Some have suggested Jorginho's performance against Liverpool last Sunday was Arsenal's best individual display of the season so far.
In theory, it should come as no surprise that the Italy international seems to thrive in the biggest games. This is a man who has won both the Champions League and European Championships (and even has the tattoos to prove it), but his move to the Emirates was greeted with a muted response from some sections of the Arsenal fanbase.
His efforts during the 3-1 victory over the Reds now means everyone is on the same page when it coms to Jorginho, this is player with more to give in an Arsenal shirt. He may be 32 years of age, but with Declan Rice alongside him doing the defensive work of multiple players, Jorginho is free to dictate the tempo of Gunners attacks.
However, the former Chelsea star's contract with Arsenal expires at the end of this season, though the club do have the option to extend for another year. Jorginho put pen to paper on an 18-month deal with the Gunners in January of last year and speculation suggesting he could be heading for the exit already this coming summer has been rife.
Manager Mikel Arteta is on of Jorginho's biggest admirers and wanted Manchester City to sign him while the Arsenal boss was Pep Guardiola's assistant at the Etihad. And yet, if there was any lingering doubts in the back of the Gunners boss' mind over extending Jorginho's stay, Sunday's performance quashed those.
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Factoring in the constant injury issues that mean Thomas Partey is often unavailable and Jorginho's role in this Arsenal squad becomes even more important. Arteta's comments in the aftermath of the win over Liverpool certainly seem to reflect that.
"Unbelievable," Arteta replied, when asked to describe Jorginho's most recent performance. "I’ve always said that he’s an example, a role model.
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Jorginho (left) shone next to Declan Rice against Liverpool"Jorgi’s a really intelligent player, his biggest quality is that he makes the people around him better, he connects everybody, and he was unbelievable."
Witnessing Jorginho thrive when being given license to operate further up the pitch may have come as a shock to some, but next to Rice it could be something Arsenal fans see more often. The Italian's leadership is also a welcome addition to the Gunners dressing room.
The man himself has discussed his influence, addressing his response to Liverpool's equaliser and admitting: "I kind of do [talk a lot]. But it’s all in a positive way, just trying to help because the team was brilliant in the first half, so we couldn’t let the goal effect us.
“We just had to go back out there and do what we had done in the first 45 minutes. What I see, I just try to help how I can. If it’s talking from the outside, I will do that just to try and help the boys."
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