Arsenal: Best starting XI when everyone is fit

Central Midfield

Lucas Torreira is still Arsenal’s best defensive midfielder. He may have limitations in possession, but his defensive instincts, quickness and range mean he is the ideal shield in front of the back four. Currently absent with an ankle injury, at his sharpest, the Uruguayan is an utter nuisance for the opposition, in the best possible manner. No other midfielder provides the athleticism and defensive cover that Torreira does. He is a must-start.

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Alongside Torreira, Arsenal need a deep-lying playmaker. Granit Xhaka has improved drastically under Mikel Arteta, but his role is a slanted left-sided midfield one that greatly protects his more grievous shortcomings. With Kieran Tierney in the team, Xhaka would be tasked with a more orthodox central midfield position. This makes him more susceptible to the high press and asks him to cover more ground against the counter-attack. Not good.

Dani Ceballos would be a much more capable option. He provides 90% of Xhaka’s passing ability without being targetted by the high press thanks to his excellent dribbling skills. He is the most Santi Cazorla-like player in the squad, something that Arsenal desperately need.

The third midfielder is Mesut Ozil. I would love to include Matteo Guendouzi, but that would require pushing Ceballos into a more advanced role, where he has struggled. Ozil is still Arsenal’s best creator, and while his production has tailed off this season, he has been neat and tidy under Arteta with smart touches to protect the ball and accurate passing to progress play.