Pain in the Arsenal
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Villarreal vs Arsenal: 4-2-3-1 with tactical familiarity

By Ross Kennerley

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (C) hugs his players at the final whistle during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium in London on March 14, 2021. - Arsenal won the game 2-1. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Julian Finney / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by JULIAN FINNEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (C) hugs his players at the final whistle during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium in London on March 14, 2021. - Arsenal won the game 2-1. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Julian Finney / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by JULIAN FINNEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Granit Xhaka
Villarreal vs Arsenal: 4-2-3-1 with tactical familiarity and Granit Xhaka in midfield key to Europa League semi-final victory over Unai Emery’s side. (Photo by JULIAN FINNEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

Like the process of making films, we’re only in the pre-production stage and already there is so much to dissect for Villarreal vs Arsenal. This Europa League semi-final meeting is bursting full of narratives, making matters on the pitch almost secondary.

Unavoidable is the two men taking their places in the technical areas, their respective records in charge of Arsenal and what impact winning or losing this semi-final will have on the clubs’ futures. That barely scratches the surface.

So what about on the pitch? What about how to win this football match?

To account for the absence of Kieran Tierney, and in some part Martin Odegaard, the 3-3-4 or 3-4-3 system has been implemented by Mikel Arteta, most notably coming into its own as Slavia Prague were handsomely eliminated in the quarter-finals.

Villarreal vs Arsenal: 4-2-3-1 with tactical familiarity and Granit Xhaka in midfield key to Europa League semi-final victory over Unai Emery’s side

But here, on the eve of Thursday’s first leg, news of Tierney’s potential return, along with David Luiz, Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, has opened the door for status quo to be reintroduced.

If the Scotsman is fit, Arsenal must revert to the 4-2-3-1 with him at left-back. If he isn’t deemed ready to start this fixture, Arsenal must still revert to the 4-2-3-1.

Utilising Granit Xhaka as a left centre-back that occasionally moulded into a left-back in times of repeated pressure, has worked. The past two results don’t reflect that, but from a defensive standpoint neither Fulham nor Everton laid a glove on Arsenal.

Why not against Villarreal? Well, on the one hand even against the Toffees Richarlison moved onto the right flank to try and isolate Xhaka, only once truly beating him, which was for the goal. Thus, if Arsenal can suppress a £50m speed merchant against the Swiss then surely they can do it against another pacey wide player in Samuel Chukwueze.

There are two reasons why they shouldn’t: Unai Emery and attacking output…

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