Kieran Tierney: Top Tier

[Macho]

Stealing a living, taking up space wasting facilities, doesn't have the intelligence and brain capacity for Artetaballs, ain't been seen with even one Tesco bag in a hot minute.

Good riddance.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I know he wants to start but is there any way that he can mix his game up a bit? That would help. There's been a chemistry issue on the left for a while now so who knows.

 

[Xln]

Stealing a living, taking up space wasting facilities, doesn't have the intelligence and brain capacity for Artetaballs, ain't been seen with even one Tesco bag in a hot minute.

Good riddance.

Nacho, next time at office shut off your laptop. Don't leave AM open for strangers.

 

[Macho]

Nacho, next time at office shut off your laptop. Don't leave AM open for strangers.

Was just recalling how my week has gone so far mate, was unaware this was the Tierney thread.

Makes no sense to get rid as Zinchenko is quite injury prone.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Tierney is good back up to have since Zinchenko and even Tomiyasu are always hurt but if you can get a big fee for him people would be interested but I'd hate to make other PL teams stronger, he'd work for Eddie Howe.

 

[BergMan]

Tried to play like Zinchenko today but the passing was way off.

 

[pigge]

Tried to play like Zinchenko today but the passing was way off.

Agree. It's good that he's trying to improve his game, he feels like a guy that works hard and doesn't give up. He could very well improve that area of his game and rise a level. Problem is that Zinchenko is kind of a unique left back and not sure if anyone can play the role like he can. Basically destined for nr.2 spot at best imo

 

[mpower2540]

Agree. It's good that he's trying to improve his game, he feels like a guy that works hard and doesn't give up. He could very well improve that area of his game and rise a level. Problem is that Zinchenko is kind of a unique left back and not sure if anyone can play the role like he can. Basically destined for nr.2 spot at best imo

Lack of game time clearly isn't helping him but there are times when it looks like we asked someone from the local Sunday league team to come play with us. His shank in the first half that led to the Haaland chance and that weird hoof out of play where I think he was attempting to cross, he can look dreadful at certain points.

Tbh I'm trying to be diplomatic here but I just don't really rate the guy.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

My MOTM.

Didn't watch the game though

 

[Riou]

Kept Mahrez very quiet, which was impressive.

His lack of ability on the ball compared to Olek is very noticeable (no shame in that really) and that's crucial for the way we play now.

Will be shocked if he is here next season, he will want to start.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

I think defensively was very good Mahrez is no joke he didn't allow him much. The problem his offensive game getting worse

 

[LittleMo]

He’d look better if he were getting more games, we’ve seen before that he’s perfectly capable going forward, though not Zinchenko’s level, but then nobody else is either. He’s never looked great after being out injured etc, always rusty so playing one game in a month or something isn’t working for him.

 

[MutableEarth]

I thought he was fine. Not great on the ball but he's fine.

 

[Mitch]

Good peformance, solid defensively.

Just zincehncko is different level technically.

 

[bingobob]

Really annoying seeing people write Tierney is done etc across Twitter. Id wager they are the same who twerked for Tavares and then after a few games were suddenly Tierney is very good again. Tierney was a future captain, our main attacking outlet, carried us through games and defensively solid. Its sad its turned this way but without a run of games he can't get going. Zinchenko is obviously very good but that doesn't mean Tierney is bad.

Im not sure why people turned against him/didn't like him to begin with certainly not because of the tescos media narrative - maybe a Scottish IQ thing - i hope he moves on.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

He did alright up against Mahrez for the most part but you can see it's a massive drop-off from Zinny to him. He just doesn't offer anywhere near what Zinny does. His touches aren't great, panics a lot, doesn't make the right passes or execution is sometimes off. Also put the defence in trouble once or twice just booting in Turners general direction. Gabriel bailed him out one time.

Many of us had said for a while Arteta would look to move on from Tierney and a lot on here responded with stuff like how Tierney was fine, solid and one of our most consistent performers. But it's clear you have to have more and he was never Arteta's player. It's like how Arteta used Holding a lot in his first couple of seasons before really pushing him down the pecking order. Even Lacazette, from day 1 I'm sure Arteta wanted to move on from him but had to play him out of necessity.

 

[bingobob]

@Tir Na Nog i think you're half right.

Pep has played with a more defensive minded full back and technical full back (Walker/Cancelo, recently Lewis/Ake) I believe Arteta was happy with Tierney. Emphasised by the fact we signed Tavares who has similiar traits to Tierney. We signed Tomiyasu as the more technical player. Technical on the right more traditional on the left.

Reoccurring injuries to both Tomi and Tierney required a rethink. Tierney and Tavares lack the technical ability of Tomi and White - hence the reason they were signed. The flanks are switched. We target Zinchenko and revert right back to the more traditional role. So in that sense Tierney was an easy target because he wasn't signed for technical skills. But i believe if he stayed fit then he wouldn't have been replaced (If the goal was to replace Arteta initially would have signed a different player to Tavares) Those injuries were a sliding door moment and its worked out well for the club.

Interestingly we've signed Kiwior who seems like a left sided White and are targeting Fresneda who seems like a right sided Zinchenko. Curious as to how we shape up here - one highly technical and one traditional with a decent technical level on each side.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

@Tir Na Nog i think you're half right.

Pep has played with a more defensive minded full back and technical full back (Walker/Cancelo, recently Lewis/Ake) I believe Arteta was happy with Tierney. Emphasised by the fact we signed Tavares who has similiar traits to Tierney. We signed Tomiyasu as the more technical player. Technical on the right more traditional on the left.

Reoccurring injuries to both Tomi and Tierney required a rethink. Tierney and Tavares lack the technical ability of Tomi and White - hence the reason they were signed. The flanks are switched. We target Zinchenko and revert right back to the more traditional role. So in that sense Tierney was an easy target because he wasn't signed for technical skills. But i believe if he stayed fit then he wouldn't have been replaced (If the goal was to replace Arteta initially would have signed a different player to Tavares) Those injuries were a sliding door moment and its worked out well for the club.

Interestingly we've signed Kiwior who seems like a left sided White and are targeting Fresneda who seems like a right sided Zinchenko. Curious as to how we shape up here - one highly technical and one traditional with a decent technical level on each side.

I don't know, maybe you're right. But for me Arteta wants one FB to be the third defender and the other to operate in midfield, but ideally he wants both to be technical. I think he was persisting with Tierney for so long purely because he's a dependable character. I do think it was always in the long term thinking to replace him eventually. Same way he persisted with someone like Lacazette for so long, because he was dependable and hard-working somewhat, but he always knew he'd need replacing for us to really improve. The thing is you can't replace everyone at once. Arteta came in prioritised CM and LCB with Partey and Gabriel, eventually got in a playmaker in Ødegaard and then GK, RB and RCB. Then last summer he finally got round to CF and LB. Even now I think the plan is to move on from Xhaka, tho age could be more a factor there than him not being good enough, as we've seen he's proven himself for a title contending team now.

More on the FB dynamic. Mik and Pep follow the same template. On FB goes into a back three in possession, the other into midfield. With City it's usually Cancelo into midfield, but if he doesn't play the it'll be Lewis as seen recently. Walker is usually the third CB, but yesterday it was Ake on the opposite flank. The problem with Tierney long term is that he doesn't have the technical ability to play in midfield in the buildup effectively, while on the opposite flank Tomi and White can get by doing it but it's much more effective having them as the third CB in possession hence why Zinchenko was signed. We've seen the evidence, we operate much more efficiently now with Zinchenko in the side.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

I'd still won't sell Tierney unless he force to move or we over the odd bids. You won't find better backup than him.

 

[Maybe]

I'd still won't sell Tierney unless he force to move or we over the odd bids. You won't find better backup than him.

Kiwior is probably a better backup. Tierney for me is too expensive to be a backup just for 1 position