May 6, 2018
Arsenal (name)
The legendary godfather of Arsene Wenger witnessed his farewell match at the Arsenal in an away match against Huddersfield. Aubameyang sealed the win in the 38th minute after a thrilling battle to mark Wenger's departure. Counting the lineup of that game, I found that in addition to the two players still in the team, other starting players such as Aubameyang, Lacazette, Ramsey and Bellerin, etc., have gradually left this "Gunners" team. Holding the ground is once regarded as a talented defender Hodin, and the protagonist of this article, the fans are looking forward to Zaka.
As captain of the Swiss national team, Zaca is one of the few players who have carried over from the Wenger era to the Tadic era. He was supposed to be a pillar of the team and the fans, but he lost control of his emotions due to harassment from fans during a game against Crystal Palace on October 29, 2019, responding to boos with provocative gestures, and stripping off the field in an act that pushed him to the opposite side of the fans. The controversy and criticism at one point led to his intention to leave the club.
Luckily, Arteta's arrival made Zaca decide to stay in the
Arsenal (name)
. The four-year grind has taken him from being the subject of accusations from fans to now receiving homemade apology letters from fans apologizing for his misdeeds. In addition to Zaka's improved professionalism, we should also pay attention to how he has changed during the Emery era and the Arteta era. Within eight games, he has contributed two goals and three assists, surpassing his single-season goals and assists record from three seasons ago.
This article will provide an in-depth look at how Zacha has changed over the course of four years, allowing him to make his debut in the new season.
Photo/Website: Zaca as a veteran
In the summer of 2021 at the Europa League, apart from focusing on the performance of the young players, Zacha's performance also caught my attention. His "one man" style of play in the group stage allowed the Swiss to hold their own against comparable opponents. Although they were defeated by Spain on penalties, Zacha's outstanding performance in the knockout stage allowed the Swiss to compete with strong teams such as France and Spain.
With the national team, Zaca is positioned in the same way as in the
Arsenal (name)
Different. He ran aggressively in front of the Swiss team, orchestrated the attack, and threatened the opposing team's goal with long-distance shots from time to time, creating a lot of threats for the Swiss team in the knockout stage.
Photo/Website: Zaca in the European Cup campaign
After the Europa League, I think such a Zaka might be his best position. Early entry
Arsenal (name)
The team wanted him to be a bulwark in front of the defense and to develop into the next Vieira. Unfortunately, defense was not his strongest area, and his personality traits often led to him receiving "extra attention" from referees. The real transformation began when Arteta took over
Arsenal (name)
After that, bringing in Atletico's Thomas became key.
The addition of Thomas has been the catalyst for Zacha's improvement. Last year, the midfield duo of Thomas, Zaca and Ödgöl had already shown good chemistry, and this season it's even more of the same. Next, we will analyze Zaca's changes in his stats over the four-year period one by one, and how these changes contributed to his transformation this season.
According to Coach Tadic's tactical setup this season, the 4-2-3-1 formation has Zaka and either Lokonka or Thomas partnering in the midfield, with Martinelli and Saka on the wings, and Ödgö in the front position. In the midfield configuration, Thomas is mainly responsible for defense, while Zaca is more active in the midfield, with the main task of pressuring and disrupting the opponent. Looking back at the 4-2-3-1 formation of the Emery era, while the same partnering of Zaca with Gondozzi or Torreira seemed to focus on tackling and toughness, Zaca was actually far more involved on the defensive end.
