Here's What Christos Tzolis Will Bring to Arsenal | w/ Ollie Hopkins
Arsenal look set to sign Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis — but what will the Greek actually bring to Mikel Arteta's midfield? In this video, we break down Christos Tzolis' playing style, strengths, areas of concern and tactical role, looking at why the 24-year-old could be the perfect addition to Arsenal’s squad. From his direct attacking style, excellent 1v1 dribbling and specialist set-piece ability, Christos Tzolis is one of Europe's most exciting young talents - but can he fill the void left by Leandro Trossard. Check out the Opta Analyst website: https://theanalyst.com/ 📬 Sign up for the Opta Analyst Newsletter here for free: https://theanalyst.com/sign-up Follow Opta Analyst: Twitter: https://x.com/OptaAnalyst Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoptaanalyst Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/optaanalyst/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@optaanalyst QUESTION - Have a question about a player or data? Drop it in the comments! christostzolis arsenal arsenalfc
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Arsenal have made their first move this transfer window with the signing of Christos Solis from Club Brugge, but what makes the winger so special? We're joined by Opta analyst Ollie Hopkins to discuss the transfer further. Ollie, thank you for joining us. How are you? >> I'm good, thank you, Jordan. How are you? >> Yeah, I'm good, thank you. I mean, it's an interesting one as not many people will know this, but Solis actually made his debut against Arsenal for Norwich in 2021. But what can Arsenal fans expect this time around? >> Interesting name, I guess, that Arsenal started off their summer signings with. He's scored 17 goals and created three assists. I mean, that's 40 goal contributions across the the entire league. Only Harry Kane had more across Europe's top five leagues last season than than Solis himself. And it's not just the kind of like the top-line numbers um either that stand out when we're talking about Solis. I mean, if you look at all players who scored at least 10 goals in the Belgian Pro League last season, he led all players for dribbles completed, progressive carries, um chances created. It's a season where he has kind of dominated the league, really, in terms of kind of like attacking front-line numbers. Um so, I think Arsenal like are getting an exciting winger um who could fill the hole that Trossard is leaving by moving to Besiktas. >> You mentioned his top-line numbers there. Going into a bit more detail, what kind of stands out? >> I think that the kind of the top-line numbers are really they really do stand out quite quite aggressively. He likes to operate off the left-hand side, but is strongest coming in off that left. So, yeah, coming inside on on his right foot. Um and that is, yeah, through through dribbling and and through ball ball carrying. In the Belgian top flight last season, he completed almost 360 progressive carries, which was by far and away the most of any other player in in the league. I think there is more space to operate in um in in in Belgium um versus maybe what he'll find in the Premier League. And so, having the space in front of him to kind of run into and carry the ball forward might not be as um kind of freely available um in England as it was kind of playing playing for for Brugge. Um so, that could be one area where he has to kind of develop his um his ability to kind of run with the ball against a kind of lower block. But certainly he was very good at attacking spaces during this time at at Brugge. >> I know he's up there for set piece delivery. How key could that be this season? >> Yeah, this is a really interesting angle and I think is perhaps being overlooked by by some. I mean, Arsenal scored 19 goals from corners last season in the Premier League which is a record for any team in a single Premier League season. We know that they they love scoring goals from set pieces and they love kind of being effective from not only corners but kind of free kicks as as well. Eight of Solly's assists last season came from corners and just shy of 40% of his chances came from corners. He's a real threat from both sides with being in either in swingers or out swingers with with his right foot. But I think with essentially Rice and Saka carrying injuries, tiredness from the World Cup, maybe not even playing for the first few months of the season regularly anyway, there's real case that Solly could step up become, you know, the set piece taker basically from from day one. >> What are the areas where there may be a little bit of concern or kind of where he needs to improve on? >> Yeah, I think just the quality of the league he was operating in is worth talking about that. I mean, we have the Belgian Jupiler Pro League at eighth overall in in the world according to Opta Power Rankings, which is just below the Championship. That is a real jump both in terms of like who he's playing with as as a team and as teammates. But I guess the average team he's playing against is going to be a lot more lot tougher, a lot more robust physically and I think it's harder to kind of play against than it would have been kind of playing week in week out for for Brugge in the top flight. He's clearly too good for the Belgian league looking at his overall numbers. I guess the question will be whether he can produce that level of performance regularly enough. >> You mentioned Trossard leaving earlier. Is this a direct replacement or is maybe Arteta going down a bit more of a different direction? >> I think there's still obviously going to be I think a a big name left winger that Arsenal want to bring in, um, which will be a star a star name. But this is, yeah, certainly a a like-for-like-ish replacement. You know, on on paper they are similar players, both right-footed, both operate off the left mainly. It could eventually go beyond the like-for-like, um, swap. And but I think, you know, obviously Trossard's a bit of a club hero. Arsenal scored, you know, the the goal against West Ham that effectively won them the Premier League last season. And I so I think it's going to take time for for Trossard to to ever come close to that sort of level of, um, status in in the club. Um, but yeah, he can certainly fill fill a Trossard shaped hole in the left of attack.