Arsenal have no place for Willian against Slavia Prague – or anywhere

Mikel Arteta’s intended Arsenal lineup to face Slavia Prague in the Europa League was thrown a few curveballs with the electric performances of a few of his stars against Sheffield United. Surely having an idea in his head immediately after the first leg, he’ll now be furiously scratching.

Gabriel Martinelli was superb on his return to the starting lineup; Alexandre Lacazette ensured a recovered captain has his work cut out; Granit Xhaka showed Cedric how it’s done at left-back; Calum Chambers balanced his duties expertly and Dani Ceballos put on arguably his best showing of the season.

What about Willian, then?

Mikel Arteta’s mistake was not solely selecting the Brazilian for the first leg, but indeed who he played alongside. For a forward who never ventures into the box and will only rarely attack space either side of the 18-yard area, he does not suit a striker who favours having an opposition defence in front of him.

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Arsenal have no place for Willian against Slavia Prague or anywhere with other members of Mikel Arteta’s squad more deserving of a place in the team

Generally speaking, however, Willian shouldn’t be selected purely because he is the weaker option of an area of the pitch brimming with talent. Arsenal’s issue of late has been forward balance, with Arteta opting for an imperfect numbers of options to come short and provide threat in behind.

Who plays up front impacts who starts either side. Fitness issues remain with key players and no certain decisions can be made, yet if Lacazette is selected to lead the line Willian should be nowhere in sight. Even if Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returns Arsenal need players with offensive output, a symmetry that can be struck with other members of the squad.

Worryingly, the 32-year-old starting on the bench in Yorkshire indicates that Arteta may have made that decision with an eye on the Europa League. One can only hope the same applies to Aubameyang, who is the only player Willian can be put to some use alongside.

There just is no justification for leaving someone of Martinelli’s ilk out in his stead. Someone with an energy and hunger that could light a match in a blizzard. He makes waves even when the water is calm. Willian puts fires out. Nicolas Pepe has to be higher in the pecking order, too.

But this stretches beyond Thursday night. The signing of Willian on the whole has been a disaster. Arteta must hold his hands up.

Taking forever and a day to show signs of quality, Willian put in a display against Leicester that offered an insight into why he was brought north of the capital. Remontada? Absolutely not, but there was a glimmer of light at the end of a tunnel blockaded by the Ever Given.

He may be topping the assists charts since, but stats do not always offer a fair reflection.

Watching the side play as they did at Bramall Lane, one of the numerous takeaways from the victory was a certainty that Willian would not have maintained, or added to, the fluidity on show. This is a squad that can ill-afford passengers – of which there are too many already – and the Brazilian slots into the bracket without touching the sides.

Time will come for rotation. Time will come for experience. No time will come where Willian offers more in a starting lineup than his fellow forwards. Not now. Not ever. And especially not against Slavia Prague.