Leave a Comment / By afc.breakdown10
Arsenal have now gone 4 games without an open play goal and the lack of good chances we create is a huge concern.
The failure to progress the ball through midfield and have sustained periods of possession in the opposition half is clear to see.
Picking a front 3 that combined to good effect was something Arsene Wenger often got right. A front 3 of Auba, Lacazette and Willian looks to lack the balance to spearhead a functional attacking system.
Here’s why:
Lacazette:
The Frenchman is in poor form and his athleticism is seemingly in decline. No doubt with the way Arteta wants to press, it’s a physically demanding role and he works hard to his credit. However, he often fades physically early on in games and commits needless, frustrating fouls.
Lacazette often finds himself dropping too deep and offers no threat in behind. Ultimately, he’s been nowhere near clinical enough to warrant being a regular starter.
Willian:
Willian has had a slow start to his AFC career, with his only goal contributions coming with 2 assists vs Fulham on the opening day.
For a side lacking in goals having 2/3 players who are both declining physically and have poor goal scoring records isn’t ideal.
Willian however, does offer a degree of technical security which Mikel Arteta admires, maybe a role slightly deeper where he can aid our ball progression, but not having to rely upon him for G/A could be an option.
Auba:
Last season Auba outscored his xG from the left, thanks to some sublime finishes. Over the long run this was never going to be sustainable.
On the left hand side Auba seems wasted. Images of Auba slotting balls through to 32 year old Willian at Anfield last month still haunt me.
Moving Auba to CF seems like the obvious solution. It gets him in better positions, nearer the box where his main strengths lay.
Auba’s clever runs off the shoulder of the CBs poses a great threat and creates space for other players to occupy the half spaces.
This move would also mean we can utilize another ball carrier on the left hand side, which will help with our ball progression and pinning the opposition back into their half.
Without doubt Arsenal will be looking to strengthen their attacking midfield options come January, which will help with chance creation. But until we strengthen, Mikel Arteta needs to find internal solutions.
Solutions
Mikel Arteta loves structure. Our attacking structure has consisted of 5 lanes of attack.
Solution 1: (4-2-3-1):
Saka, Auba, Pepe is a more balanced front 3. We would sustain attacks better and as a 3 would have greater goal contributions.
Saka on the left provides the width.
Willian can drift into the left half space created by Saka. They combined and interchanged to good effect in the 2nd half against Sheffield Utd when we switched to a 4-2-3-1 and I’m surprised we haven’t seen it since. Willian is a player clearly admired by Arteta so I wouldn’t be surprised to keep seeing him in the starting XI.
Pepe can drift inside, and adopt similar positions to Salah at Liverpool. He looks so dangerous cutting in on his left foot in and around the box. In a structured system which we have been seeing under Arteta, the unpredictability Pepe gives us is vital. For Pepe to thrive he needs to be given a consistent run of games, which hopefully he can get after the international break. If he does Arsenal will score lots more goals, after Auba he’s our biggest goal threat.
Pepe tucking inside creates the space for Bellerin to provide width down the right hand side. He’s already got a couple of assists this season and looks to be back to his best.
Elneny drops into the space vacated by Bellerin, to provide an option on the ball and to stop the counter. Mo has the legs our other midfielders lack (bar Partey) and has been impressive receiving the ball from our CBs while playing out from the back.
Tierney can be a touch more disciplined with his position. He’s got the vision to play clever passes into the likes of Willian and Auba and combine well with Saka.
Solution 2: (4-3-3):
A more conventional 4-3-3 similar to which Man City used when Mikel was assistant manager.
Saka and Pepe stay wide and create space for the two number 8s to occupy the half spaces. By switching play quickly, we can isolate either with opposition full backs, with both possessing impressive 1v1 qualities.
Willock has been impressive in the Europa League and makes clever late runs into the box, similar to Aaron Ramsey. Mikel Arteta admitted Willock is a different profile to all the other midfielders we have in the squad. His runs off the ball create space for others and can be a goal threat himself.
It would be very interesting to see Dani Ceballos play as a genuine number 8. He even admitted himself that is his preferred position. For the majority of his time at Arsenal he’s been utilised deeper, but from an attacking sense I feel like he has the intelligence to find pockets and has got goals in his locker.
Partey will be key in this system. He has the physical attributes to cover ground and prevent counters. He also has the vision and range of passing to find players in pockets. Partey reads the game exceptionally well, intercepting passes and getting us up the pitch with the way he carries the ball forward. Complete midfielder. Xhaka may find it difficult to be a regular starter for AFC in the future.
Reiss Nelson is a player I belive could play a key role in this team on either wing, and has been unfortunate not to be included in recent sqauds. He has great combination play and links play well, something that has been missing in this side.
After the international break I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mikel Arteta play Auba through the middle, which would improve the balance of the team greatly. Balance in football is so crucial, in the short term we’re not going to be a team that scores lots of goals, but we’re capable of scoring more than we currently do.