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With pre-season over and Arsenal back in action tonight (yes, tonight!), there will be a lot of eyes on new signing Christos Tzolis.
The Greek international winger has flown somewhat under the radar, but if his time at Club Brugge and Arsenal in preseason is anything to go by, then Premier League fans are in for a treat.
He certainly has the capability to provide some serious numbers, but will he start for Arsenal against Coventry tonight?
Christos Tzolis could make his first Arsenal start against Coventry
The short answer is yes. It is most likely that Christos Tzolis will start for Arsenal against Coventry. He started and excelled in the Community Shield, providing two of Arsenal's three assists against Man City.
Tzolis is eligible to start, and he is not suffering from any form of injury. Given that his closest competition, Gabriel Martinelli, was not involved in the Community Shield squad in any way, this speaks volumes about what Arteta has planned for the season ahead.
Arteta himself complimented Tzolis on the way he's seamlessly fit into the Arsenal team since joining.
"I think he's coming into the team really organically," said Arteta about Tzolis. "He's fit in, he's a really intelligent boy, and he has a massive quality, which is when he's in the last 20-30 metres, he's so composed to pick people in and around the box or to finish actions, and he's shown that again two or three times and he was decisive."
All the signs certainly point towards Tzolis making his first Premier League start for Arsenal against Coventry.
Where could Tzolis play in Arsenal's starting XI?
Christos Tzolis was clearly signed by Arsenal to play on the left wing. However, he is also capable of playing centrally or even out on the right.
Given Arsenal's sale of Leandro Trossard, it is clear as day that Arteta wants Tzolis to operate on the left wing. This is where he started against Man City in the Community Shield, and it is his strongest position.
Why Arsenal signed Christos Tzolis
Arsenal signed Christos Tzolis as a direct and like-for-like replacement for Leandro Trossard. With the Belgian leaving this summer, Arsenal needed someone who could replace his attacking output in terms of goals and assists. Tzolis has certainly shown an ability to do that.
Arsenal signed Tzolis to a five-year deal, so they clearly see the long-term value in him. Of all of Arsenal's summer transfers so far, Tzolis secured the longest contract.
Arteta said it himself: Tzolis shines because of his composure in advanced positions. He is what Arsenal need to finish the job in attacking movements, so we can expect him to be involved in the goal-contribution tallies this season.
Who could make way for Tzolis against Coventry?
Gabriel Martinelli is unlikely to start against Coventry. With a larger bench available to Arsenal than in the Community Shield, the Brazilian will likely be involved in the squad this time, though.
The Coventry fixture is the easiest of Arsenal's start to the season. After this game, the fixtures become much more challenging. Nevertheless, Tzolis will get the nod in most matches because he does not carry the same World Cup fatigue as some other Arsenal attackers.
Arsenal predicted lineup vs Coventry
We have already had a go at Arsenal's predicted starting 11 against Coventry, but there remain a lot of question marks. Tzolis starting is one of the more nailed-on selections, though.
Key players such as Jurriën Timber and William Saliba are missing in action and unavailable through injury. Others, such as Declan Rice, may be rested due to heavy World Cup involvement.
Arsenal predicted starting 11 against Coventry: Raya; White, Gabriel, Mosquera, Calafiori; Guimarães, Lewis-Skelly, Ødegaard; Saka, Havertz, Tzolis
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