3 reasons why Arsenal decided to sign Jorginho on deadline day

2. Flaws will be hidden in Arteta’s system

Now, there are understandable reasons why fans aren’t sold on the 31-year-old. While I wouldn’t go as far as saying he’s a liability without the ball, it’s certainly an area where he struggles.

The Italian reads the game well and his positioning is often exemplary, but he’s weak and bereft of any athleticism. He struggles in duels, is unreliable when tasked with engaging high, and simply cannot defend in transition without getting booked.

However, many of these flaws were exacerbated at Chelsea, especially under Graham Potter and Frank Lampard. Jorginho was tasked with covering a ludicrous amount of space and he was destined to fail. In more structured and compact set-ups, the Italian generally thrives as there’s less for him to do without the ball.

Arteta’s system is all about control, so not only should we see the best of Jorginho in possession, but the compactness of Arsenal’s structure means many of his flaws will be masked.

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