Arsenal: Matteo Guendouzi needs the system to find him

Arsenal’s midfielder has some solid, reliable options, but now the trick is figuring out how best to use them all. Namely Matteo Guendouzi, who needs a better set-up.

Arsenal saw the best of Matteo Guendouzi early on in this season, against two of the best teams in the business. He shot out to the lead in the entire Premier League in ball-winning plays and it proved, ridiculously early into his tenure, that the Gunners had notched a steal.

I think it’s safe to say we were all thrilled with Lucas Torreira, but few could have expected to see Guendouzi stealing the starting role and not letting up, even in the face of the best of the best opposition.

He’s faded sense, but the fact still remains that he is a player who could and probably should be starting for the Gunners. The problem isn’t in what he brings to the table, but rather in the system that Unai Emery is employing.

As it stands, with the 4-2-3-1, it’s important to maximize the base two midfielders. Guendouzi, with his lack of attacking prowess and his lack of positional awareness (maybe his only two weaknesses) doesn’t fit into that pairing very well.

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You put him with Granit Xhaka, and the defense is exposed. You put him with Lucas Torreira, and the offense is exposed. It’s no easy solution, figuring out how best to fir Guendouzi into this. You can’t rightly move him up in the formation either, because of that lack of attacking instinct.

No, the 4-2-3-1 just doesn’t favor Guendouzi and the style of play that he brings. A 4-3-3, however, would. In a 4-3-3, with Torreira back, Guendouzi would have the freedom to do as he wishes, providing cover for defense and free roaming to his heart’s content.

The problem, though, is that the club really can’t afford a 4-3-3 at the moment, because that, in turn, cuts back on the attack unnecessarily. Right now, the Gunners primary weapon, perhaps their only weapon, is their ability to pump home goals with gusto. Cutting that back in the hopes that stabilizing then midfield does more for the overall benefit of the team seems a bit like fixing what isn’t broken.

As such, the best that can happen right now if for Guendouzi to be patient. I do think he is going to be replaced soon, but that’s okay. Unai Emery is still in the midst of an experiment. The chance will come back around again.