Arsenal fans have seen enough of one player after Liverpool disasterclass and want him replaced immediately

 

Arsenal fans are fed up with one player.

Arsenal fans have seen enough of one player after he struggled during defeat to Liverpool.

Mikel Arteta’s side fell to a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday evening in a pre-season friendly in Philadelphia, USA.

Liverpool, enjoying their first pre-season under new manager Arne Slot, went ahead in the 13th minute when Mohamed Salah sped away from the Arsenal back line and curled a strike into the bottom corner.

Fabio Carvalho doubled Liverpool’s lead 20 minutes later, but Kai Havertz pulled one back for the Gunners shortly before half-time.

While pre-season is less about results and more about building match sharpness and working on tactical developments, Arsenal fans were left concerned by the performance of one player.

In fact, plenty of supporters have seen enough of him and want him gone.

Oleksandr Zinchenko had a huge impact at the Emirates Stadium during the first season following his £30 million move from Manchester City in 2022.

Arsenal’s performance levels noticeably dipped when the Ukrainian spent time on the sidelines through injury, and in the end they dropped off in the 2022-23 Premier League title race.

Last season the 27-year-old was less effective, and struggled to break into the starting XI in the final months of the campaign.

The left-back’s defensive capabilities have always raised question marks, even if he offers a lot when pushing into midfield in-possession.

 

Oleksandr Zinchenko struggled last season. [Getty]
Oleksandr Zinchenko struggled last season. [Getty]

However, Arsenal fans were left reeling when Mo Salah breezed past the Ukrainian on his way to giving Liverpool the lead on Wednesday.

“I’m looking forward to having a left-back with a defensive capability. Zinchenko at left-back is so dated,” one fan wrote on X.

Another Gunner commented: “One thing I don’t think I can do this season is watch a game where Havertz is a left no.8 and Zinchenko as a left-back in the same game.

“I won’t even bother watching. That formation has proven to be unfruitful and a failure all the times we have tried it but Arteta won’t just give it up.”

A third fan vented: “He’s slow and he has no defensive awareness, what’s he actually good at?”

Another fan noticed something utterly damning: “Salah started his run two yards behind Zinchenko and finished it five yards ahead of him. Absolutely unacceptable.”