Arsenal: 4 things we’d like to see vs Liverpool

2. Keeping Midfield Compact Unlike vs Chelsea & Man City

While Arsenal were embarrassed on both occasions, Arteta’s side had started relatively well against Chelsea and Manchester City.

The start against the Blues lasted ever so slightly longer, but what proved to be their (main) downfall was the baffling way in which the midfield was vacated: Granit Xhaka was being pulled into wider areas and Sambi Lokonga was left all on his own in the centre like a sitting duck asking to be played through. The Blues could casually feed balls into Lukaku’s feet and the rest is history.

It was a similar situation at the Etihad. This time Xhaka was the sole figure in midfield with Martin Odegaard tasked with being elsewhere, and it made Arsenal frighteningly simple to bypass centrally.

The ‘decent’ start lasted about three minutes, and if a similar ploy is utilised at Anfield it may break the record. Individual errors killed Arsenal in that game but Man City had a field day waltzing their way through Arsenal.

Liverpool will do the same if given the chance. Of late the 4-2-2/4-4-1-1 shape has come into effect and provided the team with greater compactness in and out of possession. As far as systems go, it’s the go-to one to use if structure and defensive solidity are required.

With Thomas Partey fit, keeping the midfield tight with Sambi keeping within close proximity to his teammate will force Liverpool wide, and as wicked as their deliveries can be from those areas, Arsenal are better equipped to handle the Reds’ threat in out wide than they are allowing them to stroll through the middle.

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