Arsenal’s £20 million defender, Jakub Kiwior, faced heavy criticism from the Polish media after a lackluster performance in Poland’s 1-1 draw against Moldova. The 23-year-old started in the left-back position of the back three but failed to impress, garnering a dismal three out of ten rating from Polish outlet Meczyki.
The critique highlighted Kiwior’s insecurity in defense and struggles in aerial duels, describing him as far from being a defensive linchpin. Despite Poland’s dominance in the game and managing to salvage a point with a second-half equalizer, Kiwior’s performance was evidently lacking.
Since his move from Serie A’s Spezia to Arsenal in January, Kiwior has struggled to secure significant playing time. Although he showcased promising performances for Arsenal towards the end of the previous season, particularly during William Saliba’s absence, he has started just one game in the current season, during which Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw against Fulham in August.
Given his lack of game time at Arsenal, Kiwior’s challenging display for Poland is not entirely surprising. His competition for a spot in Arsenal’s starting lineup is fierce, with the formidable partnership of Gabriel Magalhaes and Saliba holding strong.
It’s clear that Kiwior’s struggle on the international stage mirrors his difficulties in asserting himself at Arsenal. The expectations for him to play against Chelsea in the upcoming weekend seem overly optimistic, given his recent performances and the tough competition for a starting position within the Arsenal squad.
