Jakub Kiwior is a substitute at Arsenal this season. The Pole is not able to win a place in the starting line-up in Mikel Arteta's team – in the center of defense the duo of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba usually plays, while on the side of the defense the coach trusts Riccardo Calafiori. Kiwior was heavily criticized in England by the media and Arsenal fans after the match against Bournemouth (0:2)where he came on in the first half, and after the break he was given a “fishing rod” after a disastrous defensive mistake. “I never want to see Kiwior playing for my club again,” wrote one of the fans.
Kiwior's chance to play for Arsenal are injuries and suspensions of his competitors. This happened during the match against Preston North End in the fourth round of the English League Cup, where Kiwior formed a central defender duo with Saliba, and Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jurrien Timber played on the wings.
Arsenal won the match 3-0 with goals from Gabriel Jesus, Ethan Nwaniri and Kai Havertz. Kiwior played the entire match and also assisted in the goals of Jesus and Havertz. When Jesus scored, Kiwior headed the ball after a free kick, and when the goal made it 3-0, he brilliantly threw the ball into the penalty area. How was Kiwior assessed by the media in England for this match?
Great marks for Kiwior in the breed. “He had to impress Mikel Arteta”
Kiwior received one of the highest marks in the Arsenal team for the match against Preston. “He used the lack of defensive requirements as a good opportunity to show himself on the pitch. He assisted the opening goal and played a great cross to Havertz. Then he moved to left defense and did well,” writes paininthearsenal.com. “He was all over the pitch and connected well on the left side of the pitch with some nice passes and touches on the ball,” adds goal.com.
“Especially Kiwior's second assist was great. Moreover, he was really solid defensively,” we read on football.london. “Kiwior had to impress Arteta this evening and he largely succeeded. He had a few missed passes, but he had two assists,” writes arsenalinsider.com. “Two assists and a solid defensive performance underscored what an excellent evening it was for Kiwior,” adds onlinegooner.com.
So far, Kiwior has played seven matches this season in all competitions, and in the match against Preston, the Pole recorded his first numbers. Arsenal will play another match on Saturday, where their rival in the tenth round of the Premier League will be Newcastle United.
Can Kiwior change the club in the January transfer window? There is information in the Italian media that the Pole is one of the candidates to strengthen Juventus' defense line. This is the result of Gleison Bremer's injury, due to which the Brazilian will not play this season.
– If a coach gets a chance and the option to run a project for a longer period of time, he wants to arrange it his own way. And since he sees Kiwior in this project, I think that such a loan with the option of a permanent transfer would be a reasonable solution here – said Mateusz Borek in Channel Sportowy.