Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has conceded that the way he has deployed Oleksandr Zinchenko this season has been inspired by Pep Guardiola's use of Phillip Lahm.
Guardiola had the German international at his disposal while he was manager of Bayern Munich and came up with a tactic that has gone on to help shape Arsenal's title charge this term. Lahm, traditionally a right-back, boasted such technical prowess he was used in a more central midfield role after the then-Bayern boss dubbed him "the most intelligent player I have ever coached".
Zinchenko's efforts this season have produced something similar. Many Arsenal fans may have thought they were getting a reliable, if not world class left-back when the Ukrainian signed from Manchester City in the summer, but he has transformed the way the Gunners play almost single-handedly.
Arteta discussed the tactical shift and explained how the concept of a floating full-back has been in place for some time, but was inspired by Guardiola's initial invention.
“It started when I was in Barcelona, we used to play a 3-4-3 diamond and one of the full-backs used to play there," the Spaniard explained. "But Pep did it at Bayern for the first time with Phillip Lahm and then that was developed at City with many different ways of doing it with different players.
"So that is the great thing, that you can take all the time things from other sports, other coaches to make yourself better and that curiosity is necessary to evolve and be better."
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Given the freedom to roam all over the pitch, Zinchenko is just as likely to pop up with an eye of the needle through ball on the right-attacking flank a he is to be cutting out crosses and thwarting opposition attacks in the left-back role.
Purchased for just £30million, Zinchenko's performances have been so impressive some fans and pundits alike have pondered whether City made a mistake in sanctioning his exit.
If Arsenal are to get over the line and end their 19-year wait for a league title, Zinchenko is going to need to continue to operate at his influential best for the final 10 games of the season.
The Gunners currently sit top of the pile with an eight-point advantage over Zinchenko's former outfit, though they have played a game more.
Arteta was pressed for comment on how his side are gearing up for the season's final furlong and explained how it is simply a case of keeping things ticking over.
"I think it is going to be what we do every single day, that is going to decide our outcome, we cannot control the outcome of other clubs, what we can control is what we do every single day, how we train, how we communicate, how we behave, how is our energy."
