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One Defensive Change Arsenal Must Make Against Manchester United

ByJosh Sippie|

With Laurent Koscielny down with a hamstring injury, Arsene Wenger faces an unenviable task ahead. Per Mertesacker may be a very qualified defender. Yet his lack of pace will cost Arsenal dearly against Manchester United, who boast the speed of Anthony Martial, Memphis Depay and Ashley Young. Plus, after seeing what this Arsenal defense did, or rather failed to do, against Olympiakos, changes must be made to compensate. And I don’t mean changes as in Koscielny’s injury.

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Like Arsenal, Manchester United is not a tall team. Marouane Fellaini is a tall fellow, hair and all, but one man does not merit the need to start Per Mertesacker.

Instead, Arsene Wenger should deploy Nacho Monreal next to Gabriel Paulista and allow Kieran Gibbs to play again at left back. This imbues the Arsenal defense with speed without sacrificing defensive instincts. With Koscielny unavailable, Arsenal must compensate, or overcompensate if need be. United is not a team that is going to beat you through the air.

United’s recent success has come at the feet of some expert dribbling and deft runs. Per Mertesacker can be exposed against such opponents.

Luckily for Wenger, should he opt for this method, Monreal has already spent time at center back for Arsenal during the Gunners moments of desperation on the back line. All of that out-of-position playing may finally be able to pay dividends. That is, if Arsene Wenger enacts a tactical change and does not send out the German.

Arsenal already have trouble on set pieces. Leaving out Mertesacker is not going to affect us much more than the problems we already have. Plus, Monreal is no slouch in the physicality department. He can out-muscle borderline guys like Daley Blind.

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This is a big test for Arsenal. They could come out as the high-flying attack but vulnerable defense that put down the surging Leicester City. That attack will be more than capable of piercing United’s defense. While solid, no defense can keep out Arsenal offense when it is clicking. The big question is if it will be clicking or not.

Defensively, Arsenal need something new.

They may have to accept that goals are going to be scored against them. Having Petr Cech back in goal will be a boon, but there are still so many questions along that back line. Although it is difficult to chalk it up as anything more than problems with communications or with tactics. The manpower on the back line is perfectly able.

Nacho Monreal at center back is a long shot to hope for. But it would give me a lot more confidence against such an attack than having Mertesacker back there.

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