Everton vs Arsenal: Back to basics for Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta came under plenty of flak for his involvement in the 3-2 defeat at Manchester United. From nearly every angle the game was viewed from there were decisions he made that were rightly questioned.

Even if the now long-standing issue of how the team abandon their attacking principles when taking the lead has been largely credited with the players’ own deficiencies, any team concern that becomes a trend has to be attributed in large part to the manager.

Generally speaking, Arsenal’s game management is poor. This includes the aforementioned point, the sloppiness that strangely affects players of a high technical level, and Arteta’s substitutions.

It’s felt like he’s started to get a hold on his facet of his coaching but there are still decisions he makes in matches that raise eyebrows: Emile Smith Rowe staying on as long as he did despite blowing for air 55 minutes in, Mohamed Elneny remaining on the pitch when needing to chase a goal, and swapping forwards for forwards late on were three in particular at Old Trafford.

Everton vs Arsenal: It should be back to basics for Mikel Arteta in the Premier League both tactically and with his starting lineup

Now it’s Everton on Monday and there is a need to go back to basics. Overthinking – perhaps over analysing is a kinder description – matches sees him make decisions like fielding Elneny who’d played only 59 minutes all season. He sometimes needs to, in a weird way, dumb down his thought process and look for the more logical and simpler decisions.

Smith Rowe isn’t fully fit, so reward Gabriel Martinelli for 115 excellent minutes and give him another start. Sambi Lokonga had created eight chances against Newcastle, so facing a dreadful Everton team means there is no reason he shouldn’t be granted the chance to repeat that.

Equally, now feels like a fair time to bring Kieran Tierney back in, not because Nuno necessarily deserves to be taken out, just that for experience, rotation and leadership it suits the match.

Tactically speaking, victory should be sought using the methods that have secured points across the Premier League season. Look at Everton’s glaring weaknesses at right-back and through the centre and exploit those areas.

Arsenal have to win and playing to their strengths as well as targetting the Toffees where they are most fragile is the simplified course of action to take.

This team is bursting with talent. Let them do so in a system that has worked previously without the urge to over complicate. Give combinations and individual traits the platform to express themselves.