After topping the Premier League at the New Year, Arsenal slipped into a disappointing series of results that have ultimately left them eight points (minimum) off league leaders Leicester City with six games to play – and although it seems that Arsene Wenger has rediscovered the magic formula, it is too little, too late. Many credit the collapse to the injury of Santi Cazorla, others to the loss of form of players such as Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott; the question still remains, with all Arsenal players fit (good joke), what could be the best way to line up?
Option 1 –
Goalkeeper:
Petr Cech
David Ospina has filled in well during his absence, but Cech is simply a world-class keeper and leader. No question.
Defence:
Hector Bellerin, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal
The full backs choose themselves after both Spaniards have had fantastic seasons, both offensively and defensively. Although Koscielny’s form has been strange since the New Year, he is also a dead cert. Mertesacker is in this lineup due to his leadership and positional awareness, compounded with the successful history of the Mertescielny partnership.
Midfield:
Francis Coquelin, Cazorla
The duo that took Arsenal to the top of the league. Not the fastest, but a combination of tenacity and discipline. Cazorla’s ability to transition the team from defence to attack was a big part of Arsenal’s offense during the early months.
Attacking midfield:
Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez
While the latter two are dead certs, the inclusion of Ramsey on the right wing here provides balance to the side, often filling in as a 3rd central midfielder to dominate the opposition’s holding players.
Striker:
Olivier Giroud
Arsenal’s leading scorer this season, he is also able to hold the ball up and take advantage of the set pieces and crosses put into him.
Style:
This lineup is not blessed with pace, rather it is more suited to dominating the ball and attacking through the centre, or, if pushed, on the overlap. It can work against teams defending deep, as pacey players would struggle to make an impact, or, as seen against Bayern Munich, when Arsenal need to defend deep and score through set pieces. However, this lineup does rely on individual magic rather than fluid moves.
Option 2 –
Goalkeeper:
Petr Cech
Defence:
Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal
Gabriel’s inclusion here is due to his similarity with Koscielny; more specifically, his ability to read the game and make interceptions. This, as opposed to waiting to block or tackle, can start Arsenal on the counter to take advantage of the gaps in the opposition.
Midfield:
Coquelin, Elneny
This midfield appears to be two holding midfielders providing the base for the four attackers, but Elneny has proved more than able to control the game, completing 122 passes against Watford on Saturday, while simultaneously providing cover for the back four more effectively than Cazorla or Ramsey can.
Attacking midfield:
Sanchez, Ozil, Alex Iwobi
The move of Sanchez to the right has proven a successful one as he has instantly been back among the goals and assists. Meanwhile, the inclusion of Iwobi has been a revelation – a similar player to Sanchez, he makes sure that both full backs are threatened with direct running and roaming.
Striker:
Welbeck
This is an important change due to the polarising nature of Giroud and Welbeck; the former prefers to occupy, the latter to stretch. Welbeck is the definition of a complete forward, able to hold up the ball, run in behind, win headers and press the back line.
Style:
The tempo is notably higher with this side, making it effective during games against teams of similar ability or defensively vulnerable. The spine of the team aims to nick the ball and distribute to the front four, who have proven more than effective in scoring freely against mid-table defences. This should also prove to be effective in most away games as Arsenal look to counter – Iwobi’s goal against Everton, in which Bellerin and Elneny robbed Everton’s midfield before the former launched a ball in behind the labouring defence.
It is likely that option two will be utilised at least until the end of the season due to form and availability of certain players. It is also interesting to note of the options from the bench; Jack Wilshere, Ramsey, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all in the wings, capable of filling in and continuing the high tempo style of player.
