Unai Emery midfield decisions could prove pivotal against Sheffield United
If there is one area that Unai Emery must get right it is the midfield. Whoever he picks in the middle of the park will most probably determine the game’s outcome.
When Emery goes negative with three defensive midfielders negative results tend to follow. As an example, Liverpool, Man Utd and Tottenham games all had negative midfields and look what happened there.
If Emery goes with Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi and Granit Xhaka then that welcomes Sheff Utd on, in my opinion. To avoid that scenario, Emery must go with at least one creative midfielder.
Joe Willock, Dani Ceballos and Mesut Ozil are three midfielders full of vision and creativity, one must play.
It is fine having two defensive midfielders but not three, it is simply far too negative and Arsenal should never be playing negatively against a promoted team, even when away from home.
If it was up to me I would go with two creative players in Ceballos and Willock alongside Guendouzi. That means dropping Xhaka but can anyone see Emery doing that?
I cannot see the manager leaving out either Guendouzi or Xhaka so in effect, there is just one place available.
If that is the case then it has to be Dani Ceballos alongside Emery’s two favoured central midfielders.
Of course, this is mainly my own personal opinion but I would suggest most Arsenal fans are in agreement.
Playing a negative midfield is not the Arsenal way and hopefully, Emery will click on to that sooner rather than later.