Arsenal predicted lineup vs Slavia Prague: Bukayo Saka at left-back?

Forwards

Bukayo Saka (RW) – Is he going to be fit? When a hamstring problem keeps you out for the best part of three weeks it’s always a concerning matter. Saka shouldn’t have been risked against West Ham when he clearly wasn’t ready, but this is the crucial fixture so if he’s all well then it will be forgotten about.

Without his technical ability in that area of the pitch Arsenal can’t wrestle any control or keep their structure. At left-back he’d add another dimension but Arteta will continue with his right foot/left foot flank combinations.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (ST) – Aubameyang has worked out on the left wing before. Stating he never succeeded there is false. However, as it is, nothing is coming off, not with this formation and setup.

Put him back in at centre-forward. Slavia Prague have just one fit senior centre-back, 20-year-old David Zima, and the opportunity to get at an undesired pairing in the heart of defence has to be exploited. Let Aubameyang occupy one or both at the same time and account for the wide players drifting in – the sort of system that was worked under Arteta.

He will get chances to score in this match and it’s about ensuring he’s as well placed as he can be to convert them.

Nicolas Pepe (LW) – If Emile Smith Rowe is fit then he takes up this slot. Ideally with Aubameyang as the striker getting all the technical bodies behind him will be the course of action, and for that reason Willian could be fielded on the left, but Arteta likes having a left and right footer balance on the flanks (even if a right footer at left-back isn’t ideal).

Nicolas Pepe needs a big performance against Slavia Prague, even if he was the ‘liveliest’ of forwards against Liverpool – that doesn’t mean he played well – and their makeshift back four is there to be got at.