Arsenal: Danny Welbeck paving Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang path

Danny Welbeck played a hybrid left-striker role on Sunday is Arsenal’s win over Southampton. The attacker is paving the way for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for when Alexandre Lacazette enters the fray.

Arsene Wenger implemented a slightly different formation in Sunday’s entertaining and eventful 3-2 win over Southampton. While the same, 4-2-3-1 shape was the underlying structure of the team, there was an added nuance to the Arsenal approach undertaken that was quite interesting.

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Danny Welbeck, who traditionally was fielded at the wide-left position of the three attacking-midfield players behind the lone striker, was clearly instructed to push into more advanced zones, often joining up with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in a two-striker system with Alex Iwobi and Reiss positioned a little deeper.

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Take the three goals: the first came from a Welbeck flick on the edge of the penalty area where he was stood to the right of Aubameyang; the second was a channel-stretching run by Welbeck as the most advanced player in the team; the last was a Welbeck header at the far post as he moved inside and advanced from the wide-left position. While he was formally playing left-wing, this was not the typical left-wing role for Welbeck.

It is perhaps most interesting that these remaining Premier League games offer Wenger the perfect chance to experiment a little with his team, tinkering with the tactics that he uses ahead of next season, preparing his players for approaches that he may want to replicate in the future. And this added element certainly lends itself well to the idea that Alexandre Lacazette and Aubameyang will feature alongside one another.

It is something that Wenger has hinted at. It is something that Aubameyang has stated he wants to do. It is obviously something that Lacazette is working towards as otherwise he will be resigned to a reserve and European role. Well, perhaps we just saw how it might work in action.

Wenger spoke of Aubameyang’s propensity as a left-winger, both at Borussia Dortmund prior to Robert Lewandowski’s departure and at St Etienne before he made his way at Westfallen. And he has used him in this role when they have played together so far this season with Lacazette coming off the bench. But they are yet to start a game together.

Those substitute appearances, for instance, are when Arsenal are chasing the game and need a goal. Wenger is far happier to throw on a number of strikers in search of that elusive goal. It is a very different prospect to see them start a game together.

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Nevertheless, his use of Welbeck on Sunday possibly primed us for how he will look to use Aubameyang next year. Certainly, it is a role that he could blossom in.