Mikel Arteta decision already made on Arsenal starter vs Newcastle after West Ham criticism
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta made a number of changes to his starting XI for Wednesday's Carabao Cup defeat against West Ham. The Gunners were dumped out of the competition following a 3-1 loss at the London Stadium.
Arsenal found themselves behind inside the opening 20 minutes after Ben White turned the ball into his own net from a corner kick. A slow start to the second half saw Mohammed Kudus double the Hammers' lead after just five minutes.
Oleksandr Zinchenko — who has been lauded for his impact at the Gunners since arriving from Manchester City last year — was criticised for his performance against West Ham. The Ukraine international often finds himself inverting into midfield when Arsenal have possession, but that seemed to cost the Gunners for Kudus' goal.
The Ghana international latched onto the end of a diagonal pass as Zinchenko was caught underneath the flight of the ball after moving into a more central role. Kudus was able to exploit the space at left-back, cutting back in on his left foot and firing the ball past Aaron Ramsdale.
This has led to many fans urging Arteta to give Takehiro Tomiyasu more of a chance at left-back — copying Pep Guardiola's tactic of fielding four centre-backs in defence. The Japan international has proved he can perform in the same role as Zinchenko and potentially offer more threat in possession, whilst providing more cover when defending too.
Arteta's decision to rest Tomiyasu against the Hammers could hint that he is in line to start this weekend's Premier League clash against Newcastle. The 24-year-old scored in the 5-0 win against Sheffield United after coming on as a late substitute and now could be set to replace Zinchenko at left-back.
Every word Mikel Arteta said on West Ham
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