“We were laughing off air” - Tony Adams labels 26-year-old Arsenal star as ‘complete weakness’ after Aston Villa defeat

Arsenal legend Tony Adams has labelled Oleksandr Zinchenko as a 'complete weakness' defensively after the Gunners' 1-0 loss against Aston Villa. The Villans extended their fantastic run at home by beating Mikel Arteta's side 1-0 with skipper John McGinn scoring the winner in the seventh minute.

Following the game, former Arsenal skipper Tony Adams has labelled Oleksandr Zinchenko as a liability defensively. The former England defender criticized the Ukrainian for leaving too much space down the left flank exposing the backline as a result.

Adams insisted that Zinchenko provides the Gunners a lot by cutting inside and creating an extra passing option in midfield. He also joked that every other Arsenal player plays at left-back apart from the former Manchester City star.

However, he pinpointed that Zinchenko leaves too much space down the left channel and makes Mikel Arteta's side vulnerable. He told Premier League Productions, as quoted by HITC Sport:

“Zinchenko is a great positive player for us. In possession of the ball, he can be such a strength. He pops inside. We were laughing off air. Everyone is playing at left-back, other than Zinchenko. There is a massive channel that is vacated by him playing inside all the time. But he can be a complete weakness.”

Mikel Arteta's system is heavily reliant on Zinchenko playing as an inverted wing-back down the left side. This helps the Gunners keep more possession in the middle of the park and also gives the midfielders the freedom to burst forward.

The Ukraine skipper joined the north London giants in the summer of 2022 in a reported £30 million deal from Manchester City. He has played 54 games for Mikel Arteta's side so far scoring twice and providing two assists.

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Pundit backs Arsenal to win PL this season if they strengthen one key position in January

Pundit Lee Hendrie has claimed that Arsenal are just a striker away from winning the Premier League. The Gunners find themselves second in the table after 16 games having lost the top spot to Liverpool last weekend.

The Gunners lost 1-0 at Aston Villa whereas Liverpool came back from behind to win 2-1 against Crystal Palace. Former England midfielder Lee Hendrie has claimed that the Gunners can win the title if they can add a top-class striker to their ranks. Hendrie said on Sky Sports Premier League:

"I think if they bring a striker in, Arsenal win the league."

Mikel Arteta has Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah as his options up front although neither of them have been consistent with finishing. Jesus has scored just two league goals this season while Nketiah has found the back of the net on five occasions.