Sport
Arsenal living to regret their Zaha decision
Just a few hours before Arsenal turned in a lifeless performance in last Sunday’s North London derby, the Gunners were offered a reminder of the electricity they could have had as Wilfried Zaha scored twice in a 5-1 away win for Crystal Palace over West Brom. How Mikel Arteta could have used someone like Zaha against Tottenham Hotspur.
It wasn’t so long ago that Arsenal saw Zaha as a target, with the Crystal Palace winger the subject at least one bid in the 2019 summer window. The Gunners recognised the need for a new wide attacker and the Ivory Coast international, as a proven performer at Premier League level, appeared to fit the bill.
Of course, Arsenal ultimately paid a club record fee of £72 million to sign Nicolas Pepe from Lille, ticking the ‘new winger’ box on the list of transfer market priorities. Pepe, however, has been a flop at the Emirates Stadium, enduring an inconsistent first season in England and dropping out of the Arsenal first team altogether this season.
Zaha is proving just how misguided Arsenal were in moving for Pepe over him. He is a difference maker. He can make something happen out of nothing and has the sort of conviction in front of goal Pepe is sorely lacking. Zaha has seven goals and two assists in just nine Premier League appearances this season. Pepe registered just five goals and six assists in 31 league outings last season.
Arsenal are desperately lacking in cutting edge. Zaha is an individualist in the way he approaches the game. That would make him an awkward fit in a strict tactical system, like Manchester City or even Liverpool’s, but the Gunners need someone like Zaha to prevent them from being so predictable. Arteta needs a wildcard and the 28-year-old would be that figure.
There are tactical differences between Pepe and Zaha. They occupy different areas of the pitch, with Zaha more suited to playing off the left. The 28-year-old has played as one-half of a front two for Crystal Palace this season, although his role in Roy Hodgson’s side is a fluid one. He has the freedom to drift wherever there is space to be exploited.
“I see it from Wilf all the time, I’ve seen it over the last three-and-a-half years,” said Hodgson after Zaha’s performance in the win over West Brom. “We know he has that ability when we can get the ball to his feet in the final third. What he has added to his game this year is goal-scoring. If Wilf can keep that up it bodes very well for us.”
The argument could be made that Arsenal are already strong enough down the left side and that the Gunners were right to instead move for someone who would play predominantly down the right, where their squad is weaker. But Arteta’s recent deployment of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang through the middle suggests he isn’t happy with the make-up of his team on that left wing either.
Zaha is averaging 2.7 shots on goal per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, which is significantly more than the average of the most prolific shot-taker for Arsenal, Aubameyang (1.8 per 90 minutes). The difference is especially stark when considering the expectations of Arsenal and Crystal Palace – the former are expected to control game, while it’s a player for the latter than has a far higher shots average. This is damning on the Gunners, but also illustrates what Zaha brings and why he deserves a move.
Under Arteta, Arsenal have regressed. There have been moments of promise, like in the FA Cup final win over Chelsea and the league victory away to Manchester United this season, but until Arteta can instil a set of values and principles, and a playing style, in his squad, he needs players who can produce something out of nothing. Zaha could have been that figure for him and for Arsenal.
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