Arsenal: Lucas Perez The Perfect Beneficiary Of Change

Lucas Perez’s agent has claimed that his client is only thinking of Arsenal. The recent tactical change from Arsene Wenger makes him the perfect beneficiary.

There are two key ways to tactically manage a football team. The first is to implement a system and the sign and develop the players that fit into that system. The second is to look at the players available to you, and then find a system that suits those players. At Arsenal, it has tended to be the former approach.

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Arsene Wenger is notoriously stubborn in his approach. He unwaveringly stands by his principles and his beliefs and is uncompromising in implementing them, with his players having to get in line. That is why his recent sweeping change to introduce a 3-4-3 system that has served Chelsea so well this season was such a surprise. It is thoroughly out of character for Wenger.

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There are many benefits for making the change. There is greater height in the team thanks to the extra centre-back, providing another defender at set pieces. There is greater defensive discipline and organisation. There is also a greater freedom in attacking areas for a select two or three players, in particular, the two who flank the central striker.

Officially classed as wingers, they are given the license to roam throughout the pitch, influencing the game wherever they see fit. With a central striker who is intelligent and equally mobile, it produces a front three that are extremely fluid and consistent in their movement, making them difficult to mark, often creating confusion in the opposing defensive ranks and thereby engineering space in the final third.

That is where Lucas Perez enters the equation. The Spaniard is exceptionally sharp in his movement in tight spaces. He has a good touch, is intelligent in linking up play and is a much a creator as he is a finisher. There have been suggestions that he may look to leave the Emirates after a frustrating first season in North London, seeing his opportunities limited throughout the year. However, his agent has stated that he is, for now, wholly focused on the club for the remainder of the year:

"“It’s not true and we haven’t been talking with anyone. Lucas has three years left on his contract with Arsenal. In the summer when the season is finished we can talk but right now we are only thinking about Arsenal.”"

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The tactical shift that Wenger made was a shock. But there are many players who could be the beneficiaries of the decision, with Perez possibly being the perfect one. Whether Wenger will ever trust him, though, is another question altogether.