Arsenal vs BATE Borisov: Predicted XI with all eyes on Aubameyang

Wingbacks

Without our wingbacks, we suck. Sorry, not sorry. It’s the truth. This club needs them to create chances by bombarding down the flanks and serving as wingers because without them, the inability to create chances from the midfield would be even more… pungent.

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Sead Kolasinac created seven chances in the first leg against BATE Borisov, which is just ridiculous, especially when seeing that he out-created the rest of the team combined.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles was not as useful, as he didn’t create chances, but he has definitely showcased the ability as recently as at Huddersfield, when he tallied three created chances to even outman Kolasinac’s two.

The point is, in this stretch of creative drought, they are doing so much better than anyone else on the team, barring Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who hits his downfalls in other ways, namely retaining possession and not giving the ball up every other attack.

We have to have wingbacks. There is no way around it. And until there is, we have to keep counting on them, for better or worse.

On to the midfield.