Don’t Expect a New System Against Leeds
When Aston Villa trounced Arsenal 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium almost two weeks ago, much scrutiny was rightfully directed at Mikel Arteta and the system he has stuck with throughout this season. To say that Arsenal’s offensive capabilities so far have been lackluster would be an understatement. The Villa match has been treated by most Arsenal fans as a turning point, a moment that would cause Arteta to carefully reconsider his strategy and make meaningful adjustments. It was thought that this current international break would give him the time to analyze the team’s shortcomings and formulate solutions for them, or at least stem the bleeding until reinforcements could be signed in January or the summer. However, the international break has only served to give the manager more problems.
Playing international games in the midst of a pandemic didn’t sound like a good idea on paper. Players leaving the bubbles of their respective clubs and domestic leagues, rendezvousing with a couple dozen or so other players who play in different leagues and different countries, then all traveling to still more countries that may or may not treat the COVID-19 pandemic with the same urgency and care as the nation they normally make their money in, before playing against yet more different groups of players for a week before all traveling back to their clubs sounds like an absolute disaster waiting to happen. And sure enough, those chickens have come home to roost. Mohamed Elneny, who was on international duty for Egypt, tested positive for COVID-19 and is unavailable for the Leeds match. The same goes for Sead Kolasinac, who also tested positive and will miss Sunday’s game. Elneny has proven to be an important player for Arteta. His absence will very likely affect Arteta’s gameplan and squad selection. Kolasinac’s absence might also prove to be a bigger blow for the manager than expected.
In addition to the unavailability of players due to COVID, there are concerns of overplaying and lack of rest for a few Arsenal players. For instance, Bukayo Saka played in all three of England’s matches during the international break. The prodigy entered the break already looking a bit run down, so it is difficult to imagine him being given a starring role against Leeds. Due to the lack of depth Arteta might end up having at his disposal, Saka could very well still feature, but it would be borderline reckless to make the 19-year-old play a full match so soon after a week of appearances for his country. Additionally, Kieran Tierney clocked 300 minutes in six days for Scotland. Tierney, who already has dealt with his fair share of injuries during his short time as a Gunner, is a likely candidate to be rested against Leeds. But the unavailability of Kolasinac and overplaying of Saka means Arteta might have to get creative in order to replace Tierney. Lastly, there is concern over Aubameyang after it broke that he and the rest of the Gabon squad were forced to sleep in an airport in Gambia during the international break. It is unlikely that the best player in the squad won’t feature against Leeds unless he is physically unable to play, but it is yet another annoying development from the past week.
And the cherry on top: Thomas Partey’s thigh injury is set to make him unavailable for Sunday. This is likely the biggest blow to Arteta’s plans. Ironically, it is also the only problem listed here not brought on by the international break. With Elneny and Partey both out this weekend, Xhaka and Ceballos stroll back into the starting lineup. It could be worse, but Arsenal’s midfield is almost definitely going to be less dynamic and pressing than it has been with Partey in the side.
The result of all these potential absences from the squad on Sunday is that Arteta likely won’t debut a new formation or set of tactics against Leeds. Given that Arsenal fans will have spent two weeks expecting something new the next time they saw their team in action, this will undoubtedly cause widespread disappointment and result in a thoroughly toxic matchday online. But the fact of the matter is that four very important players for Arteta will either be unavailable or unlikely to play the full match. Considering Partey, whom Arsenal signed specifically to allow for Arteta to deploy his squad in different formations, has already been ruled out for the game, it wouldn’t make sense for him to try something new without the Ghanaian.
Without Partey, Elneny, and Kolasinac, and with Tierney and Saka in desperate need of rest, Arteta has been backed into a corner. With the current state of the midfield and the left back position, three center backs and Ainsley Maitland-Niles playing as a left wing-back seems highly likely. With Xhaka and Ceballos being the only central midfielders available, deploying Willock as an attacking midfielder doesn’t make as much sense with the lack of dynamism and physicality that would be behind him. With Saka’s availability in question and Willian not actually being an attacking midfielder, it would make sense for Arteta to stick with a system that only requires him to play two central midfielders. In short, any new 4-3-3 system that Arteta has come up with over the international break will have to wait at least another week.
Perhaps Aubameyang will play centrally. Pepe hopefully will still start, and maybe Nelson will get a chance too. But don’t get mad when the team lines up with three at the back again. Don’t be surprised if Lacazette makes the starting XI once more. Don’t call Arteta a fraud or another Emery on Twitter when we choose to sit back against Leeds and hit them on the counter. Arteta has made some decisions that should be questioned and deserve our scrutiny. But any limitations he must deal with on Sunday aren’t his fault. And while it is up to him to make the most of the players available to him, he may be forced to do that through less-than-popular means. Arteta should still move away from the current system over the coming weeks, and it looks like that is his intention as well if certain transfer rumors are to be believed. But for now, let’s just hope that the 3-4-3 can work its magic one more time.
