Too good for the bench: Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney conundrum

The arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City in the summer has limited the amount of game time available for previous first-choice left-back Kieran Tierney, which has raised questions over the Scotsman’s future at Arsenal. 

Tierney, a fan-favourite at the Emirates ever since his arrival, has been a fantastic servant for the club and demonstrates the passion that every fan wants to see. However, his playing time has been extremely limited this season, and that has resulted in a very difficult situation for Mikel Arteta and Edu.

What to do with a player who is too good for the bench, yet far too talented to sell without hesitation?

The Kieran Tierney conundrum

Without question, the 25-year-old is a huge talent and one of the best players in his position in the Premier League. At his best, he provides powerful, overlapping runs which create space for his winger to cut inside, or for himself to whip dangerous crosses into the box.

The full-back compliments those runs with defensive solidity, often excelling in one-on-one situations and is a fantastic leader at the back. At just 25 years of age, there’s also still plenty of time for Tierney to develop his game even further – making him a far more valuable asset.

However, he has found himself on the bench all too regularly this season, having lost his starting place to new recruit Zinchenko. Tierney, in typical fashion, has handled the situation with the utmost professionalism, but understandably, is frustrated in his new role.

He had this to say regarding his lack of playing time:

"“There are different ways you can vent your disappointment. One way is to not try and openly show you don’t care.“But there’s another way — you work hard and give your all for the team, you try to push as much as you can and, when called upon, you give everything.”"

Doesn’t fit the ideal Arteta style

His lack of playing time isn’t due to any attitude-related issues, but rather, as a direct result of a change in preferred playing style from Arteta.

Whereas the Gunners’ left-back role was previously tasked with bombing forward to support the winger, the manager now has different demands. The player in that position, most often Zinchenko, is now expected to rotate into midfield and help control possession, allowing the resurgent Granit Xhaka to enjoy a more attacking role. Simply put, Tierney cannot do that as effectively as his Ukrainian teammate.

So, despite the Scotsman’s willingness to put in the work needed to improve, and the manager hailing him as “fantastic” as recently as August 2022, it is unlikely that he will ever be able to displace Zinchenko in the starting lineup whilst this style of play is in use.

A fan-favourite

In most cases then, it would make perfect sense to sell the full-back in the summer, and replace him with someone boasting the correct skillset to be a true competitor to Zinchenko for the starting position. However, in most cases, the player in question is not adored by the fanbase as much as Tierney is.

He embodies everything a fan wants to see in a player who represents their club: passion, unwavering determination and accountability – Tierney has all three in abundance. That emotional connection, one that I feel very strongly myself, makes this an extremely difficult circumstance to navigate.

The head says it may be time for him to move on, but the heart is far more conflicted.

Injury Prone

His injury history, especially given his relatively young age, is also a worry and further strengthens the argument to move the 25-year-old on in the summer. Shockingly, he has missed a total of 45 games through injury since joining the club in the summer of 2019.

This has resulted in the side being left short at key moments, and his absence towards the backend of the 2021/22 campaign was a key factor in us ultimately missing out on a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Should we sell Kieran Tierney?

Regrettably, my answer to that question given the combination of the above factors is yes – as long as the club receives an appropriate fee for him. In that scenario, a move would likely benefit both parties, with Arsenal acquiring the funds needed to purchase a suitable replacement for the left-back, while Tierney would be afforded a move to a team in which he would be the number one choice.

However, if that were not to happen, then he could continue to offer his services as a substitute, providing the side with an extra dimension from the left flank. Ultimately, there are positives and negatives to both outcomes and there is no clear-cut correct decision for the club to take in this situation.