Arsenal vs Aston Villa: Back to tactical basics for Arteta

What is the solution? With the options at his disposal and the job being, y’know, his, Mikel Arteta should already know the answer to the troubles at Arsenal. He may do, but he hasn’t solved them.

Over the course of his 22-month tenure he’s dabbled with a variety of shapes, systems and tactics. It’s long been known his preference is to emulate his former tutor, Pep Guardiola, by implementing a 4-3-3 formation, which has to date failed to hit the mark.

Against Crystal Palace it may have looked that way with Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe operating as left and right-sided No. 8’s respectively, although the former did sit deeper alongside Thomas Partey in midfield.

It fluttered between both but had the inner workings of a 4-1-4-1 type approach. It didn’t work. Odegaard did not have a clue where to be positionally and, despite being exceedingly poor, Partey’s options in possession were limited without a recognised partner.

Arsenal vs Aston Villa: Arteta should go back to basics and play a 4-2-3-1 with Saka, Odegaard and Smith Rowe as the trio behind Aubameyang

In the previous outing at Brighton there was Albert Sambi Lokonga in midfield, yet once again it wasn’t a recognised 4-2-3-1 as the Belgian regularly drifted out into a makeshift left-back slot to cover the spaces vacated by Kieran Tierney.

Against Tottenham it was a 4-2-3-1. Granit Xhaka came into the double pivot, didn’t wander out to the left and the angled midfield allowed Partey the freedom to push a few yards further forward. Odegaard dropped off into his favoured right half-space with Bukayo Saka dominating the right, Smith Rowe shifting in, and Tierney providing advanced width.

A 4-2-3-1 in all its glory with five distinct lanes of attack that had spaces opened between the lines with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang stretching the pitch. Tottenham were atrocious on the day, but it worked.

There is no Xhaka, regardless of how loved or hated he is, but there is Sambi. There is also Odegaard who could just be asked to sit deeper. There is also Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

It should be Sambi though. And it should be 4-2-3-1 with two midfield ball progressors who are effective shields and adept distributors. Go back to basics, if it can be called that, and play the best players in the team in their best positions. Right now Arsenal can’t fashion chances let alone score, so be rid of the unreliable and hone the attention on extracting as much quality from the best players in the squad.

Arteta has visions of the perfect end. While there are a plethora of new signings who’ve been acquired specifically to cater to his ‘end’, what is being displayed looks no different to previous renditions of his Arsenal team in the Premier League and afar.

The trio of Saka, Odegaard and Smith Rowe last season was the best looking attacking combination Arsenal have had to create meaningful shooting opportunities, and the troupe that best caters to Aubameyang. It means Saka on the right – there should be a petition going around for Nicolas Pepe to never force him to shift sides – Odegaard centrally to receive Partey’s line breaking passes and Smith Rowe on the left where he can run.

A superb carrier of the ball who makes delightful runs all game long should be given the position to do so. His decision-making on the ball has to improve, and it will, so for the time being get him singing off his preferred hymn sheet.

Will Arteta do so on Friday against Villa? That’s anyone’s guess.