Arsenal: Lucas Perez Brings Vital Tactical Flexibility

Arsenal’s latest striking addition, Lucas Perez, brings a vital tactical flexibility, offering a far different threat to Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez.

For a long time, Arsene Wenger has been wholly inflexible with his team selection and his team setup. When injuries have not said otherwise, the Arsenal side has always possessed continuity, both in the players that play and the way that they play. While such an approach is successful for a side head and shoulders above the opposition, for a good but not great team like Wenger’s, this inflexibility hindered their chances.

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Specifically, Wenger was unwavering on his want to dominate possession. No matter the opposition, Le Prof would never set his side up to concede possession but look to threaten on the counter. Wenger preferred to control the tempo of the game, and he believed that the best way to do this was through controlling the ball.

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Against lesser sides, such a tactic works wonderfully. The building pressure of seemingly unending attacks eventually pays dividends while the opposition lack a threat on the counter due to their lesser quality. Such an approach does not have the same success against teams with greater quality in attacking areas. The Gunners were pummeled repeatedly by the likes of Liverpool, both Manchester clubs and Chelsea as they struggled to contain their dangerous counter attacks.

Now, though, Wenger has a weapon that provides him with tactical flexibility, and he has in recent seasons showed signs that he is willing to use it. £17 million addition Lucas Perez has been primarily bought to provide competition for long time centre-forward Olivier Giroud. While the former Deportivo man certainly does this, he also brings far more to the table.

Unlike the taller, stronger Giroud, who prefers to play with his back to goal, holding up play, attacking crosses and bringing others into play, Perez’s threat comes through his pace. He, like fellow transfer target Jamie Vardy, likes to play on the shoulder of the defense, looking to run in behind, rather than drop deep and receive the ball to feet like Giroud or Alexis Sanchez, another player who has enjoyed time as the central striker this season.

This difference in style was evidently clear on Tuesday night, especially in his second goal, and the tactical versatility that it brings Wenger has been noted by former Arsenal striker Alan Smith:

"“It was good to see him do well and it was good to see him causing damage through the middle. On his debut he was drifting into the harmless areas but that might have been a confidence thing. The goals will certainly boost his morale. [Alexis] Sanchez has been playing as a false nine, so Perez definitely gives them another option. He’s a strong boy, you saw that with the solo goal he scored. He won’t get bullied and he’s got a bit of pace about him. It’s a contrast to what they had already and that’s what they needed. He might be a late developer but he’s a good option for Arsene Wenger.”"

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Arsenal are now a multi-faceted attack. They can play on the break, they can look to dominate possession with a false-nine and midfield runners or can get the ball wide and target the aerial dominance of Giroud. Such a variety of attacking weapons makes this team far more dangerous. Lets hope Wenger continues to rotate his attacking stars for the specific opponent, starting with Chelsea this weekend.