Mikel Arteta must change formation to save Arsenal’s season after Crystal Palace hammering and double injury blow
WHILST there is no escaping the fact that Arsenal were outplayed by Crystal Palace, it cannot be ignored that before that, Mikel Arteta’s team had won five Premier League games in a row.
In isolation, it is logical to view the 3-0 defeat as a blip, but what is more concerning to management and fans is the injuries to key players.
Nuno Tavares looked a shadow of the player that raised hope and expectation earlier in the campaign, so the loss of such an important player as Kieran Tierney threatens to be damaging.
The left-back is now set to miss the remainder of the season.
In addition, it looks as if Arteta may be without the influential and usually calming presences of Thomas Partey, at least for the visit of Brighton this weekend.
We also do not know why Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has been pictured in training, is not yet deemed ready for selection.
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Added to that, the sheer lack of goal threat from Alexandre Lacazette must be giving March’s Manager of the Month something of a headache.
Allowing so many players to be sold or loaned in January, without replacing them, has put Arsenal in a fabulous position for the summer with a drastically reduced wage bill, but it was always a gamble.
To tempt a new star striker, Arteta will want Champions League football to offer but to finish in the top four with such a thin squad was a big ask.
Looking at his options ahead of Brighton’s visit, Arteta needs to lift his troops and come up with a plan to swiftly return to winning ways and get back into fourth.
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Considering the injuries, the shattered confidence of Tavares, and the fact that his captain is running on empty, he surely must be considering a new approach.
Arteta has enjoyed success with three centre backs in the past, winning the FA Cup in 2020 with a 3-4-2-1 formation – and I wonder if he might be tempted to consider a variation of that.
Arsenal have seldom played with two strikers in recent seasons, but from my perspective, when so weakened in the full-back areas a 3-5-2 set up looks appealing.
The system is solid against the strong teams we still have to face but also fluid and allows all of our best attacking talent on the pitch simultaneously.
It is in essence a 3-5-2 that swiftly becomes a 3-2-3-2 in attacking transition.
This allows Rob Holding to come in at the back in between Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes.
He is an old head, and I would see him replacing Lacazette as skipper on Saturday.
He only needs to defend, which we all know he does well, and we still have two ball playing centre backs, so we will not need Holding to pass long or carry the ball, which are his weaknesses.
Albert Sambi Lokonga, who looked lively and not as rusty as I expected at Selhurst Park, would play to the right of Granit Xhaka, with Martin Odegaard, just ahead, completing the central midfield three.
This allows Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe to occupy the left and right box-to-box wide midfield roles.
If Arteta wants to restore Tavares’ confidence, then he too can be considered for a wide role, with less defensive responsibility.
He is undoubtedly more of a wingback than a full-back anyway.
THE BIG CALL
This brings us to the big call, and the reason for this set up – it allows Arsenal to be solid at the back but potentially doubles our threat in the opposition penalty box, with strike partners.
Gabriel Martinelli reportedly does not see himself as a centre forward, but perhaps that view has been based on the single striker set up and the onus it puts on hold-up and link play.
Given a free role to play off and around a partner might suit the Brazilian and his high energy press would be even stronger and last longer, if he did not have to track back on the left.
The really big call though is who should partner Martinelli – and based on the energy Eddie Nketiah showed when coming on combined with Lacazette’s tired efforts, I would like to see the former start the next match.
The young Englishman has always looked like an 18-yard box predator who needs a partner to flourish, and less of a player on his own.
I recognise that many will feel this harsh on our current skipper, who has run himself ragged for the team in the past three months.
However, that is the problem, the French veteran has not just run ragged, but I fear he has run himself in to the ground.
The international break has not looked to revive him, and many have already been calling for Martinelli through the middle before the defeat on Monday.
This 3-5-2 in defence, morphing to a 3-2-3-2 I attack might just offer more potency, negate the loss of our strongest full backs, whilst keeping our most creative players all in the starting 11.
Whether this is a formation for the long-term, I am not sure.
Although I know many William Saliba supporters will favour it, but without Partey, Tierney and Tomiyasu, plus Lacazette’s lack of goals, I think it is a system that could surprise a few.