Arsenal: 10-step summer plan to solve team

Entrust defensive midfield to Lucas Torreira

Mikel Arteta seemingly fell out of love with Lucas Torreira in a double-pivot. The Uruguayan slipped out of the starting line-up in the latter weeks before the recent suspension of play as Arteta turned to a more distributing pair in Granit Xhaka and Ceballos. However, with a formation change yielding just one holding player, Torreira should be entrusted to man the position once again.

Xhaka does not have the range, mobility, first touch and awareness when receiving the ball, or the attention to danger to play in a lone holding role. He needs the support of another. Torreira, while more limited in possession, is superb out of it. He is a game-wrecker, and with the number 10′ starting position now deeper, the need for a distributor at the base of the midfield is not so great. Torreira can play simply and effectively, which is what he is superb at.

Torreira is terrier-like. He is quick across the ground, he snaps into challenges, winning almost two-thirds of his attempts, and he reads danger superbly, averaging two interceptions per 90 minutes, more than any player in the squad who has played more than 100 minutes — he makes almost triple the number of interceptions as Xhaka. He only turned 24 this season and is yet to reach his prime. The defensive midfield position should be entrusted to him.