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Arsenal legend Tony Adams has criticized Oleksandr Zinchenko for calling a team huddle during the Gunners’ 3-3 draw with Southampton on Friday (21 April).
Mikel Arteta’s side played out a 3-3 draw with the Saints last week, which landed them in an awkward situation in the Premier League title race. The draw, their third in a row, left the Premier League leaders five points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who have played two games fewer than them.
During Friday’s clash at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal found themselves 2-0 down in the 14th minute, courtesy of goals from Carlos Alcaraz and Theo Walcott. Following the second goal, Zinchenko called a team huddle, possibly to calm his teammates down.
Adams, who won four league titles with Arsenal, was not impressed with the Ukrainian’s call, claiming that the huddle was just for show. Speaking to The Sun, Adams stated that he was unsure why everyone went in for a huddle after going 2-0 down.
“At 2-0 down, Zinchenko calls all the players into a huddle. What was that all about?” Adams said.
“If you’ve got something to say, you do it in the dressing room before the game, not in the middle of the match. That’s just for show.”
A few minutes after the huddle, Gabriel Martinelli found the back of the net for Arteta’s men (20 minutes). By the looks of it, Zinchenko’s team talk might have done the team some good.
The left-back has become a leader in the dressing room since joining from Manchester City for a £32 million fee last summer. He has thus far featured in 30 games for the Londoners in all competitions thus far, scoring once and providing two assists.
Andriy Shevchenko lauds Oleksandr Zinchenko ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Manchester City
Ukraine and AC Milan legend Andriy Shevchenko has heaped praise on his countryman Oleksandr Zinchenko ahead of Arsenal’s crucial Premier League meeting with Manchester City. Shevchenko lauded Zinchenko’s leadership and technical quality, hailing him as one of the best left-backs in the world.
Speaking to CBS Sports, Shevchenko said:
“He’s so light on the ball, very good technique and he was not afraid to take responsibility when he was playing even when he first started. You could see immediately that he had a different, natural quality to anybody else: technique, movement and confidence.
“He has developed and grown so much, the captain of the Ukrainian national team, one of the best left-backs this season. He deserves all of this for his passion for football, his discipline, his desire and ambition.”
Arsenal’s clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday (26 April) is bound to be an emotional affair for Zinchenko. The 26-year-old spent five great years at the club, playing a total of 128 games and recording two goals and 12 assists. Zinchenko won four Premier League titles and one FA Cup with Manchester City, amongst other honors.
