Arsenal have risen through different levels under Mikel Arteta, and though there have been some ridiculous claims of the Spanish tactician harnessing the so-called dark arts in recent weeks, you can’t argue against the magical job that has been made over the past several years.
Arteta inherited a squad that was failing to inspire confidence, fill the Emirates Stadium, continue Arsene Wenger’s legacy in a positive and fitting fashion.
He’s pieced the London club back together, brick by brick, and though the Gunners have fallen short, so agonisingly short, in each of the past two Premier League title battles against Manchester City, it’s important to look back at where Arsenal have come from.
A range of distinctive improvements have converged to form a fearsome new whole, with the backline among the finest that European football has to offer at the moment.
Arsenal’s defensive overload
Arteta and Arsenal’s sporting director Edu deserve all the plaudits for their success in trimming the fat at the Emirates over the past few years and signing players fit for purpose within an elite-level outfit.
23-year-old Saliba’s red card against Bournemouth might muddy the present view, but then football fans are fickle, and one blot on the France star’s copybook does not negate the stunning work that he has plied in recent years, rivalling the likes of Virgil van Dijk as Europe’s prized centre-back.
Great teams carry more than just one or two high-class stars, and Arsenal have strengthened well over the past several windows, but there is now something of an overload of left-footed defenders.
Oleksandr Zinchenko has completed 70 appearances since joining from Pep Guardiola’s City in a £30m deal, but injuries and a loss of form have seen his playing time diminished, leading to more recent captures of Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori.
With youngsters such as Ayden Heaven pushing for a breakthrough, outcasts like Kieran Tierney will be looking for a way out, especially after interest was drummed up this summer.
He’s not the only one. Though Jakub Kiwior has earned a bit of game time this season, he’s not inspiring confidence and may well be given the boot in 2025.
Jakub Kiwior’s performance vs Bournemouth
Arsenal signed Kiwior from Italian club Spezia during the 2022/23 winter window, purchasing him for a £20m fee. There’s no question that the Poland international is a talented player, but he’s perhaps failed to quite bring it all together as Arteta would have hoped.
Saliba might have been dismissed against the Cherries but he’s been a pillar of rock-hard strength in recent years for the Gunners and was certainly not the only defender culpable for the team’s first defeat of the season.
Writing in his post-match player ratings, football.london’s Kaya Kaynak branded Kiwior with a 5/10 score, saying: ‘Had been doing OK defensively but his weak pass back to Raya for the penalty was really poor.
Kiwior suffered the ignominy of being withdrawn at the 80-minute mark, having been introduced seven minutes before half-time, replacing Raheem Sterling after Saliba was dismissed for a last-man obstruction.
It wasn’t a dreadful performance from the 24-year-old, all things considered, but he displayed rustiness in possession and will be frustrated with his manager’s decision to hook him after being introduced past the hour mark.
| Jakub Kiwior: Match Stats vs Bournemouth | |
|---|---|
| Match Stats | # |
| Minutes played | 43′ |
| Touches | 24 |
| Accurate passes | 13/17 (76%) |
| Key passes | 0 |
| Dribbles (completed) | 2 (1) |
| Possession lost | 5x |
| Tackles + interceptions | 0 |
| Clearances | 3 |
| Total duels (won) | 5 (2) |
| Dribbled past | 1x |
| Stats via Sofascore | |
The dynamic defender must not be judged on one performance alone, but nonetheless, for the good of his career, it’s perhaps high time for him to search for pastures new.
Why Arsenal should sell Jakub Kiwior
Kiwior has been praised in the past for his “extraordinary” qualities by his countryman Robert Lewandowski, who’s rather good in front of goal and thus knows a talented defender when he sees one.
But we need to be realistic, and with the Pole featuring 20 times at left-back last season, moved from his natural role in the centre due to the Gunners’ imperious and immovable (unless one gets sent off) partnership, it’s hard to see where he fits in, Arteta having spent around £42m on Euro 2024 star Calafiori.
As with the earlier-mentioned Tierney, Kiwior was the subject of transfer attention this summer, with Arteta seemingly considering his departure in August.
The £58k-per-week ace has room for growth and a slick passing game that makes a convincing comment on the strategy behind signing him, influencing Arsenal’s defensive structure, but his pitch time this season has been almost negligible, introduced against Bournemouth only because of dramatic circumstances.
He’s one of the lowest-paid first-teamers on the books but has still cost Arsenal around £5m in wages since being signed back in January 2023. Partner that up with the transfer fee, and he’s cost the club £25m without having properly established himself, even leading Arteta’s train of thought toward his exit only a matter of months ago.
