Arsenal: 5 factors to save Mikel Arteta's job and the season

Arsenal: 5 factors to save Mikel Arteta’s job and the season

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta gestures from the sidelines during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 9, 2021. - - 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 Richard Heathcote / 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 RICHARD HEATHCOTE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

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STADIO RENATO DALL’ARA, BOLOGNA, ITALY – 2021/05/23: Takehiro Tomiyasu of Bologna FC looks on during the Serie A football match between Bologna FC and Juventus FC. Juventus FC won 4-1 over Bologna FC. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images) /

2. Solve the Right-Back Dilemma With Takehiro Tomiyasu

Could Takehiro Tomiyasu be the solution to Arsenal’s woes at right-back? The truth is we don’t know.

From a profile perspective and having been able to see the tactical fit on paper, we need to see it in action. The 22-year-old is not the finished article and doesn’t arrive as the elite option many fans were hoping for, so we have to wait and see.

For Arteta, however, he’s who he wanted.

"“We followed him for a while,” Arteta said. “We needed a full back who could be very versatile, can play as a centre back, can play in a back three, Tomi has this capacity.”"

Versatility is key among his desires and eyeing such a unique mould of defender means that the specifics of what Arteta wants are clear. He now has to find the systematic benefit of that.

Boasting right-back options who either can’t tackle, can’t cover spaces, are weak in the air, a combination of all those traits and more or simply don’t want to play there, the results of that are etched across the Premier League table.

Ben White and Tomiyasu have to forge a partnership that aids the Gunners’ progression down the right side, gets the ball through the thirds at greater tempo and brings a calmness and stability to the backline. Whether he is or he isn’t, Tomiyasu kind of has to be the right man.

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