'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Arsenal failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in Arsene Wenger’s reign and the North London outfit will be eager to get back into the competition that they hold so dear to their ambitions.
Wenger has shown that he is willing to change by employing a different transfer philosophy this time around. The club have so far secured the signings of Sead Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette early in the transfer window, and while the former arrived on a free transfer from Schalke, the latter was signed for a club record fee from Lyon.
This is in stark contrast to how the Gunners have been operating in the transfer window in recent years, when they would wait late in the transfer window to try and sign a player not wanted by a bigger club on the cheap.
Not only that, towards the end of last season, the Gunners changed their formation from Wenger’s preferred 4-2-1-3 to a more unorthodox 3-4-2-1 and the change yielded huge dividends with the Emirates Stadium outfit losing only one game out of the last 10 with the new system.
During the pre-season also, Wenger stuck with the new three-man defence and won 4 out of the 6 games that they contested in, while losing two games against Chelsea and Sevilla.
The North London outfit are set to take on Chelsea in the Community Shield next Sunday and here is how the Gunners can line-up for that game and the upcoming season ahead.
Goalkeeper – Petr Cech
With the sale of Wojciech Szczesny to Juventus, it is clear that Wenger is trusting Petr Cech to be the number 1 at the club for at least the next two seasons. While David Ospina remains at the club to challenge the Czech, it is being reported that the Colombian will be allowed to leave in the ongoing transfer window to allow Emiliano Martinez to work as Cech’s understudy.
The 35-year-old was subject to criticism in the first part of last season for conceding some soft goals but he answered his critics with some solid performances towards the end of last season and Arsenal will be hoping he continues his form from last season.
Defence – Shkodran Mustafi, Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal
With Arsenal shifting to three-at-the-back, the need for having full-backs in the lineup is completely eliminated and this allows Wenger to field Monreal – who has slowly but surely lost a yard of pace – in his back line alongside Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi.
Koscielny has long been Arsenal’s best defender and is also entrusted with the captain’s armband if and when Per Mertesacker doesn’t make it to the starting lineup. With the German already announcing that he will be retiring at the end of the season, it is expected that he will be playing only a bit-part role this season.
Mustafi arrived at the Emirates Stadium outfit in a deal which cost the Gunners in excess of £35 million and although he enjoyed a decent start to the season, he struggled with injuries towards the latter part of the season and failed to help the team qualify for the Champions League.
Gabriel is another option that Arsene Wenger has and the Brazilian had shown signs of improvement towards the end of last season before suffering a ligament injury. Rob Holding is another option that the North London outfit have and he can be expected to deputize for Koscielny if and when the Frenchman needs to be rested or is unavailable.
Midfield – Hector Bellerin, Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka and Sead Kolasinac
The 3-man defence allows Arsenal to field a midfield double pivot along with two wing-backs. In all certainty, Hector Bellerin will be the man trusted with the right wing-back role, with his blistering pace allowing him to be a force in attack while also allowing him to provide cover defensively.
Sead Kolasinac’s arrival from Schalke has boosted Arsene Wenger’s options on the left flank, with Kieran Gibbs and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also present in the squad to help out, as and when required. The Bosnia and Herzegovina international is expected to be the first-choice left wing-back and he will provide defensive cover to the team while also helping the team in attacks with his incisive crossing.
Wenger fiddled a lot with his midfield double pivot last season before settling for Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka as his two first-choice options. The duo have formed a good understanding and have started to work in tandem to help the attackers in causing trouble to the opposition defences.
However, if the Gunners opt for a change in formation then the duo may not be seen working together and Wenger might be forced to opt for one of Mohamed Elneny or Francis Coquelin – both more defensive minded players.
Arsenal also have Jack Wilshere’s services to call upon, with the English midfielder returning from his season long loan at Bournemouth. The Gunners do also have Santi Cazorla in their ranks – arguably their best midfielder but the Spaniard’s future is currently uncertain as he tries to recover from an ankle injury which has kept him sidelined for the better part of 9 months. There is no expected return date for Cazorla too and it is a possibility that he may never play again, sadly.
Attack – Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Alexandre Lacazette
Arsenal are currently overstaffed in the forward department with as many as 8 options to choose from. A few departures are expected but that still leaves the Gunners with an ample number of attacking players to choose from.
However, if Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil do stay – as seems likely right now – then the Gunners will have a front three of Sanchez, Ozil and club record signing Alexandre Lacazette.
Ozil and Sanchez will be seen operating in the hole behind the striker with the former operating down the right, while the latter operating in his preferred left position. Lacazette will take some time to develop chemistry with his new teammates but once he is settled in, expect him to bury the chances created by those behind him.
Apart from the preferred front three, Wenger will most likely have Danny Welbeck, Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott and Alex Iwobi to choose from and call upon as and when required, i.e., if Lucas Perez is sold and Chuba Akpom loaned out.
