Arsenal vs Chelsea: 3-4-3 defensive reshuffle for Arteta?

Is it time to reconsider those pre-season predictions? As storm clouds gather around north London following the disappointing opening-day loss to Brentford, Arsenal will be hoping to get their Premier League campaign back on track this weekend when they take on old adversaries Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.

The manner of last Friday’s defeat away to the Bees would have caused Mikel Arteta much consternation and, currently faced with a myriad of injuries and COVID-related absentees up front, he may have to take drastic measures to nullify the threat posed by Thomas Tuchel’s European champions.

Therefore, bearing in mind our comparatively well-stocked resources at the back, is a defensive reshuffle on the cards?

Rarely seen since the heady days of Project Restart, speculation is rife about the 3-4-3 formation making a return on Sunday to add numbers and subsequent stability to the Arsenal defence, and Rob Holding is just one player who may benefit from its prospective revival.

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Will injuries and Covid-related absentees spark a defensive reshuffle for Arsenal ahead of their Premier League clash with Chelsea on Sunday?

Despite being left on the bench last time out, the former Bolton man was – somewhat controversially – favoured by the boss throughout the previous season, making 39 appearances in all competitions, and he will likely be back in contention for a starting berth after the Gunners’ abject defensive display during the domestic curtain-raiser.

Opting to pair Pablo Marí with the recently acquired Ben White, Arsenal were carved open time and again by Thomas Frank’s side in west London. The £50m recruit endured a torrid time in his aerial duels with Ivan Toney, winning just 42.8% of the contests, while his Spanish teammate was run ragged by the clever movement of Bryan Mbeumo and appeared to struggle greatly with the Bees’ pressing style.

In total, our fledgling centre-back partnership lost six aerial battles and exhibited a lack of pace that does not bode well for the future, and this realisation could prompt a rethink in defence.

Adopting a more cautious structure will help to mitigate vulnerability to the Chelsea attack and, with Romelu Lukaku’s arrival potentially enticing our opponents to explore aerial avenues, Holding may represent our greatest hope of keeping the Belgian international quiet.

Continued…

Rob Holding & Nuno Tavares Could be Key vs Chelsea

Implementing a more defensive strategy may also see Kieran Tierney move into the backline. Although repositioning the Scotsman may be an unappetising proposal considering his remarkable influence in the final third, Arteta has shown a consistent preference for a left-foot/right-foot centre-back combination and Tierney’s proven ability to perform such a role may be too appealing to overlook for such a big occasion.

Furthermore, this switch could also allow Nuno Tavares to make his competitive debut for the team, with the summer acquisition demonstrating his talent in a series of encouraging pre-season performances including the narrow 1-0 defeat against Tottenham and a 2-2 draw with Rangers, where he netted our first equaliser.

In the opening day defeat to Brentford, his ten-minute cameo at right-back was one of few bright sparks on a glum evening, taking advantage of the game’s openness and looking threatening in transition.

Admittedly, the high-profile nature of this contest means it is very unlikely Tavares will feature, but there could be a vacancy on the left if Tierney is preferred to Marí at left-sided centre-back. The fact that the Portuguese has only been in England for a short period of time should not take precedence over his suitability and value to the side for this encounter.

Sunday will see a full capacity at the Emirates for the first time since March 2020 and, with the club currently on zero points and spending a league-high of £130m during the transfer window, pressure is steadily mounting on Arteta to deliver on his much-touted managerial potential and recapture our former glories.

However, while that ambition may well be achieved in time, the unavailability of both recent recruits and our seasoned forwards for Sunday’s Premier League clash means focus should turn to giving the remaining side a fighting chance of claiming all three points and, for now, a new formation is a compelling option.