 24, that’s the way it works), and whereas Edu’s contract pen continues to be heat from different offers we’ve executed, I’d be very eager for us to suppose carefully a couple of new one for Tomi, sooner somewhat than later.
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One other factor we spoke about was Martin Odegaard and his latest dip in type. I don’t suppose there’s any doubt he’s been beneath his better of late. We speculated about whether or not he misses that reference to Thomas Partey, and that would positively be a factor. Elevated defensive focus from the opposition on our right-hand facet attacking menace could be one other issue. And he may, like many gamers, simply be experiencing a little bit of a blip when it comes to his personal excessive requirements.
Then I remembered this:
Is it too simplistic to attract a line between the actual fact he had his ankle crunched, then performed two video games for Norway in the course of the Interlull, and his performances since? We all know gamers will push themselves by means of ache frequently, however in our final two video games he has had simply 36 and 30 touches of the ball. It’s noticeable as a result of within the earlier fixtures, he had 61, 49, 71, 47, and 61 respectively. That may be a appreciable drop-off, and maybe indicative of a participant who’s both feeling the damage or defending himself a bit.
It could possibly be coincidence, there are myriad the reason why gamers don’t fairly attain their greatest stage in sure video games, however I’ve a suspicion this could be a part of it relating to Odegaard’s shows in opposition to Chelsea and Sevilla.
Proper, let’s depart it there for this morning. Have an important day.
