Arsenal: Brave 4-4-2 the best way forward

Arsenal claimed a hugely important three points against top-four rivals Chelsea last Saturday at home. The hardworking and dedicated performance was an excellent example of what the 4-4-2 diamond can give the team.

Arsenal kept their top-four aspirations alive with a crucial victory over Chelsea Saturday at home. After a very disappointing loss and turgid performance at the London Stadium against West Ham United the week prior, it was important for the Gunners to not only claim three points but send a message. A message that Arsenal would not simply fade away into obscurity but continue to battle with other top sides until the end of the season. With all of the drama off the pitch and behind the scenes with Sven Mislintat and Mesut Ozil, it was imperative that the team calmed worries with a big result.

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Saturday’s match was a slight reversal of what Arsenal-Chelsea fixtures have been in recent times. Under Arsene Wenger, the idea of ceding 64% possession to Chelsea at home would have been laughable, but Unai Emery’s hard-working, high-pressing squad proved that they could impose themselves on the game without needing to dominate the ball. It was Chelsea that resembled those lacklustre Wengerian sides that could play intricate passes but find little to no cutting edge in the final third, not Arsenal.

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This was perhaps the most impressive defensive performance under Emery so far. Chelsea had much of the ball, especially in the second half, but the Gunners were able to remain organized and committed from front to back. The 4-4-2 diamond formation that the manager employed was spot on and highlighted important partnerships throughout the starting XI.

Most notably, the strike pairing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette was on full display. Finding a balance between the two strikers has been one of the biggest challenges facing the new manager. Emery has seldom used both strikers in their preferred position at the same time and, with the season-ending injury to Danny Welbeck, risking both strikers from the start of games is certainly a gamble. However, Saturday’s victory showed that both front men can start and the team can still remain defensively tight.

In fact, it was the unbelievable work rate and defensive commitment from the two strikers that truly set the tone for the match. For a few weeks now, fans have questioned where the high press had gone from Arsenal’s game. Against Chelsea, it returned and the two front men were at the very heart of it. The twosome’s performance was encapsulated by Lacazette’s scintillating goal and Aubameyang making one of his three tackles on Eden Hazard in Arsenal’s box.

Going forward, the two strikers dovetailed fabulously, with Lacazette providing a focal point via his ability to hold up the ball and set the tempo in the final third and Aubameyang constantly using his pace and dynamism to exploit space and commit multiple defenders. But it was their hard work and commitment without the ball that proved a two-striker system can work in north London.

After the game, Aubameyang once again reiterated his desire to play alongside Lacazette more often. There have been a few games this season where the Gabonese striker has been hardly impactful. But with only 24 touches and four completed passes Aubameyang was still able to leave an indelible mark on the game. This is because Lacazette was able to fill in the gaps that he left behind. Some fans have worried that the consecutive purchases of these two strikers was shortsighted and made without a strategy. But when the duo play like this, it is obvious that there is enough space for both in the side.

Perhaps the most important tactical development from Arsenal’s recent victory was the way the full-backs and wide midfielders worked in unison. One major issue with playing a two-striker system is the lack of wide attacking players. This weakness was offset by the impressive play of Arsenal’s full-backs. Both Sead Kolasinac and Hector Bellerin showed endeavour going forward with the former making two key passes and the latter registering an assist.  They were supported by the incredibly active Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira. Whenever the full-backs bombed forward to contribute in the attack, the wide midfielders dropped wide to assist in the organized press and cover the spaces left behind.

Although their pass accuracy was far lower than you would expect from two Arsenal midfielders, — Torreira (62%) and Guendouzi (74%) — they made up for that lack of possession-based control with hard work off the ball. The pair made 14 combined tackles, one more than Chelsea’s entire team.

Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey did not give very eye-catching performances but did their jobs incredibly well. Xhaka was able to remain disciplined and occupied the space right in front of the defence smartly. Depending on where Chelsea attacked, he was able to drift side to side to help the press. And he was protected by whatever midfielder was free, either Guendozi if Chelsea attacked down Arsenal’s right or Torreira if the attack came from the left. Aaron Ramsey showed great commitment by sticking close to Jorginho and stifling Chelsea’s main supplier, a job that Mesut Ozil probably would not or could not have done.

The best partnership on the day, however, was definitely Sokratis and Laurent Koscielny. Arsenal’s defence has been the major problem area this season. The injury to Rob Holding stole the team’s best ball-playing centre-back and, since his departure, the backline has looked far from competent. Yet, the partnership of Sokratis and Koscielny showed real signs of promise.

Koscielny has always looked better next to a natural organizer of the defence. The Frenchman put in a truly inspiring captain’s performance with some brave moments, but he has never been the most vociferous leader on the pitch, opting to lead by example rather than words. Sokratis, on the other hand, is a true defender’s defender. Not only does he relish a tackle, fist-pumping after winning a goal kick on Willian, but he is also the type of player who will remind everyone of their roles and responsibilities on the pitch, akin to Per Mertesacker, the man who Koscielny who has had the most success playing alongside.

It is unlikely that Emery will choose to play one formation for the rest of the season. The Spaniard seems acutely focused on preparing for each opponent uniquely, and until he has a few more of his own rubber-stamped players, that is probably the best way to move forward. That being said, however, the two-striker diamond midfield system has now proven very effective against both Tottenham and Chelsea.

At the moment it seems to be the best way to get the most out of the current crop of players that the manager has at his disposal. Time will tell whether Ainsley Maitland-Niles can adequately fill Bellerin’s shoes, but if he can, then the 4-4-2 diamond seems to be the Gunners’ best bet at attaining Champions League football next season.