The Arsenal front line is rock solid, in fact, it is world-class, the defence is weak but has potential when the injured players return but the midfield is all over the place.
The thing is this, on paper Arsenal have a great midfield if Unai Emery is prepared to pick a certain three players together across the middle.
Dani Ceballos, Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira have the capabilities to resolve the lingering issues that are exposed on an almost weekly basis.
There is no link-up play between the front line and the midfield, Ceballos has the vision and creativity to solve that problem immediately.
The midfield does not help out enough at the back, both Guendouzi and Torreira can do that job, especially the Uruguayan as a holding defensive midfielder.
The only problem I see with putting Ceballos in the middle of the park is that Mesut Ozil would have to play behind the front three but in all honesty, I do not see a huge problem with that.
There was always too much focus on Ozil to be both a provider and to trackback, well, he would not have to shoulder that burden with Ceballos behind him.
Sharing the responsibility of servicing the front three would suit Ozil’s game significantly and I am convinced that if Emery plays Ceballos and Ozil together that it would work very effectively.
Then once Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding and Hector Bellerin are back for the defence we will be very close to having a top quality competitive side.
All it needs is for Emery to show some adventurism.
Emery made a brave decision by fielding Ceballos, Guendouzi and Willock in the Burnley game, but then he chickened out in Liverpool and at the Tottenham game for some reasons
Regarding Ozil and Xhaka, I believe they are still useful because both are the only left-footed central midfielder we have
Xhaka can’t play as a deep-lying playmaker because of his ineptitude in playmaking and defending, whereas Ozil shouldn’t play as a no 10 because of his lack of energy, pace, ball control and vision
However, I’d like to see them re-assigned as left half-winger or mezzala in a 4-3-3 formation
Ozil lacks vision and ball control? Hmmmmm ?
Who would have thought?
Yes be never read so much rubbish, no ball control and no vision SMFH….
@gotanidea
“Emery made a brave decision by fielding Ceballos, Guendouzi and Willock in the Burnley game, but then he chickened out in Liverpool and at the Tottenham game for some reasons”
MMM Let me think.
May be Spurs and Liverpool are a shade tougher than Burnley?
I mean ‘pool and the Spuds made the CL final.
Burnley finished 31 behind Spurs and 49 behind ‘pool.
I am just guessing of course.
What did you say again about OZIL? Everyone including those who dislike him knows what you just said is completely not true. The best thing Emery can do is to keep Willock out if his first 11. Let him always come from the bench if need be. He can have his time in cup games but not in EPL as a starter
Did i read u correctly, did you really mean to imply “VISION” or something else?
You do have some valid point but saying ozil lacks ball control and vision what game have you been seeing seriously
Don’t see where Özil fits in in a 4-3-3 with Guendouzi, Ceballos and Torreira in midfield.
Spot on with that
Ozil at home should start all games Man City and Liverpool excluded. We will have the lions share of the ball and dont need 2 defensive minded midfielders in my opinion. Play 1 holder and boss games like we used to, and with technically gifted players like Ozil and Ceballos it shouldn’t be a problem. I know I might get hammered fir this opinion and wouldn’t advocate this on the road, but the Emirates should be a fortress and we should dominate 17 of the other 19 teams there. Best wishes Paul
I really think Ceballos, Torreira and Guendouzi are our best midfield three. Hope Unai Emery starts to see this. If we had started with these three I think we would have beaten the Spuds.
To me this is the moment Arsenal have quality players from forward to midfield . But we may still lose if the coach don’t use the players wisely. With weakness in defensive position, i prefer Unai should use two defensive midfielders – Matteo and Torreira and 1 creative attacking midfielder- Cebbalos/Ozil to link the ball to our dangerous trio forward…
Willock should come from the bech to replace attacking midfielder if need is …. But for so called Captain should never appear in Epl..
Ceballos, Torreira and Guendouz Should start to play together to gel and form a strong midfield a good back three can then choose it’s self but top three has to be our top firing LAP let opposition ‘lap’ that!
Given Xhaka’s snail pace and ineptitude in defending, he is the only player that is able to play that fulcrum role around which the team is able to rotate. Guendouzi is a bit too mobile and Torreira is that hatchet man going about business and pushing play forward. I still believe Arsenal is the most fluid team in the PL playing swift passing and interchanging positions among players which makes 4-2-3-1 the best for tradition sake. 4-3-3 is for pragmatic teams with less fluidity but high level of intelligence. Emery would have to tinker for a long while given the situation which is always compelling us to have Laca, Auba and Pepe on the pitch- A reason why Sane and Marhez and Jesus sit on the bench at most times