Kieran Tierney admits it was a shock to be dropped for last weekend’s showdown in Liverpool but he accepts that Takehiro Tomiyasu produced an ‘amazing’ performance and that the decision underlines Mikel Arteta’s burgeoning reputation as a tactically astute manager.
In the absence of the injured Oleksandr Zinchenko, most supporters assumed the Scotland international would start at left-back. Clearly wary of the Reds’ predilection for switching play with long-raking balls and the trickiness of Mo Salah, who thrives on cutting inside onto his life foot, the boss decided to opt for someone he feels would cope better with the threat.
It remains to be seen whether Arteta repeats the trick in the future – Tierney was returned to the starting XI for last night’s win over Bodo/Glimt – but either way, the former Celtic man is learning this season that nobody can take their place for granted.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “Of course, I was thinking, I got took off in the Thursday night game [against Bodo/Glimt at the Emirates] that maybe he was keeping me for the Sunday.
“Maybe at the time, that was his [Arteta’s] plan as well, then the day before, he’s took me in and said, it’s not on your performance, this is just a tactical change I want to make. I was like, I’m gutted. But that’s all it is.
“I’m not going to be angry, not going to not try hard, I’m gutted because I want to play every opportunity that I can, especially big games you want to play and soak up the atmosphere.
“There’s nothing I can say, we went out and won and Tomiyasu played amazing and the game plan worked. It just shows you, not many managers would think, we’ll switch the right-back over here. But he did, and it worked.”
He added: “That was the first meeting I’ve had like that in my life, that I’d been dropped. It’s new to me still, this season has been new to me. There was a spell last season for three to four games where I wasn’t playing but since the start of this season, I’ve not really played, so it’s all new to me. I’m learning, I’m dealing with it.
“It’s tough, footballers want to play. I worked so hard to get back from injury, you just want to play as much as you can when you’re back. Unfortunately, I’ve not played too many but every time I get a chance to play, I’m so grateful and I work as hard as I possibly can for the team.”
For the record, Tierney has started six of Arsenal’s 12 games this season and made appearances in 11 of them for a total of 517 minutes on the pitch.
Oh good…
I also promise not be to be angry about his continual breaking down with injury on a bi-monthly basis…
Strange reaction
His minutes on the clock is not that shabby. The frustration is understandable though, being that he’s mostly always been a first name on the team sheet player. But I think the onus is on him to make himself indispensable including proving his fitness. And that is not done by complaining. The bar has been raised and all contingencies are activated.
I am a Tierney fan. I wish him luck.
He should go Tomy’s route.. ‘when I look at the quality of players who are playing…” ..
It’s also a testament to how far the team has come..to think he’s not the automatic 2nd choice left back for the team! Same for tomiyasu who we would never have guessed would be 2nd choice right back…Benny Blanco would also have something to say about being displaced by saliba…all 50m pounds of him too…Emile Smith Rowe,Eddie Nketiah.. everyone has to work harder… would be nice to see saka, Odegaard and TP get more competition…..at that point we would be potential champions of Europe…
And, considering that a displaced Benny Blanco has displaced a formidable Tomi, could be we’re not giving White his due respects.
I would say White upset the applecart.
White has surprised me, he’s been excellent
Just happy we haven’t had to push the Cedric button so far this season
This is the reality of playing in a team with ambition. They are always trying to step up in personnel and tactics.
I wouldn’t be surprised if another striker comes in next year and Jesus is no longer a guaranteed starter – especially with CL football almost certain to return.
Personally, I wouldn’t risk the wrath of god by jeopardising Jesus’ starting position.
I agree that we need more firepower, or rather the option of more firepower, from a proven, quality, striker to supplement what’s there already. There’s not another Haaland around unfortunately, but I think Arteta/Edu will be in the market for someone.
That’s what happens in top teams and Arsenal are on the way to becoming that again.
Look at City. Silva, Foden, Mahrez, Sterling, Jesus, Walker are all players who were good enough, but wouldn’t always start every game. Manager has to do what he feels can get the job done
I think he’s a great player and one that we would want to keep for a long time. Arteta has to manage him carefully to keep him motivated
Why is this even still being discussed? Tomi was the right choice for this game and that proved to be so. Kieran is a big boy and he has every right to be disappointed but im sure he recognises its how big teams operate. He’ll continue to get plenty of minutes. I’m not sure this warrants further discussion in the media, who are clearly trying to get a negative soundbite from him
Totally agree. On the positive side, that’s all they (some factions of the media) have regarding the Arsenal atm, because by and large everything is looking good. I say that without getting carried away, and really hope we put in another top performance against Leeds on Sunday to carry the momentum.
A good, sensible attitude by young Tierney, I think. Arteta obviously has to strike a balance between who he plays depending on the opposition/tactics etc. but also having some regard to Tierney being injury prone. He’s an important player for Arsenal so he needs to be used “carefully”.
It was hard to argue with one of Tomi’s best performances in an Arsenal shirt. I really like him at left back.
Head down Kieran. Win your place back. The bar is higher now and everyone must fight for their place.
In other news I just saw Douglas Luiz has signed a new contract at Villa so I’m assuming that completely ends our interest in him. He must be a masochist wanting to play under Gerrard.
I think he would have been a short term emergency solution so I’m glad it didn’t work out.
Keep on targeting those signings that take us to another level, it’s so easy!
Bit of a pipe dream, but I would love to see us push the boat out and go for Declan Rice in the summer. He’d cost the earth, but he’d complete the jigsaw for me.
He was worth a punt at the time. But he was only going to be backup for us. We can move on
I’m disappointed with that news. With Elneny’s contract expiring at the end of the season – in which he’ll be 31 so may not be extended again – Luiz would have been a decent acquisition as TP backup as we enter the Champions League.
Tomi playing left-back against Liverpool may have been an anomaly to deal with Salah. I don’t expect to see it too often.
Will be interesting to see who gets the left-back spot at Leeds but my hunch would be Tierney.
As a manager that is the most professional response from an intelligent and diligent player. He has fire and passion but it is tempered into steel.
I love watching KT play and hope he has a long future at the club
If we had a Zinchenko-like player for the right side, I wonder if he (Arteta) would do similar to what he does on the left -the rotating of different styles. We’ve only made tweaks to the left side of the defense, whereas we keep a solid defensive option on the right side -Tierney himself is a solid defensive option