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After nearly twenty-two years at the helm, Arsene Wenger has gone. The man who has defined their club in recent history has left to mixed reception all around. Arsenal are in unfamiliar territory and Unai Emery is the man they have picked to guide them through it.
Emery has a winning pedigree and the Spaniard will hope that trophies will come, just like they did in Paris and Seville. He has made a string of signings since his arrival, many of which were received well by the supporters.
A major upgrade was done in goal as Bernd Leno was signed, replacing the ageing Petr Cech. Stephan Lichsteiner and Sokratis Papastathopoulos were recruited from Juventus and Borussia Dortmund respectively to bolster the defense.
Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira came from Sampdoria, a player who impressed hugely in Italy. Emery will hope that these new signings will mesh well with the January coup of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Gunners have numerous combinations which they can deploy and Emery will be desperate to find out the right one. On that note, here are 3 ways in which Arsenal can line up next season.
#3 Emery's tried and tested 4-3-3
Emery has favoured a 4-3-3 system in his spells in Seville and Paris, and he has used that to a good extent in Arsenal's preseason as well.
The defense will most likely consist of Nacho Monreal, Sokratis, Shkodran Mustafi and Hector Bellerin. Injuries to Sead Kolasinac and Laurent Koscielny will surely cement this backline for the near future.
The highly-rated Torreira will take up the midfield anchor role, flanked on either side by two out of Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka, and Mohamed Elneny. Ramsey is an important figure in the squad so his presence will be highly likely. Elneny would provide better defensive cover than Xhaka, but lesser playmaking abilities.
Aubameyang, Lacazette, and Ozil will complete the lineup by forming an unorthodox attacking trident. Neither one out of Ozil and Aubameyang hugs the touchline like a winger, so the onus will be on Bellerin and Monreal to bomb forward whenever needed.
This formation could use Arsenal's two strikers effectively, as Aubameyang will be able to get into central positions where he is at his lethal best. Ozil is also a player who likes to drift inward to dictate play which makes the roles of the full-backs all the more significant.
Both Bellerin and Monreal have played as wing-backs before and they do possess the stamina and pace to cope up with the dual responsibility. Torreira will play very deep in this system, which will act as cover in the wide areas while facing a counter-attack.
#2 The archetypal 4-2-3-1
The 4-2-3-1 has been the dominant formation in recent times.
Emery can divert to this system as well, one which has paid dividends for his predecessor Arsene Wenger. The back four will be the same, and so will be most of the personnel.
Torreira will yet again marshall the midfield, and he will be accompanied by one of Elneny or Xhaka. Elneny will be more suitable for a double pivot due to his defensive capabilities and he could be used in big games to provide the extra bite in midfield.
Ozil can thrive in this formation, getting a free 'number 10' role. Aubameyang can again be shifted to the wing, along with either Ramsey or Mkhitaryan on the other side. Lacazette will be the striker again, though he can be replaced by Aubameyang to give way to better defensive work on the wings.
This will be a better defensive outfit as the duo of Torreira and Elneny/Xhaka will be harder to penetrate than a midfield three. The onus will be on the full-backs yet again to provide the width, but less so compared to the 4-3-3.
#3 Three at the back: 3-5-2
Chelsea romped to the title two seasons ago with a three-man defense, and Arsenal tried to emulate that with mixed results.
Emery will have numerous players who have an idea of this formation, especially the wing-backs, who are crucial to the system. Bellerin and Kolasinac can be deployed, moving the versatile Monreal into the center-back spot.
Kolasinac's injury can present problems early on, but the likes of Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Monreal himself can fill the void. Due to the extra man in defense, Torreira can handle the defensive responsibilities alone, giving way to Ramsey and Ozil to carry the creative burden.
Aubameyang and Lacazette can head the attack, who can potentially form a lethal partnership. This system will need some time to set in, given the manager and some players will need to adapt to it.
But this system can pay dividends, as it is one which on paper seems the best fit for Aubameyang and Lacazette. Vital cogs Ozil and Ramsey also get their favoured roles and the extra man in defence will provide stability. Emery has not tried this out yet but surely it is one to ponder upon.
