Leeds Vs Arsenal. How the game will play out

 By 1970's Gooner

This game has become very important for both teams as it is coming right after they both suffered heavy defeats in their previous game prior to the international break. 

Arteta needs to not only worry as to who to pick in midfield in the absence of Thomas Partey but more importantly to bring back the vibrancy and energy in the players that was so evidently missing against Villa. 

If this does not materialise then it will not matter a single bit as to who will play in midfield or what formation he will pick. Or indeed as to whether Aubameyang will play through the middle with Willock providing the 'creativeness' that so many 'experts' decided that this is what has been missing. Aubameyang scored all those goals last season playing from the left and without Willock in the side may I remind you...

As far as the team formation and players to be picked is concerned Arteta should stick with the three at the back in a 3 4 3 system. Ainsley Maitland Miles should replace Saka as the latter has been overplayed by Southgate running the risk of burn out and injuries. AMN's selection I feel will also fall in line with the tactics that Arteta should follow. 

Leeds play a full of running attacking oriented game and the best strategy will be to adopt a more cautious approach (but not like Arteta played at City in which the team were overcautious) hitting them fast and at the spaces they tend to leave behind when their full backs roam forward. That's why AMN will be more effective when we are without the ball. And similarly Bellerin on the other side.

Arteta needs also to realise that Willian is not doing it at the moment (will he ever do it?). We can't carry passengers and we need to get the best available players out on the pitch. The same goes, of course, for Aubameyang and for Lacazette although I would start with both and have Nketia on the bench as I believe he can be an impact substitute. Pepe should also start, he is bound to play better than Willian, but only because Saka needs to be rested. 

Arteta may think about changing the formation to make it more offensive if we need to chase the game or score the winning goal, by getting Willock on the pitch (as well as Saka and Nketia). He can go to a 4 2 3 1 formation taking one of the 3 central defenders out and placing Willock in the middle of the 3 as a number 10.

Do all the above and the score will be Leeds 1 Arsenal 3.

Leno

Holding Gabriel Tierney 

Bellerin Ceballos Xhaka AMN

Pepe Lacazette Aubameyang

How will Arteta fit Aouar in the starting 11?

By 1970's Gooner

It has been argued that Aouar is the missing link in Arteta's Arsenal revolution. He is the player that will provide the creative spark in the middle of the park that is apparently missing. He has also been touted as the equivalent of what K.D. Bruyne is to Man City.

However if he does eventually come to Arsenal and Arteta gives him a place in the starting 11 then this has implications primarily for Ceballos who is the more creative player currently in the squad. 

Furthermore Aouar does not really have a defensive element in his armoury. He is more like an Eden Hazard in built and technical skills which should excite us gooners no end.

However this implies that Arteta can either keep the same formation of 3 4 3 and have one pure holding player in front of the defence with Aouar given a free license to roam or he may have to change formation in order to accommodate him and keep some solidity.

This formation will probably be a 4 2 3 1 where he will play as a number 10 when Arsenal are on the offensive. This will allow for retaining the two more defensive midfielders in front of the defence and add a more offensive nature in the team. 

Leno

Bellerin  Luiz  Gabriel  Tierney

Elneny Xhaka

Saka  Aouar Aubameyang

Lacazette

(I personally think that Willian needs to be dropped as he has been awful in the last two games).

It does however mean that there will be less cover in defence with a flat four. This can be compensated by one of the defensive midfielders dropping in the back four when we are defending and by at least one of the full backs staying behind when we are attacking. 

Revealed: How Arteta will teak his tactics and formation to fit Willian in

 By 1970's Gooner

A lot of journalists and of course fans have been wondering how Willian will fit in in an Arsenal side which, offensively wise, has finished the season pretty well, beating among others Manchester City in the semi and Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

In those games Pepe has shown improvement in both his attacking displays playing out on the right wing of a three pronged attack in a 3 4 3 formation and also attending to his defensive duties with diligence.

But if we assume that all of Arsenal's first and second choice attacking players are kept on the books for the coming season then Pepe would be the most likely choice to make way IF Arteta does decide that he will choose Willian as a first choice over Pepe. 

But in my opinion Arteta will tend to use Willian in a variety of ways.

Firstly, in a 3 4 3 system he will keep Aubameyang on the left side as he has shown how effective he can be from there coming in towards the middle. Lacazette will be dropping slightly back to receive the ball and distribute it forwards as he has done so well this season. So under such a system Willian will be in direct competition with Pepe and whoever is injured or lacking in form will be on the bench. In this way the one can be a substitute for the other late in the game.

But another way that Arteta can fit Willian in is by changing his formation to a 4 2 3 1 system where Aubameyang, Willian and Pepe will be the 3 and Lacazette up front. In this way Willian will play a more central attacking role adding his positive, forward dribbling and running game and feeding the other three the through balls required.

I can see this formation being used much more often in the coming season especially at home against opposition that may sit back and thus require us to use creativeness, imagination and direct dribbling to unlock them. 

Indeed Arteta can start a game with a 3 4 3 system and if he needs to push the team more forward to change the game in order to equalise or get the winner he can move to a more offensive 4 2 3 1. Alternatively if he starts with the 4 2 3 1 system he can revert to the 3 4 3 if he needs to hold a score and see the game out.

Thus Willian will offer Arteta something more than the much needed experience, guile and forward thrust.

Flexibility.

Are Arsenal a mid table team?

By 1970's Gooner

There were two main problems that contributed to the defeat against Man City. 

The first was that Arteta decided to play a very young and inexperienced side which was not able to contain the City players especially De Bruine. 

This was very evident in the middle of the park where Guendouzi, Willock and Ceballos were simply not good enough. Xhaka may have made a difference but not a significant one in my opinion. 

In attack Nketiah and Saka were unable to make inroads but you could say they were not supported by the midfield who were running around chasing the much more agile and mobile City players.

The second was that the team were carrying two players who were not even trying and looked disinterested throughout. And they were experienced players who were supposed to show the way and support the youngsters. 

Luiz was as awful as he was in the Brentford game (no wonder Arteta started without him). Aubameyang was really somewhere else. Can you imagine how awful our midfield would have been if Ozil was also playing?

No wonder we got the customary 3 0 thrashing that a mid table team would customarily get from City. Unless there is a significant amount of money invested in the team esp in defence we will remain a mid table team. Just like most of Kroenke's franchises in the USA.

There were two bright spots however. Leno is really growing in stature and was immense. We are likely to loose him albeit for a lot more money than we paid for him. The other is Tierney who will, I think, be a huge success at Arsenal. 

Arsenal are likely to penny pinch again

By 1970's Gooner

Arsenal are likely to curtail their transfer budget for the up coming transfer window whenever that may come of course.

It is a fact that Aubameyang is refusing to sign an extension to his contract. This means that he is likely to see how this season ends and if Arsenal do not qualify for the CL, as seems probable, will look to move elsewhere. 

Arsenal cannot allow his contract to run out during his final season as the amount of transfer money to be obtained will be that much smaller. So selling the player at the end of this season looks very likely. The transfer money will also be a lot less as the coronavirus effect on match takings and commercial sales begin to take their toll on all the clubs.

What does this mean? The next transfer budget will be a lot smaller and will most probably be a proportion of the transfer money for Aubameyang.

The emphasis is likely to be shifted to improving the performance of the existing squad in the main and promoting the promising youngsters from the youth academy. Something that Wenger pursued during the difficult, financially speaking, years for the building and paying for the Emirates.

Players like Martinelli will get more chances to prove himself alongside Lacazette for example. Others like Willock, Maitland Niles, Guendouzi, Nelson, Smith Row, Nketiah and of course Pepe will get extended runs. Saliba will be also arriving as well as Pablo Mari and Cedric who are likely to stay.

Some may call it penny pinching. But it looks inevitable.

The four options for right back and Arterta's likely choice

By 1970's Gooner

Arsenal players and coaching staff are gearing up for the Brighton away game. The postponement of the City game has provided a further respite for players with niggling injuries such as Bellerin who has been suffering lately and also Cedric who is now back into full training.

Arteta has four options for the right back position if you add Maitland Niles on the list. 

I don't really think however that he will be selected for this game as he hasn't been in Arteta's game squads recently. It seems that Arteta is not convinced that he is showing the right attitude in training to really challenge for this position.

This is what Arteta said about his situation:
"Ainsley needs to put his head down, work hard and show me every day in training he wants it more than anybody else and that he wants to play for this club and fight for his place." 

The other option is to blood in Cedric for his Arsenal debut. I don't think however that Arteta will do so as Cedric is only now back in full training and he may want to improve his match fitness especially in U23s games.

Bellerin would be the best option of course but he has had his problems since returning from his long term injury.  Arteta said: "Hector has been having some discomfort for a few months, he has been trying to deal with it all the time, his attitude to try and play and be available has been great and there is nothing new."

This leaves Socrates as the only viable option at the moment who has been doing ok at this position although he does lack pace when faced with a fast winger.

As a result Pablo Maris would get another run at centre back alongside Luiz.

I blame Arteta not Mustafi

By The Coach,

Mustafi is a walking disaster. Everyone knows that except Arteta. Hasn't he seen any of Arsenals games last season? Hasn't he realised that this man is a huge liability to put on the pitch?

If Socratis wasn't available, which I don't know if he was, then why oh why hasn't he put in Holding?

For crying out loud Mustafi should be got rid off not starting an away game at Chelsea.

Arteta's judgement I am beginning to doubt.....