Sunday’s defensive disaster against Liverpool angered many, as Arsene Wenger deployed youngsters Chambers and Holding at centre-half. Wengers has been heavily criticised for not buying a new centre-back and with a new signing unlikely before the weekend, Wenger needs to change the style of the team – one which failed against Liverpool.
Leicester have continued with their 4-4-2 that worked so well – and with one upgrade from Ulloa to Musa, and one downgrade from Kante to Mendy (watch him get MOTM now) – we can say that, with stars Vardy and Mahrez signing new contracts, they will be as strong as last season. It is worth noting, however that Arsenal beat Leicester 7-3 on aggregate last year – a fluid 4-2-3-1 exposes the 4-4-2 in a lot of cases.
Leicester’s back 4 is a rigid one, with the full backs staying back when the team goes forward. This rigid back four gives freedom to the two wide players and two strikers to hurt the opposition on the counter attack, as the two centre midfielders perform a holding duty. The talent and dynamism of Gray, Vardy, Mahrez and Musa is enough to hurt most teams.
However, defending deep is usually effective enough to keep the space chasers at bay, as Hull showed last week. This may call for two holding midfielders again – perhaps Xhaka and Coquelin – one to cover Mahrez, the other to neutralise Drinkwater and Mendy.
Attacking wise, Arsenal were fairly fluid once they got the ball in the final third. Distribution from the back was poor, which is why Xhaka is needed to link the play, although Santi may find his way back into the team. Oxlade-Chamberlain may be rewarded with a start after a good second-half performance, and Alexis, who was anonymous, will be back on the left. This is a fluid enough attack to take on the Leicester City defence, who are likely to sit deep in anticipation of a counter.
The tactical mistakes of last week – trying to play out of the back with no clear distributor – should be fixed with the introduction of Koscielny and Xhaka/Cazorla, and a disciplined yet fluid performance should be enough to carry Arsenal over the line.
