Former Arsenal player William Gallas explained why there is no longer a place for their Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Zinchenko in his former team.
"Zinchenko had similar problems when he was at Manchester City. If you remember, he was hardly involved in key matches. I think this happened because Guardiola believed that Zinchenko's defensive abilities were limited.
When he has the ball, he is a talented player. Zinchenko is also good in counterattacks. But when it comes to defending, especially under pressure, he makes mistakes. He made enough of those mistakes at Arsenal, which is why the club is looking to strengthen its defense.
Furthermore, I think Arsenal's football has moved away from what Zinchenko can offer. Football is a game that is constantly evolving, and now it is changing again in terms of how the best teams strive to defend.
Yes, in recent years we have seen teams ask their left and right backs to drop into midfield; we have seen back fours turn into back threes. The role of the defender has changed significantly. But now, it seems that the focus is back on what defenders were originally intended for: to defend very well and be physically strong.
There is a trend towards more solid defending. There are many reasons for this, but essentially, it means being stronger than your opponent and limiting the number of chances at your goal. Football is changing. The time of real defenders is coming,” Gallas said in a conversation with Gambling Zone.