Arsenal: Xhaka-Torreira-Ramsey a problematic trio

Granit Xhaka holds a unique skillset not always akin to his defensive midfield position, how Unai Emery therefore structures a midfield to accommodate his strengths and hide his weaknesses will be key to Arsenal’s success this season.

As things stand, Granit Xhaka will go down as one of the most divisive Arsenal players of his generation. It is rare to find a player who is so highly rated by some sections of a support base and so disregarded by others.

His core strength is in controlling the pace of a game from deep, utilising an exceptional passing range that affords him the luxury of either short passes to retain possession or longer passes to spring counter attacks and a more direct style of attack. In the past players deployed as a ‘pivot’ were nearly always constructed with a skillset that prioritised excellent defensive positioning, proficiency in the tackle and general ball recovery expertise.

Whilst Xhaka possesses the requisite aggression and reading of the game, he lacks the aforementioned basics of a true holding midfielder. The catch-22 is deploying him higher up, in a box-to-box or attacking capacity, diminishes his value as he struggles with the reduced space and time, most notably the requirement of quick feet. The only option is for him to be deployed from deep.

In Lucas Torreira, Arsenal have signed the required complimentary skillset for Xhaka. Torreira is expert at ball retrieval and when combined with a defensive mind-set is perfect to offset Xhaka’s weaknesses and provide much needed balance. He even adds the energy and pressing ability which are two further accusations around Xhaka’s competency. On the face of it, deploying these two together, in deep-lying positions, as part of a 4-2-3-1 appears a well-rounded and well-constructed setup.

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However, this suggests that Aaron Ramsey would be deployed in a No. 10 role with Ozil and Mkhitaryan flanking him and Arsenal’s full backs providing width. The issue with Ramsey in such a role, as we saw in the 2013-2014 season, is that it does not lend itself to his strengths. When you consider Ramsey is about energy and running box-to-box combined with an uncanny knack of arriving late to take advantage of scoring opportunities, a number 10 role will not act as the catalyst for a high level of performance, you would never for example consider employing Frank Lampard in this type of role.

The most likely outcome is that Arsenal will deploy a 4-3-3 with Xhaka as the pivot, Ramsey in his ideal box-to-box role and Torreira in a symmetrical role with licence to hunt the ball higher up rather than waiting to intercept from deeper positions. He certainly has the aggression and energy to perform such a role whilst he has the perfect role model in N’Golo Kante who has performed a higher and more proactive role previously, despite admittedly playing in an out-an-out holding role during the most recent World Cup.

The structure of Xhaka, Torreira and Ramsey provides combativeness, energy and athleticism with a reliance on Xhaka to dictate the game from deep, it will however add pressure on Ozil and Mkhitarian as the sole creative forces from wide. Given this, one suspects we might require more creativity centrally throughout the season and in which case one of the trio will need be sacrificed.

Despite a lack of creativity within such a midfield structure, the obvious imbalance between defence and attack has been addressed with the signing of Torreira, and will introduce a defensive efficiency that will not only elevate pressure but also offer more control over games. Our new look midfield, in conclusion, is a step in the right direction however not without questions that will need answering.