Arsenal: 10-step summer plan to solve team

Switch to a 4-3-3

Many of these steps are geared towards a foundational change in formation. Moving on from Mesut Ozil. Reinvesting heavily in central midfield. Signing a more athletic, deeper-lying, ball-carrying midfielder. These would all make sense only if Mikel Arteta was to change formation, especially the structure of his central midfield.

With no Ozil in the team, Arteta could pivot into the system that Pep Guardiola has used so brilliantly at Manchester City: one holding player with two half-eights flanking them — think David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne on the left and right of Fernandinho or Rodri. Ozil does not have the legs to play a deeper, half-eight role, but Aouar and Ceballos do. With Joe Willock, Emile Smith Rowe and Matteo Guendouzi all present too, depth would not be an issue here.

This then leaves one holding player rather than two. Thus far, Arteta has used Granit Xhaka and either Lucas Torreira or Ceballos in a double-pivot, supporting the more advanced Ozil. In an inverted triangle in midfield, with two box-to-box-type roles rather one holding and one attacking role, only one defensive midfielder would be required, which offers better balance throughout the team. The 4-3-3, then, not the 4-2-3-1 is the future of the Arsenal team.