Former Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs has expressed his admiration for new signing Christos Tzolis following the Gunners’ dominant 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday. The 24-year-old forward, who previously played for Norwich City in the Premier League, made an immediate impact by providing two assists in the Cardiff clash.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta showed his faith in the Greece international by naming him in the starting XI. The impact was near-instant; after Riccardo Calafiori opened the scoring within the first 25 seconds, Tzolis proved instrumental in setting up Kai Havertz. Tzolis successfully maneuvered behind Abdukodir Khusanov and connected with a cross from Martin Odegaard, heading the ball into the path of Havertz for a straightforward finish.
The momentum continued into the second half when Tzolis assisted captain Martin Odegaard just three minutes after the restart, delivering a precise pass from the left flank into the penalty area to secure the result. Following the match, Gibbs praised the club’s summer transfer strategy, specifically highlighting the acquisitions of both Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes as excellent business. While Gibbs commended Guimaraes for his aggressive style and progressive passing, he described Tzolis as an efficiency-focused player who consistently looks to hurt the opposition.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta also acknowledged the winger’s strong performance, noting that he expects the forward to maintain this level of quality throughout the upcoming season. Arteta emphasized that the player’s natural consistency gives him confidence that these contributions will continue during the league campaign. As the team prepares for their 2026/27 Premier League title defense, they are set to open their schedule against newly-promoted Coventry City this Friday at the Emirates Stadium.
With the transfer window still open, speculation remains regarding whether Arsenal will pursue further additions to their squad before the deadline. For now, the focus remains on the momentum generated by the Community Shield triumph and the integration of new signings into the starting lineup. The report also notes that it was Tzolis who put the ball on a platter for Kai Havertz to find the back of the net, after Riccardo Calafiori gave Arsenal the lead inside the first 25 seconds in Cardiff.
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