Arsenal: Will Arsene Wenger ever return to comfort?

Arsene Wenger has stated that he prefers a back-four based system; he looks uncomfortable in implementing a back-three system now. Will he ever return Arsenal to what he knows and loves?

It was quite a shock when Arsene Wenger turned to a 3-4-3 system. As a stubborn, steadfast manager who rarely wavers from his foundational beliefs and philosophies, to see him adapt his formation as such a base level was surprising, to say the least.

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He said, of the decision, that it was to provide an on-pitch distraction for his players, as events and feelings off the pitch threatened to engulf the club. For the most part, it worked. Arsenal’s form did improve. But then, this season, he chose to persist with the 3-4-3 formation. That was also not expected.

And now, after three months of playing in that manner, Wenger has admitted, as many had suggested and predicted, that the back-four is his preferred system. Speaking before Sunday’s underwhelming draw with Southampton, in which he played a back-three, Wenger had this to say regarding the two different shapes:

"“I decided to play with a back four [against BATE]. It is my preferred system. But I adjust always what suits the players, the quality of the players, the balance of the team. I went to a back four as well against United as we were 2-0 down. I put on an offensive player as we had to come back. But it can change.”"

Ostensibly, reverting to a back-four-based structure — it could be a 4-2-3-1, some form of 4-4-2, whether it be a flat midfield four or diamond, 4-3-3, or even a 4-1-4-1 — is inevitable; it is a question of when not if. But that question is not one that easily answered.

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Before the initial change to a back-three against Middlesbrough, Wenger, and some of the players, revealed that they had been working on the new formation for a few weeks in training. That is sensible. It would be naive to expect players to be able to adapt, on the fly, to a new team structure without any prior work in training. Wenger must ensure that the nuances of their change in position, role and responsibility were understood, and that they could be executed when called upon.

So, presumably, that must be the case once more. If Wenger were to switch back to a back-four, it is safe to assume that he would have been working on it in training. Given that he has been quick to bring on another attacker for that third centre-half when his team is chasing a goal, I presume that such work is already being done. Moreover, as Wenger says himself, he played the system against BATE Borisov. He would not have done that without prior preparation.

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So the question of when is now. From any moment now, Wenger could return to his comfort, to what he knows and what he loves. I expect it to happen this season. In fact, I expect it to happen soon. Perhaps not on Wednesday night against West Ham United. But soon.